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Hastings dinosaur footprints exposed by cliff erosion
Climate change activists vow to step up protests around world
Campaigners say they will force governments to act after lack of progress at UN summit
Civil society groups have pledged growing international protests to drive rapid action on global warming after the UN climate summit in Poland.
The summit agreed rules for implementing the 2015 Paris agreement, which aims to keep global warming as close to 1.5C (2.7F) as possible, but it made little progress in increasing governments’ commitments to cut emissions. The world remains on track for 3C of warming, which scientists says will bring catastrophic extreme weather.
Continue reading...Chickens freezing to death and boiled alive: failings in US slaughterhouses exposed
An investigation finds hundreds of shocking welfare incidents, fuelling concerns about standards in a post-Brexit trade deal
Chickens slowly freezing to death, being boiled alive, drowned or suffocating under piles of other birds are among hundreds of shocking welfare incidents recorded at US slaughterhouses, according to previously unpublished reports.
Among them are “inexcusable” violations, say campaigners, who ask if the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) current system, where inspectors issue reports when they see violations, really works. One inspector, who asked to remain anonymous, questioned the impact of those reports.
Continue reading...Bloodhound supersonic car project saved
London's new official plan for cycling is bold but has a major flaw
With no new infrastructure or funding, questions remain on how to genuinely democratise cycling in a big city
London has a new official plan for cycling. It’s full of bold statements of intent and has some interesting ideas. That’s the good news. Here’s the drawback: within the 59 glossy pages I could detect no new plans for cycling infrastructure.
This all might seem a bit niche, not to say London-centric. But there is a wider lesson here: if cities are to truly move ahead in making cycling everyday and for everyone, good intentions aren’t enough. It involves political boldness, and taking risks.
Continue reading...Is the simple life a good life?
Offset purchases drop to new record lows in Australia’s latest ERF auction
Porche achieves 3 minute recharge at 450kW EV charging station
An ultra-fast prototype charger with 450kW is now open to the public in Germany – and it can charge an EV in as little as three minutes.
The post Porche achieves 3 minute recharge at 450kW EV charging station appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Charging your EV with diesel is greener than you think
A group of outback EV drivers test out using an EV charger powered by a diesel generator, and the results are promising.
The post Charging your EV with diesel is greener than you think appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Country diary: making wines in Sussex that taste of the place
Dew farm, Peasmarsh, East Sussex: Ben Walgate wants to establish a vineyard that echoes the humus- and microbe-rich soil environment in which wild vines thrive
In a coppiced corner of Dew farm, deep in the rolling Sussex Weald, grows a wild grapevine: ancient, gnarled and bountiful. When Ben Walgate moved here last year, he wild-fermented grapes from the vine and found he had made a wine that, as he put it, “tasted of the place”.
Now Walgate, who comes from a long line of farmers, is creating a vineyard – Tillingham Wines – using that vine as inspiration. Instead of the intensive and chemical-dependent practices of traditional viticulture, Walgate, with the collaboration of the owner of the estate, the environmentalist Lord Devonport, wants to establish a vineyard that echoes as closely as possible the natural, biodiverse, humus- and microbe-rich soil environment in which wild vines thrive.
Continue reading...Australia lies low in Katowice as UN scrapes together rules for climate deal
Environment minister Melissa Price kept as low a profile as possible in Poland climate talks, as Australia's only noticeable contribution to public debate was its declared support of fossil fuels.
The post Australia lies low in Katowice as UN scrapes together rules for climate deal appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Tetris Energy secures PPA for 5MW solar and battery project in South Australia
Melbourne firm says it has signed offtake deal for 5MW solar and storage project in S.A. Murray River region, as stage 1 of what could become a 30MW affair.
The post Tetris Energy secures PPA for 5MW solar and battery project in South Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.
10 million and more reasons to be cheerful: RenewEconomy page views surge in 2018
Huge interest in clean energy transition – and technologies and policies that go with it – helped deliver more than 10m page views to RenewEconomy this year.
The post 10 million and more reasons to be cheerful: RenewEconomy page views surge in 2018 appeared first on RenewEconomy.
WA names new energy minister, primes grid for 900MW renewables rush
WA opens up grid for nearly 1GW of new large-scale renewable projects. And it has appointed a new energy minister to shepherd the process.
The post WA names new energy minister, primes grid for 900MW renewables rush appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Gupta flags float of Simec Zen Energy, solar + storage bid for Coalition tender
Gupta flags possible float Simec Zen Energy business and confirms interest in Coalition government's controversial tender for new dispatchable generation.
The post Gupta flags float of Simec Zen Energy, solar + storage bid for Coalition tender appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Solar farms getting smaller, cheaper and smarter to overcome grid hurdles
Kanowna solar farm near Moree believed to be the first to use both DC optimisers and centralised DC-coupled inverters to cater for battery storage and get around network connection hurdles.
The post Solar farms getting smaller, cheaper and smarter to overcome grid hurdles appeared first on RenewEconomy.