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The regulated status of biomass and exclusion of certain industrial electricity providers are proving to be contentious "hot-button issues" in developing Virginia’s cap-and-trade programme, according to a state official.

Defending NEG on basis that something must be better than nothing is like trying to build a car and settling on just three wheels and no steering.

Hawaii's carbon tax proposal will not go through in 2018, a state lawmaker told Carbon Pulse on Thursday, marking the latest sub-national US carbon pricing proposal to fail to muster enough legislative support this year.

The latest trend in California's Silicon Valley - shared electric scooters.

US oil major ExxonMobil continued its brisk pace of Colombian CER cancellations this week, annulling another huge batch against the country’s carbon tax.

Based on some 5 year old data and some contrived fossil-fuel-friendly assumptions, German car owners association ADAC has concluded that EVs are not always climate-friendly.

Manitoba’s NDP party has threatened to delay legislation to enact the province’s proposed carbon tax as it seeks to force the ruling conservatives to include measures to support low-carbon investment, the leader of the official opposition said Thursday.

Under it's "National Sword" policy, China will now only accept recycling with a low contamination rate. But what does that mean?

Solar photovoltaics and wind power are on track to supplant fossil-fuel-based electricity generation by the 2030s. The only thing holding back the renewable revolution is politics. Andrew Blakers, Professor of Engineering, Australian National University Matthew Stocks, Research Fellow, ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Rivers will be lost, Indigenous communities and pastoral and tourism industries affected if not enough water is returned

The latest proposal to cut 605bn litres of water from flowing down the Murray-Darling river system will test the nation’s faith in water reform.

Transparency, accountability, trust: these have sadly gone missing from the nation’s plan for the health of the river system. Allegations of water theft, inequity for downstream communities and poor governance have all shaken the foundations of faith in the plan that state and federal governments agreed to in 2012.

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Emmanuel Macron | Butterfly Conservation | Country diary magic | Porton Down | Football fans

Why is Emmanuel Macron always described as a “centrist” in the Guardian (Strike chaos sets rail workers on collision course with Macron, 4 April)? He is hellbent on reducing employment rights and taking on the unions. He may be young and his party new on the political scene, but he is a conservative. Why not describe him as such?
Martin Childs
London

• As the Rolling Stones are touring in Britain this year – the 50th anniversary of the founding of Butterfly Conservation (Patrick Barkham’s Butterflywatch, 31 March) – the band should give a generous donation to the charity in recognition of the harm they did to thousands of large white butterflies released during their Hyde Park concert to remember Brian Jones.
Jacky Creswick
Chester

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A study of litter in UK seas shows the number of plastic bags has fallen, amid a rise in other types of plastic rubbish.

Recently-agreed EU ETS reforms will greatly reduce the carbon price-damping impact of overlapping policies until the mid-2020s, but will require further tweaking after that, according to new research.

The week’s top environment news stories and green events. If you are not already receiving this roundup, sign up here to get the briefing delivered to your inbox

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Researchers find that warmer temperatures are upsetting the seasonal relationship between the early spider orchid and pollinating bees

It is one of the most cunning and elaborate reproductive deceits: the early spider orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) wafts a floral bouquet into the air that mimics the irresistible scent of a virgin female solitary mining bee, tricking gullible male bees into attempting intercourse with several flowers, thereby ensuring the plant’s pollination.

But the sexual success of this rare and declining orchid in Britain is imperilled by climate change, researchers have found.

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The worms are being used because they have a similar muscle structure to humans.

Australia’s proposed National Energy Guarantee (NEG) faces its first major test later this month when it will be put to state energy ministers, but expectations are growing that the policy will survive the meeting despite lingering concerns over what it is likely to achieve.

How have the changing seasons affected the wildlife near you?

What sort of wildlife will we all discover on our doorsteps this month? We’d like to see your photos of the April wildlife near you, whether you’re a novice spotter or have been out and about searching for creatures great and small for years.

Share your photos and videos with us and we’ll feature our favourites on the Guardian site. We also occasionally print readers’ best images in the Guardian newspaper and will let you know if your image should feature.

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Grid operator says Tesla big battery is faster and smarter than conventional turbines - and is also reducing prices.

Now there’s a handbook for that

Gallup released its annual survey on American perceptions about global warming last week, and the results were a bit discouraging. While 85–90% of Democrats are worried about global warming, realize humans are causing it, and are aware that most scientists agree on this, independents and Republicans are a different story. Only 35% of Republicans and 62% of independents realize humans are causing global warming (down from 40% and 70% last year, respectively), a similar number are worried about it, and only 42% of Republicans and 65% of independents are aware of the scientific consensus – also significantly down from last year’s Gallup poll.

The Trump administration’s polarizing stance on climate change is probably the main contributor to this decline in conservative acceptance of climate change realities. A recent study found evidence that “Americans may have formed their attitudes [on climate change] by using party elite cues” delivered via the media. In particular, the study found that Fox News “is consistently more partisan than other [news] outlets” and has incorporated politicians into the majority of its climate segments.

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