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The proposal to open up the Renca reserve in the Amazon for exploitation by large mining companies would be catastrophic for the earth’s climate, for biodiversity and for local indigenous communities, writes Molly Scott Cato MEP

The proposal to open up the Renca reserve in the Amazon for exploitation by large mining companies would be catastrophic for the earth’s climate, for biodiversity and for local indigenous communities. At the same time, the European Union is negotiating a new trade agreement with Mercosur, the Latin America regional trade bloc, of which Brazil currently holds the presidency. This is a vital opportunity for the EU to use our trade muscle to make clear that the Amazon is not for sale and that minerals extracted from a protected reserve will never find their way onto European markets.

World Trade Organisation rules also make clear that trading parties have a legitimate right to ban imports if it is “necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health”. I have written to trade commissioner Malmström stating my clear view that the Renca reserve is necessary to protect human life and demanding that she excludes its products from the free trade deal. I will be urging my MEP colleagues to vote against the deal if it does not include this guarantee.
Molly Scott Cato MEP
Green, South West England

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Around 200 members of family and colleagues attended a memorial for Stephen Tindale.

A selection of the day’s best images including demonstrating Ronald McDonalds in London, high dives in Texas and a beer holding world record in Germany

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Helicopter crew rescue two children and their mother from their flooded home in Houston after tropical storm Harvey caused devastating flooding last week. The storm, one of the costliest to hit the US, has displaced more than 1 million people, resulted in at least 44 deaths and damaged 185,000 homes in Houston alone

• Drone footage shows flooding in Houston, Texas – video
• Harvey recovery bill expected to exceed the $120bn required after Katrina

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As the seasons begin to change in most places, we would like to see and hear about the wildlife you’ve discovered in your area

Wherever you are in the world and however professional or amateur your photography set up, we would like to see your images of the wildlife living near you.

If you’re short of inspiration, have a look at some of the amazing images shared by readers around the world last month via GuardianWitness here. We regularly print readers’ best images in the Guardian newspaper and will let you know if your image should feature.

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To achieve climate agreement’s limit of 2C rise, pricing will have to increase to more than $100 a tonne, says Schroders

More than $1.5tn (£1.2tn) in company profits worldwide could be erased by taxes required to meet the Paris climate agreement, according to analysis by Schroders.

In a stark warning to investors to back more sustainable companies, the fund management group said total earnings of 12,500 global companies could fall by 20% were the world to limit itself to the 2C temperature rise target agreed in Paris through higher taxes. Schroders found prices in emissions trading would need to rise to “well over” $100 a tonne of CO2e from current levels, about $5, to encourage the move away from fossil fuels on the scale that was needed.

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A small community on the island of Sumatra is at the heart of a battle for traditional territories that could finally resolve the muddled and exploitative system of laws governing land ownership in Indonesia

It is cold and late on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Huddled around a map, a group of elders are planning their battle strategy. In a milestone victory last year, they were promised rights to the land their village has controlled for generations, but today they have had bad news. The local inspector wants to slice off a piece of the forest where they harvest benzoin – a substance like frankincense – and give it to a large pulp company. They see this as a betrayal.

The elders debate in a mix of languages – Batak and bahasa Indonesia – while sipping tea and planning how they will resume the fight the next day. For years now, almost every day has involved this kind of planning.

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No one will be surprised if AEMO projects a potential problem this summer in reports to be released this week.

PIAC’s Energy + Water Consumers Advocacy Program (EWCAP) has welcomed the NSW electricity bill relief package, announced yesterday

The key issue at moment around LGC prices remains the commissioning dates for new fleet of wind and solar generation.

Regulator report cites seven different occasions where Australia's big energy players used market power to push up prices nearly 100-fold. No wonder South Australia has pushed for Tesla big battery, which is likely to be able to smash this cartel, despite being derided by the Coalition.

With $50m in backing from Future Super, new debt fund taps renewable energy "sweet spot" – including small to medium solar projects with no PPAs.

AEMO report will be critical to design of policy and market rules, but wind and solar industry fear they are going to be unfairly penalised, when it is the fossil fuel fleet causing much risk to the energy system.

Ecclesall Wood, Sheffield A close-up look at these birds – which have evolved to be invisible in domains such as this – was proving elusive

A new noise stopped me dead in my tracks; a sort of pulse-quickening, primitive shriek, more banshee wail than bird call. Through the still-bare March treetops I saw the source of the sound barrel straight overhead – my first thrilling glimpse of sparrowhawk in this neck of Ecclesall Wood, near my home.

In the long light of a clear May evening came a second sighting, not far from the first; a revelatory 10 minutes of spectacular aerobatics in the full view of Ecclesall Road South, the bird’s fluidity of movement spellbinding.

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Defying the policy uncertainty that has held back utility-scale solar in Australia, much of the new renewables investment is happening in coal country.

Hydro Tasmania expects to run the Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) at the Tamar Valley Power Station Tuesday 5 September, 2017.

The Andrews Labor Government is helping businesses reduce their energy costs through a range of programs that support long term sustainability and jobs growth.

A rare native night bird makes a comeback; we turn beach coconuts into crunchy chips; go snail farming in Victoria; and meet 92-year-old former vegetable grower, turned machinery collector, Bill Ashman.

Draft Emissions Reduction Fund method for Measurement of soil carbon sequestration in agricultural systems released for public consultation. Consultation period closes 2 October 2017.

Draft Emissions Reduction Fund method for Measurement of soil carbon sequestration in agricultural systems released for public consultation. Consultation period closes 2 October 2017.