Around The Web

Explainer: why the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is so important for keeping Antarctica frozen

The Conversation - Fri, 2018-11-16 04:58
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current provides a barrier to heat that keeps warm subtropical waters away from Antarctica. Yet, there are a few places where the heat gets through. Helen Phillips, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Benoit Legresy, CSIRO Nathan Bindoff, Professor of Physical Oceanography, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
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California may finalise carbon market regulations in December, alters position on EIM

Carbon Pulse - Fri, 2018-11-16 04:37
California regulator ARB may revert back to its original plan to approve cap-and-trade amendments in December rather than January, while also proposing slight changes to its mechanism for accounting for indirect emissions, according to a presentation released Thursday.
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'Nothing to hide?' Oil and gas lobby pushes to limit data on its emissions

The Guardian - Fri, 2018-11-16 03:00

Booming LNG sector is driving Australia’s rising emissions, but lobby group claims reporting emissions would damage international competitiveness

The Australian oil and gas lobby is pushing to limit public information about greenhouse gas emissions from liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, a move that contradicts the global industry’s pledge to increase transparency about their impact on the climate.

The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) has called for LNG plants to be able to apply for emissions data to be withheld from the public on the grounds that releasing it could help its competitors overseas. It has been backed by Chevron, which operates the Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG developments in Western Australia.

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AEMO says new wind, solar and batteries will mitigate summer blackout risks

RenewEconomy - Thu, 2018-11-15 23:06

AEMO outlines summer readiness plan, saying it needs less emergency reserves thanks to the addition of more wind, solar and storage.

The post AEMO says new wind, solar and batteries will mitigate summer blackout risks appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Tesla’s and Victoria’s second big battery completed at Ganawarra solar farm

RenewEconomy - Thu, 2018-11-15 23:04

Tesla's second big battery in Australia and the second big battery in Victoria has been formally unveiled. It is the largest solar plus battery facility in Australia.

The post Tesla’s and Victoria’s second big battery completed at Ganawarra solar farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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UK's backup power subsidies are illegal, European court rules

The Guardian - Thu, 2018-11-15 22:59

Surprise judgment means government must halt capacity market scheme

The UK’s scheme for ensuring power supplies during the winter months has been suspended after a ruling by the European court of justice that it constitutes illegal state aid.

Payments under the £1bn capacity market scheme will be halted until the government can win permission from the European commission to restart it.

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The Empire of the Eagle: the world's most graceful bird – in pictures

The Guardian - Thu, 2018-11-15 22:51

The Empire of the Eagle: An Illustrated Natural History, by Mike Unwin and David Tipling, is published by Yale University Press and celebrates the world’s 68 eagle species in all their magnificence and beguiling diversity

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Climate change: Worries over CO2 emissions from intensifying wildfires

BBC - Thu, 2018-11-15 22:18
Rising numbers of extreme wildfires could result in a significant increase in CO₂ emissions, scientists have warned.
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EU Market: EUAs tumble as Brexit deal shakes UK government

Carbon Pulse - Thu, 2018-11-15 21:30
EUAs plunged to near €18 on Thursday as a number of UK ministers resigned over the Brexit deal agreed by British and EU negotiators late Wednesday, prompting fears that it will collapse and prompt emitters to sell surplus carbon units before they are locked out of the scheme next year.
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China updates draft rules for mandatory REC scheme, announces 2019 start

Carbon Pulse - Thu, 2018-11-15 20:49
China will launch its mandatory renewable energy certificate (REC) scheme next year, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said as it this week rolled out updated draft rules for what will be the first of several planned national market mechanisms to cut carbon emissions and reduce energy use.
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Supermarkets still produce thousands of tonnes of plastic bags

The Guardian - Thu, 2018-11-15 17:01

Greenpeace says retailers failing to take responsibility for reducing footprint

Big supermarkets are producing billions of single-use plastic bags each year despite charges that are designed to reduce their use by the public.

