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An Australian carbon fund manager this week auctioned off 50,000 blue carbon credits from a major project in Pakistan, with the sale clearing close to $30.

In 1967, Roger Payne, who has died at 88, noticed that the mammals’ calls were organised in repeating patterns, spurring the discovery of whale song

The idea that whales “sing”, commonly accepted today, is relatively recent. Until the late 1960s it was thought that whale noises were nothing more than expressive sounds or calls. But in 1967, a discovery by the marine biologist Roger Payne, who died last Saturday, changed our understanding – ushering in a new way of looking at the world’s largest mammals.

As the young Payne listened on repeat for days to recordings made of humpback sounds captured underwater off the coast of Bermuda, he noticed the calls were organised in repeating patterns. Speaking to Guardian Seascape in 2020, he described it as his “wow” moment, spurring on the discovery – made alongside other researchers – that all whale species “sing” in some rhythmic form, even in the “clicks” of toothed whales, such as sperm whales.

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The giant armoured creature, named Vectipelta barretti, dates back between 66 and 145 million years.

We talk to Daniel Burrows from Eku Energy on new Hazelwood battery, the first at a coal generator, and the first to be wholly privately funded. Plus: AGL’s incrementalism and Queensland’s deep storage plunge.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: From brown coal to big batteries appeared first on RenewEconomy.

One day we will look back in amazement that we once tolerated wood heaters in our cities. We’ll regard them in much the same way we do polluting factories today.

The post Imagine the outcry if factories killed as many people as wood heaters appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Different grasses respond to and cope with winter in different ways. Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Macquarie University engineered technology that converts biomass into "carbon negative" green hydrogen gets $2m investment from federal green bank.

The post Renewable hydrogen tech that turns biomass into green molecules wins CEFC backing appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Labor has done more than nothing on climate and energy. But it has been as little as they can get away with.

The post Targets should test you: But in Australia the policy agenda is still dictated by fossil fuels appeared first on RenewEconomy.

GGGI is seeking a deputy head of unit to lead the MATS Program and further take a leading role in the development and management of the Carbon Transaction Facility (CTF).

A project in England uses sensors, satellites and past spill data to predict future pollution.

A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.

Less gold in the mines. Unrest in the camps. And a new fishery for the giant Murray cod which decimated their population. The 19th century gold rush has left a bad environmental legacy. Paul Humphries, Associate professor in ecology, Charles Sturt University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Problems at two long-running Norwegian carbon capture and storage projects are highlighting worrying challenges for the future, report finds.

The post Problems at two CCS “success stories” cast fresh doubt on the technology appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Varta says new battery factory will go into operation some time during the Northern hemisphere’s Summer with initial production output of 500MWh.

The post New battery gigafactory in works for German energy storage giant appeared first on RenewEconomy.

AGL to fast-track Liddell battery and reveals another three as it updates its plans to shift from being country's biggest polluter to green energy.

The post AGL adds three more big batteries, concedes gas demand will fall even with coal exit appeared first on RenewEconomy.

California Carbon Allowance (CCA) prices rallied through a packed week of activity including a cap-and-trade public workshop discussing plans to increase programme stringency, options expiry, and macro markets rallying after a pause in the US interest rate hiking cycle, while Washington Carbon Allowances (WCA) initially lurched higher on the announcement of a small reserve sale in August.

Germany's economy ministry on Wednesday unveiled a draft of its long-anticipated climate action programme, easing the burden on big emitters while seeking to steer the nation towards its currently-out-of-reach 2030 emissions reduction target.

One day we’ll look back in amazement that wood heaters were once tolerated in cities right next to houses, schools and hospitals. Bill Dodd, Knowledge Broker, Centre for Safe Air (NHMRC CRE), University of Tasmania Bin Jalaludin, Conjoint Professor, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Fay Johnston, Professor, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Three activists use glitter cannons and air horns during performance of Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites

Just Stop Oil protesters have interrupted a performance during the Glyndebourne opera festival in East Sussex by letting off glitter cannons and blowing air horns.

The disruption took place during a performance on Thursday of Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites at the festival near Lewes.

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European birds nest in Norfolk much to the delight of twitchers – but environmentalists warn it’s a clear sign of climate change

With plumage cherry red, ultramarine, turquoise and yellow, usually found streaking like multicoloured darts across the skies of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Spain, they present as an epitome of tropical glamour.

British birdwatchers are aflutter to have found European bee-eaters swooping and burrowing in a disused quarry in Norfolk for the second summer in a row.

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