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Use of essential rock phosphate has soared, but scientists fear it could run out within a few decades

The world faces an “imminent crisis” in the supply of phosphate, a critical fertiliser that underpins the world’s food supply, scientists have warned.

Phosphate is an essential mineral for all life on Earth and is added to farmers’ fields in huge quantities. But rock phosphate is a finite resource and the biggest supplies are mined in politically unstable places, posing risks to the many countries that have little or no reserves.

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German emitters ramped up their EU Allowance buying in July as prices rallied to a 13-year high, a government report shows.

Closing prices, ranges and volumes for China's regional pilot carbon markets this week.

Baby timber rattlesnake in New Jersey has two fully formed, independently working heads

Scientists have named a rare two-headed snake Double Dave after it was found in a forest in the US state of New Jersey.

The baby timber rattlesnake was discovered last month by environmentalists from the Herpetological Associates group, who study endangered and threatened reptiles.

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China could cut a cumulative 1.5-3 billion tonnes of CO2e by 2030 at low cost by introducing easily available policies, including bringing some of those gases into its planned emissions trading scheme, according to research.

Diseases, fishing and plastic are some of the causes of whales and dolphins washing up on shores.

‘For Forest – The Unending Attraction of Nature’ by Klaus Littmann has transformed the Wörthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt into Austria’s largest public art installation

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The federal government this week heralded Australia's renewable energy performance. But the outlook leaves little cause for celebration. Dylan McConnell, Researcher at the Australian German Climate and Energy College, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

ClearVue Technologies Limited is pleased to announce that it has received an R&D tax credit from the Australian Tax Office ofAUD $602,353

The post ClearVue confirms c.$602,000 R&D Tax Credit appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Each spring, winds circling the South Pole weaken. If they weaken enough, they can actually reverse – causing rapid warming. Harry Hendon, Senior Principal Research Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Andrew B. Watkins, Manager of Long-range Forecast Services, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Eun-Pa Lim, Senior research scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Griffith Young, Senior IT Officer, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A proposed plan to clean up New Zealand's waterways draws clear limits on the expansion of dairy farming and irrigation, as well as on the use of nitrogen fertiliser in some key areas. Troy Baisden, Professor and Chair in Lake and Freshwater Sciences, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Australian Energy Market Operator is looking at the role of rooftop solar, and how that can be used to help solve some of the grid issues that could be raised by the rapid uptake of electric vehices. Early modelling by AEMO has noted that much, but certainly not all, of the charging for EVs...

The post AEMO looks at role of rooftop solar to help manage EVs on the grid appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Nexif founder CEO Matthew Bartley joins the Energy Insiders podcast to discuss the deal on leasing South Australia’s back up generators, doubling the size of Lincoln Gap wind farm - it will be the biggest in the state - and adding battery storage.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: It’s all about dispatchability appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The number of women climbing the career ladder in science remains "disappointingly low", says a study.

Energy Security Board sets out to re-design Australia's electricity market, given the shift to wind, solar and storage, and wants submissions by the end of the month.

The post Wind, solar and storage prompt re-design of Australia’s energy market appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Driven Electric cars continue to experience unprecedented success in Australia, against a backdrop of continued declining sales petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles. The latest report from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries reveal that sales of zero and low emissions vehicles have doubled in 2019 compared to year-to-date (YTD) figures from 2018. According to the...

The post The new normal: EV sales double in Australia, while petrol car sales slump appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Water bottles, cigarette lighters and fishing nets were among garbage found on Djulpan beach, Sea Shepherd says

Further evidence that plastic does not discriminate as it spreads across the planet: the marine conservation organisation Sea Shepherd said it is washing up in large quantities on a remote Australian beach.

Sea Shepherd joined Indigenous rangers in picking up more than seven tonnes of marine plastic pollution on a two-kilometre stretch of Djulpan beach, in northeastern Arnhem Land.

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Townsville "gigafactory" for battery production moves forward with NAB coming on board as financial advisor and help in search for funding.

The post NAB backs Queensland battery gigafactory plans as financial advisor appeared first on RenewEconomy.

BHP says shareholder resolution to leave industry groups at odds with climate stance is unnecessary, as review is under way

BHP’s board has rejected as unnecessary a shareholder resolution requiring it to suspend its membership of organisations, including the Minerals Council of Australia, that are at odds with the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

The miner said the resolution, backed by investors including tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and a group of pension funds, was not needed because, as the Guardian has previously reported, it is already reviewing its membership of industry bodies.

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Behyad Jafari, Paul Cox and Stephanie Bashir wrap up the Electric Vehicle Transition conference and look at what’s ahead.

The post The Driven Podcast: Bright Ideas & Blind Ideology appeared first on RenewEconomy.