The UK’s 10 leading supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Co-op and Aldi, continue to put plastic bags into their shops three years after the introduction of 5p charges under EU law.

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'Team Oil': ex-oil worker seeks to educate legislators on climate change

The Guardian - Thu, 2018-11-15 17:00

Retired engineer and manager Bill Bray volunteers with Citizens Climate Lobby, which aims to meet with all legislators twice a year

Bill Bray makes sure to wear his ExxonMobil baseball cap to the farmers’ markets and Rotary clubs he visits in Texas to talk about climate change.

Related: Shell boss says mass reforestation needed to limit temperature rises to 1.5C

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US oil firm's bid to drill for oil in Arctic hits snag: a lack of sea ice

The Guardian - Thu, 2018-11-15 16:00

Hilcorp’s plan to extract 70,000 barrels a day follows Trump’s reversal of an Obama-era ban on fossil fuel activity in the region

Plans to establish the first oil drilling operation in US Arctic waters have hit an ironic snag – a lack of sea ice caused by rapid warming in the region.

Last month, the Trump administration approved the go-ahead of the Liberty project to extract oil from beneath the Beaufort Sea, off Alaska’s north coast. The drilling would be the first of its kind in federal waters in the Arctic and follows Trump’s reversal of an Obama-era ban on fossil fuel activity in the polar region.

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Grattan joins chorus debunking need for Coalition’s coal underwriting plan

RenewEconomy - Thu, 2018-11-15 14:22

Grattan Institute becomes latest body to voice concerns about what looks like a last-ditch attempt to support investments in coal generation.

The post Grattan joins chorus debunking need for Coalition’s coal underwriting plan appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Greens establish Senate Inquiry into “fair dinkum power”

RenewEconomy - Thu, 2018-11-15 14:13

Senate votes to create Select Committee into Fair Dinkum Power, an inquiry proposed by Australian Greens to cut through federal Coalition's “meaningless, misleading” energy policy.

The post Greens establish Senate Inquiry into “fair dinkum power” appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Solar panels exposed to fire pose “negligible risk” to health, environment: IEA

RenewEconomy - Thu, 2018-11-15 13:27

Rooftop solar fire hazard analysis finds negligible risks for chemical contamination, and no cancer related health effects from PV exposed to fire.

The post Solar panels exposed to fire pose “negligible risk” to health, environment: IEA appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Reef scientist Terry Hughes awarded prize for standing up to political ‘smears’

The Guardian - Thu, 2018-11-15 13:03

Coral reef scientist jointly awarded John Maddox prize weeks after his research centre lost government funding

Judges have awarded an Australian scientist a prestigious international prize, saying he has battled political smears and public attempts to discredit his work in order to shine a light on the devastating effects of climate change on coral reefs.

Prof Terry Hughes was jointly awarded the John Maddox prize on Wednesday for bringing public attention to coral bleaching.

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Germany’s electricity grid stable amid energy transition

RenewEconomy - Thu, 2018-11-15 12:57

Germany's grid - even in midst of shift to renewables - remains one of most stable in Europe, as biggest threat comes from extreme weather.

The post Germany’s electricity grid stable amid energy transition appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Spain bans petrol cars, fracking, fossil fuel subsidies – aims for 100% renewables

RenewEconomy - Thu, 2018-11-15 12:49

Spain proposes new laws banning petrol vehicles, fracking, scraps fossil fuel subsidies and sets 2050 goal for 100% renewable power.

The post Spain bans petrol cars, fracking, fossil fuel subsidies – aims for 100% renewables appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Queenslander escapes four-metre tiger shark that attacked his kayak

The Guardian - Thu, 2018-11-15 12:15

Man used radio to contact coast guard after shark rammed and bit his craft and sent him flying into the ocean on the Sunshine Coast

A kayaker has been sent flying after a four-metre tiger shark rammed and then sank its teeth into his tiny craft on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

The man, aged in his 30s, was fishing from his kayak off Moffat beach on Thursday morning when he was flung into the water, surfacing to find the shark with its jaws still clamped around one end.

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