Feed aggregator

Diving to 600m, researchers find reefs full of octopus, lobster and fish, raising hopes for corals’ survival amid rising sea temperatures

Scientists operating a submersible have discovered deep-sea coral reefs in pristine condition in a previously unexplored part of the Galápagos marine reserve.

Diving to depths of 600 metres (1,970ft), to the summit of a previously unmapped seamount in the central part of the archipelago, the scientists witnessed a breathtaking mix of deep marine life. This has raised hopes that healthy reefs can still thrive at a time when coral is in crisis due to record sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification. It also showed the effectiveness of conservation actions and effective management, they said.

Continue reading...

European carbon prices posted robust gains on Tuesday amid largely technically-driven trading, while lawmakers in the European Parliament approved a raft of changes to the market under the Fit for 55 programme.

European lawmakers on Tuesday gave their approval to a series of provisional deals aiming to put shipping, buildings and road transport under carbon pricing, impose a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), and launch a Social Climate Fund. 

Trading activity in the Australian market has slowed down while companies with new compliance obligations under the strengthened Safeguard Mechanism are being given a crash course in the reformed Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) market ahead of the July start date, a broker told Carbon Pulse.

Growth in China’s thermal power generation accelerated in March, outpacing the growth of total power output amid continued coal expansion and better-than-expected economic sentiment, government data showed Tuesday.

Smoothing the transition to clean energy for fossil fuel workers and their communities requires local leadership and the support of a new federal authority Fergus Green, Lecturer in Political Theory and Public Policy, UCL Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Brisbane-based Redflow gains access to generous government rebates to technologies supporting energy “self-generation” in US.

The post Redflow’s non-lithium batteries gain access to key California rebate scheme appeared first on RenewEconomy.

NSW says it is focused on more renewables and storage as it waves goodbye to Liddell, and AGL juggles the closure dates of the next units.

The post AGL juggles closure times as NSW waves goodbye to Australia’s oldest coal plant appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Hampton Court flower show to feature gardens using creative methods to mitigate against heatwaves

Wilting flowers, dried-up soil and sweltering tents have become the norm at flower shows in England as the country faces more frequent heatwaves and droughts in summer.

Now, “desert gardens” featuring cacti and other succulents are being used at top shows as horticulturalists struggle with a changing climate.

The pretty, pink palm-like shrub Cordyline australis brings some colour while being tolerant to heat.

Juniperus conifers are drought-tolerant and many varieties have an attractive gold hue.

The Judas tree, Cercis siliquastrum, has heart-shaped leaves and does not need too much water.

Jasmine plants provide pretty little flowers and a heady scent, and are also able to grow in warm climes.

The Abelia × grandiflora is recommended by the RHS as it provides dainty, well-scented flowers over a long period in summer, and tolerates heat well.

Continue reading...

Betting on a sinking ship: Nine banks provide key backing for massive and controversial offshore gas reservoir in Timor Sea – despite most pledging net zero targets.

The post Banks committed to net zero fund “Australia’s dirtiest” offshore gas project, report finds appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Algae specialists firm Brilliant Planet has announced a partnership with consultancy Mott MacDonald to develop a carbon dioxide removal facility in Morocco.

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

The 180MW Dulacca wind farm, featuring some of the tallest wind turbines ever installed in Australia, has officially sent its first power to the grid.

The post Australia’s tallest wind turbines send first power to the grid appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Poultry can now be kept outdoors in the UK but experts are on alert for a new influx in wild birds.

European Commission accused of acting unlawfully in two separate cases bought by environment groups

The European Commission is being sued by environmental campaigners over a decision to include gas and nuclear in an EU guide to “green” investments.

Two separate legal challenges are being lodged on Tuesday at the European Union’s general court in Luxembourg – one by Greenpeace and another by a coalition including Client Earth and WWF – after the classification of fuels in the so-called taxonomy, a guide for investors intended to channel billions into green technologies.

Continue reading...

Climate NGOs on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the European Commission over its decision to include gas and nuclear energy in its taxonomy list of sustainable investments, making good on an earlier pledge.

The Washington state cap-and-trade programme will see the May auction settlement exceed at least one of the scheme’s reserve tier prices as 2023 compliance and hedging demand exceeds supply, with permit values heading to the ceiling in the not-too-distant future, an analysis firm said Monday.

RGGI Allowance (RGA) values remained rangebound over the course of the week, leaving traders to speculate on a potential catalyst from the power sector cap-and-trade system’s programme review and New York's upcoming economy-wide carbon pricing system. 

A small minority of members of the EU Parliament raised concerns over EU ETS-related reform bills on the eve of a final vote on Monday, although their approval is not in doubt, sources told Carbon Pulse.

The rhythmic expansion and contraction of Antarctic sea ice is like a heartbeat. But there’s been a skip in the beat. Deeply concerned scientists have released a diagnosis for policy-makers. Edward Doddridge, Research Associate in Physical Oceanography, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.