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UK supermarket guarantees market for unwanted offspring of dairy cows on suppliers’ farms that might otherwise be slaughtered immediately

Morrisons is guaranteeing a market for all male calves born on its dairy suppliers’ farms in a bid to stop them being killed at birth.

A Guardian investigation last year revealed an estimated 95,000 male dairy calves were being slaughtered on-farm as farmers couldn’t afford to keep them, in a practice known as the dairy industry’s “dirty secret”.

The retailer’s new policy – coming into force in October – ensures they are neither shot or exported. Instead farmers will be required to rear the calves to a certain weight until 15–40 days of age, at which point they will be bought by the beef-rearing company Buitelaar.

Related: Dairy’s ‘dirty secret’: it's still cheaper to kill male calves than to rear them

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EU carbon prices lifted back towards €27 early on Wednesday, as a supply shortfall from the lack of auction helped reverse the previous sessions's late losses.

Asia’s ability to deploy carbon pricing instruments to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions at a lower cost remains hamstrung by regulatory shortcomings and a lack of success in attracting private sector finance, according to an Asian Development Bank think-tank.

In 1958, my father-in-law, Simon Gourlay, who has died aged 85, bought 200 acres of pasture and started farming near Knighton, on the English-Welsh border. He converted the dilapidated house and surrounding farmland into a warm family home and later developed the five-acre garden, which was subsequently opened to the public for the National Garden Scheme.

In the late 1970s, he joined the National Farmers’ Union as a delegate and he rose to become NFU president in 1986. During his five-year term of office, he was a moderniser and actively promoted women in farming. He was knighted in 1989 for services to farming.

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SKM Recycling goes into receivership, as 30 Victorian councils scramble to stop recyclable waste going to landfill.

For thousands of years the Nenets people have migrated with their reindeer herds across the Yamal Peninsula in the Russian Arctic. In October 2016, Alegra Ally travelled to north-west Siberia to join a family and document their way of life as autumn turned to winter

New Path – A Window on Nenets Life by Alegra Ally is published by Schilt

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Team of NYU scientists study shifting landscape of country one member calls ‘the end of the planet’

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EnergyAustralia says legal action against wind farm operators a fruitless “blame game,” at a time when the national energy market is changing "beyond recognition."

The post EnergyAustralia slams energy regulator for blackout “blame game” appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Compared with dual glass bifacial, JinkoSolar’s Swan reduces the weight by 25%.

The post JinkoSolar’s Swan reduces bifacial module weight by 25% appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Prices hit zero in all mainland NEM states on Wednesday for second day in a row, and for fourth day in a row in sunny Queensland.

The post Prices hit zero again across the grid as renewables output tops 10GW appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Documents obtained by the Guardian suggest interior secretary is promoting effort tied to his former firm

The US interior secretary, David Bernhardt, is promoting a fossil fuel project for which his former employer, a lobbying firm, is a paid advocate, e-mails obtained by the Guardian suggest.

Experts sayBernhardt is probably violating ethics guidelines issued by the Trump administration with the stated goal of “draining the swamp”. Based on these rules, Bernhardt should be recused from specific issues involving a former client for at least two years.

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Just when you thought Australia had hit the ceiling on absurd energy politics, federal Nationals MP Keith Pitt has unveiled a “bold” new plan for Queensland to quit the national grid.

The post Crazy gang: Coalition MP wants Queensland to leave main grid appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Transgrid’s Andrew Kingsmill on thinking big and renewable energy zones, and AEMO’s long term modelling to decarbonise the grid.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: On the road to a decarbonised grid appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Populism focuses on charismatic individuals. Environmentalism is all about collective action on collective solutions. How do they come together? Mark Beeson, Professor of International Politics, University of Western Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Public urged to "recycle their tech" as rare, valuable materials in millions of old devices languish in UK homes.

A lot of us like a lush looking, freshly mowed lawn, but there may be more sustainable options we can also enjoy.

Radio-frequency identification, famously used to bug the US embassy in Moscow, is a cheap way to track objects and data.

Closure of tiger farms among urgent steps needed to protect species, wildlife summit hears

Two illegally smuggled tigers per week are being seized by officials, according to a report, but this represents only a tiny fraction of those being killed.

The report, by the wildlife trade experts Traffic, was released at a summit of 183 countries under the Convention in the International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), where many delegates have called for stronger action.

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Unwanted devices can contain elements that the world is running out of - so how can you help?

In a disused air raid shelter one company is growing crops, but what are the pros and cons of vertical farming?