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Planting trees, rainwater gardens and de-paving can mitigate effects of climate crisis, according to analysis of 2,000 cities

Urban greening initiatives such as planting street trees, rainwater gardens and de-paving can help mitigate the impacts of urban heating due to the climate crisis and urban expansion, according to a study that has found cities have been warming by 0.5C a decade on average.

Scientists at Nanjing and Yale Universities analysed satellite data from across 2,000 cities and compared surface temperature readings between cities and rural areas from 2002 to 2021.

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Leaks from Nord Stream pipelines this week may emit greenhouse gases equivalent to more-than 70% of Danish annual output over a 20-year period, according to analysis of government figures that would place them among the biggest gas leaks ever and pose a major climate threat.

New analysis finds Bitcoin as damaging to the planet as some of the world’s most dirtiest industries, including beef, gas and oil. But an answer could be in the ether.

The post Bitcoin’s beefy carbon problem – and how other crypto currencies might avoid it appeared first on RenewEconomy.

'Gold plating' certain types of offset credits in the drive to improve integrity in the voluntary carbon market (VCM) could prove detrimental in combating global warming, a markets standards body warned on Thursday.

Air carriers’ association IATA on Wednesday scrapped its request for a less ambitious CORSIA emissions baseline, setting the stage for the ICAO Assembly to adopt the slightly more ambitious compromise proposal put forth by the UN body’s Council.

Bill would see 570 EU-derived environmental laws removed at end of 2023, with little time to replace them

The government’s “Brexit freedoms bill” could see all legal protections from pesticides abolished, wildlife campaigners have warned, putting insects, wildlife and human health in danger.

The bill, published a week ago by prime minister Liz Truss’s new administration, would result in all EU-derived laws being removed at the end of 2023, including 570 environmental regulations. The government could retain or amend some regulations, but has not set out plans to do so. Campaigners are worried there is insufficient time to put new regulations in place.

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Andrew Forrest urges businesses to aim for ‘real zero’ to reduce environmental impact

Carbon offsets are questionable, dangerous and far from a good investment for companies hoping to reduce their environmental impact, Australia’s richest man has said.

Andrew Forrest, a billionaire turned philanthropist who made his fortune in mining and minerals, is turning his vast iron ore extraction operation, Fortescue Metals Group, into a zero carbon business.

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A group of clean technology investors and policy leaders are urging policymakers to avoid cutting the size of the ETS-backed Innovation Fund amid emerging threats to reduce its scale. 

Asked what local consent looks like, PM hesitates and says she will make sure there is local consent

Liz Truss has refused to give details of how local consent would be given for fracking in a particular area, amid growing evidence that it will be pushed through as a national infrastructure project.

In an interview with BBC Radio Lancashire, the prime minister said she was not familiar with the Preston New Road site in the county and had never visited.

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The European steel association Eurofer has called on Brussels for help in managing the costs associated with carbon ahead of ministerial energy crisis talks on Friday, but continues to support the EU's flagship Fit for 55 climate package that is soon to be finalised, a representative confirmed to Carbon Pulse.

EUAs made a modest rally early on Thursday after testing a recent low and as some traders continued to cover short positions amid lacklustre demand, while energy prices reversed the previous session's strong gains after Germany's gas network regulator warned that further demand cuts are needed.

A $1.4m floating solar plant – Australia's biggest yet – is being installed in Warrnambool as part of a government deal with state water corporations.

The post Victoria to host Australia’s largest floating solar plant at water facility appeared first on RenewEconomy.

BNEF questions economics and emissions savings of using green ammonia to co-fire Japanese coal plants, one of the big target markets for Australian companies.

The post Too expensive: BNEF questions use of Australian green ammonia in Japan coal generators appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Japan is seeking to enhance its role in the promotion and financing of low carbon projects in Asia, with a focus on kickstarting what officials term “transition technologies” that would nevertheless prolong the use of fossil fuel consumption if the emissions generated from that use, such as in power generation, are reduced or abated by those technologies.

On Mongolia’s coal highway to the Chinese border, truck driver Maikhuu dreams of a better life and financial security for her three children. However, the road from the mines to China is riddled with accidents, toxic pollution, poor hygiene and now,  amid the Covid crisis, drivers face days of quarantine on the border. Trapped in a hazardous industry, Maikhuu's journey reflects the human and environmental costs of Mongolia’s mining boom

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China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) said the legislation of the nation's emissions trading scheme is still awaiting further examination, though a lack of specific timeline has left observers questionting whether the carbon market will embedded in law before the end of the year.

For the first time, the conversion efficiency of four-terminal perovskite/silicon tandem devices with certified top cell has passed 30 per cent.

The post Researchers push tandem solar cells to record 30 pct efficiency appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Western Australian state government has announced the second funding round for a carbon farming programme to encourage more landholders to participate in the industry.

A South Korean investment bank says it will pull its funding from Santos’ Barossa gas project, unless the project commits to CCS or buys millions of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) to offset the project’s emissions.

A Hong Kong-listed investment company has signed a carbon credits transaction agreement with a Singaporean trading company involving the purchase of 2 million voluntary carbon credits, it announced on Thursday.