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Reverse Trump’s cuts to monument protections, Haaland asks Biden
It isn’t clear yet if president will follow recommendation, but during his campaign he pledged to restore Utah’s monuments
It was one of Donald Trump’s most provocative environmental decisions. After a year in office, he angered preservationists and Native American tribes and ordered that two treasured national monuments be dramatically reduced in size.
The areas falling outside the diminished monuments, both expanses of rocky outcroppings dense with archaeological artifacts in Utah, lost environmental protections. A few years later, he also ordered that commercial fishing be allowed in a marine preserve off the coast of New England.
Continue reading...The UK’s obsession with trade deals means disaster for the environment | Nick Dearden
From food standards to fossil fuel exports, Britain’s agreement with Australia could stop us dealing with the climate crisis
Over the weekend, Boris Johnson told the world we need to “create a healthy planet for our children and grandchildren”. Today he launches a trade deal which is not simply as inadequate as the pledges made by Johnson and other leaders at the G7, but is more worryingly moving us rapidly in the wrong direction.
The trade rules contained in the UK-Australia deal will be a disaster for the environment. On the one hand, it will certainly increase carbon emissions if we replace food from Britain, or our near neighbours, with food from a country on the opposite side of the world.
Continue reading...Australia’s oil & gas lobby eyes carbon storage superpower status as other nations decarbonise
Isles of Scilly: Egyptian vulture seen in UK for first time in 150 years
*Climate and Energy Correspondent, Carbon Pulse – Brussels
ETS Officer, Carbon Forest Services – Wellington, NZ
Macquarie invests $140m in Spanish solar tower and parabolic trough projects
Macquarie concludes $140 million debt deal for solar tower and parabolic trough portfolio in Spain.
The post Macquarie invests $140m in Spanish solar tower and parabolic trough projects appeared first on RenewEconomy.
China’s Jiangxi province launches forest carbon offset programme
Scientists convert used plastic bottles into vanilla flavouring
Production of chemical could help make recycling more attractive and tackle global plastic pollution
Plastic bottles have been converted into vanilla flavouring using genetically engineered bacteria, the first time a valuable chemical has been brewed from waste plastic.
Upcycling plastic bottles into more lucrative materials could make the recycling process far more attractive and effective. Currently plastics lose about 95% of their value as a material after a single use. Encouraging better collection and use of such waste is key to tackling the global plastic pollution problem.
Continue reading...‘It used to run black’: images of a river reborn – in pictures
The Ogmore is an unremarkable river ... or is it? Dan Wood’s photographs capture a place of childhood mischief and intrigue
Continue reading...New Scottish wave power technology takes to the seas for initial tests
Mocean Energy puts its first wave energy conversion prototype, Blue X, to sea at a test site at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney.
The post New Scottish wave power technology takes to the seas for initial tests appeared first on RenewEconomy.
ARENA to fund industrial emitters as Labor, Greens try to protect renewables mandate
ARENA announces new funding for industrial emitters as Labor and Greens seek to halt changes that would direct money towards Coalition's preferred technologies.
The post ARENA to fund industrial emitters as Labor, Greens try to protect renewables mandate appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Solar Choice buys out majority stake in huge 2000MW Queensland solar project
Solar Choice buys out majority stake in huge 2000MW solar development project in Queensland, now with an eye on the green hydrogen market.
The post Solar Choice buys out majority stake in huge 2000MW Queensland solar project appeared first on RenewEconomy.
“Amazing” rooftop solar an opportunity, not a problem, says WA energy minister
“Other people see it as a problem, we see it as an opportunity." WA Labor's Bill Johnston says state's 1.3GW of "mum and dad" rooftop solar investments is one of the state's leading assets.
The post “Amazing” rooftop solar an opportunity, not a problem, says WA energy minister appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Climate explained: could biofuels replace all fossil fuels in New Zealand?
An act of God, or just bad management? Why trees fall and how to prevent it
Queensland’s state owned coal plants may never again be profitable, new analysis finds
QCC report says many state owned government coal generators may never regain profitability in the face of increased competition from renewables.
The post Queensland’s state owned coal plants may never again be profitable, new analysis finds appeared first on RenewEconomy.
The stunning potential of wind and solar, essential to meet 1.5°C climate target
To meet Paris targets, world must phase down existing fossil fuel production. Happily, renewables are more than ready for the challenge.
The post The stunning potential of wind and solar, essential to meet 1.5°C climate target appeared first on RenewEconomy.
An oyster: they can hear the breaking waves | Helen Sullivan
To eat an oyster raw is to eat it alive
On the oyster’s edge, under the sea, on a rock, a tree root, a bamboo pole, a pebble, a tile or another shell, the bivalve’s cilia – from the Latin for eyelash – are waving. Together, they move water over the oyster’s gills – its shell is open, its muscles are relaxed. The oyster has lungs. It has a three-chambered heart. An hour passes; the oyster has filtered five litres of water. The oyster has listened to the breaking waves: it opens and closes according to the tides.
One valve is the cupped half of the shell, the other is the flat half. A cargo ship sounds its horn. The oyster shuts in fright.
Continue reading...“Empty words:” Record renewables fail to shift fossil fuels in global energy mix
Renewables achieved record share of global electricity production in 2020, but fossil fuels still supply 80% of world's energy needs – the same as 10 years ago.
The post “Empty words:” Record renewables fail to shift fossil fuels in global energy mix appeared first on RenewEconomy.