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A weekly summary of our biodiversity news plus bite-sized updates from around the world. All articles in this edition are free to read (no subscription required).

Major new report says domestic production of silicon is the first step to breaking Australia's dependence on overseas markets and meeting its huge solar power goals.

The post CSIRO says Australia can – and must – build its own silicon and solar cell supply chain appeared first on RenewEconomy.

UN body ICAO’s Council has given a jurisdictional REDD+ initiative full eligibility and three other carbon credit programmes conditional eligibility to supply emissions units to the CORSIA global aviation offsetting scheme, while delaying a decision on granting re-eligibility for already-approved standards past the scheme’s current pilot phase.

I know what it is like to live in a country where there is no way to voice opposition

The case of climate protester Violet Coco, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison for briefly blocking a lane of traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, is a frightening development. This was a peaceful protest, but the court refusing her bail until March is a condition usually imposed on violent criminals, according to her lawyer. A researcher from Human Rights Watch has called the sentence “outrageous”.

The escalation of this case to such a completely disproportionate punishment is a part of a trend of shrinking civic space that is being mirrored in other democratic societies. In the UK, new legislation is set to give the police unprecedented powers to shut down protests and punish protesters. New laws in New South Wales that Violet was convicted under were supported by both the Liberal government and Labor opposition, both of which take donations from the fossil fuel companies. These new laws mean that peaceful climate activists face far higher jail terms than serious criminals.

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Lightsource bp says it will be the biggest solar developer in Australia after securing funding for two new large solar farms.

The post Two big Australian solar projects get green light after securing $540m in funding appeared first on RenewEconomy.

California Carbon Allowance (CCA) prices moved steadily higher through the week as market participants dissected the odds of lawmakers adopting a stronger 2030 emissions reduction target, while RGGI Allowances (RGAs) traded within a tight range into the last quarterly auction for the year on Dec. 7.

The German government has launched a €900 million auction scheme for green hydrogen imports.

The post Germany launches first auction for green hydrogen imports appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Storage mechanism paves way for grid decarbonisation at the speed and scale required as we leave behind our unreliable, ultra-expensive thermal power fleet.

The post Adults are back in the room, with policy that paves the way for cheaper electricity appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Cap-and-Trade Program is seeking an enthusiastic team member with expertise in the electricity sector and assessing economic/emissions leakage to work on the development, implementation, and analysis of the California Air Resources Board’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions programs.

Five mid-size California grocery stores participated in a pilot project run by an industry group and an offset developer to ease the financial burden of transitioning to environmentally friendly refrigeration by selling thousands of carbon offsets, a press release announced Thursday.

Kneading is typical kitten behaviour but may be retained into adulthood because it can help communicate messages. Susan Hazel, Senior Lecturer, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide Julia Henning, PhD Candidate, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Energy ministers have dumped one bad Coalition idea and embraced a good one from another Coalition government. Here's how the Capacity Investment Scheme will work.

The post Coalkeeper killed off as Labor states embrace Matt Kean’s auction and underwriting plan appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Singapore-based commodity trading house Trafigura on Thursday said its carbon trading team will focus going forward on developments related to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and its development of nature-based CO2 removal projects.

The charitable arm of a Tennessee-headquartered financial services firm on Wednesday committed an undisclosed amount of funds towards developing a database that will assess blue carbon credit potential over portions of the US coastline.

An option to raise €20 billion for the REPowerEU package by selling allowances held in the supply-managing MSR is still being discussed by legislators in final negotiations, an MEP close to the process said Thursday, a controversial idea that had been widely considered as ‘off-the-table’. 

Putting water companies on the naughty step and doling out tame financial penalties in not enough

Here’s the short piece of good news from regulator Ofwat’s annual assessment of the performance of the English and Welsh water companies: overall leakage stands at its lowest level since privatisation. That, unfortunately, was about it – and, note, progress on leaks came with the important qualification that there is a very long way to go to meet 2050 targets. The rest of the annual review was as bleak as any in recent years, especially on the most troubled issue of all – pollution.

Six of the 10 major firms found themselves on the regulator’s naughty step – the ones labelled laggards in terms of operational performance. They are Northumbrian Water, Southern Water, South West Water, Thames Water, Welsh Water and Yorkshire Water. Only Severn Trent of the big water and wastewater beasts got a “leading” rating and it was joined by water-only operators South Staffs and Bristol. The skew towards underperformance was marked and depressing.

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Energy bills are about to hurt. But what can the government actually do to ease the pain? Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As the Conservatives squabble over planning and housing targets, England’s countryside is being destroyed

The English countryside is sick. It can feel as though a day never passes without its green and pleasant land falling victim to the threat of windfarms, coalmines, solar arrays and housing estates. Boris Johnson seemed to want a turbine in every field. Liz Truss wanted “investment zones” even in protected areas. Rishi Sunak called for 300,000 new houses a year – until he didn’t.

This week the new environment secretary, Thérèse Coffey, could not enlighten a Commons committee on her policy for farms, given the shambles of Brexit. Meanwhile, the environment secretary, Michael Gove, found himself capitulating to onshore windfarms one minute and a coalmine in Whitehaven the next. As for Labour’s Keir Starmer, he savaged Sunak for abandoning housing targets the same week as he said he would stop telling local councils what to do.

Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist

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As ministers proved again they’ve lost the plot, Keir Starmer sought to show business bigwigs his is the party to back

Back to the future. A Tory government in its extended death throes. Any number of sex and sleaze scandals. Disengaged backbench MPs planning for life outside Westminster. A weak prime minister totally out of ideas. Just reacting to the latest rebellion. No discernible coherent policies. Sound familiar?

Take Thursday. One MP has the whip withdrawn after a police complaint. Michelle Mone swears blind there was nothing wrong with her for trousering £29m for recommending a startup company that specialised in useless PPE. Headless gowns for headless chickens.

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Ed Miliband vows party will seek to prevent ‘climate-destroying’ plan and if elected would deliver green jobs

Labour would stop the new coalmine in Cumbria from going ahead if elected, and will seek to prevent it progressing before then, the party has said.

Ed Miliband, the shadow climate change secretary, said: “A Labour government will leave no stone unturned in seeking to prevent the opening of this climate-destroying coalmine, and instead ensure we deliver the green jobs that people in Cumbria deserve.”

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