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European blockchain-based marketplace for carbon credits secures early funding
Nigeria announces first steps towards a national cap-and-trade system
US fossil fuel firm sues insurer for refusing to cover climate lawsuit
Aloha Petroleum’s case against AIG could set precedent as to whether firms are protected against climate damage claims
A fossil fuel firm is suing its insurer for refusing to cover a climate lawsuit in a case that could affect the wider industry’s ability to defend itself from litigation.
Aloha Petroleum, a subsidiary of the US-based Sunoco, filed a claim against AIG’s National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh earlier this month, arguing it had failed to protect Aloha from the mounting costs of defending climate-related claims by local governments in Hawaii.
Continue reading...Euro Markets: Midday Update
All of south-west of England in drought, says Environment Agency
Announcement means 11 of agency’s 14 areas in England now in drought status after record dry spell
All of south-west England is in drought after some of the driest conditions in nearly 90 years, the Environment Agency has said.
The Wessex area – which includes Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, south Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire – has been declared in drought status.
Continue reading...US to see renewable energy boom in wake of historic climate bill
Solar and wind projects to expand in size and provide bulk of total American electricity supply by decade’s end, study shows
Renewable energy is set for an unprecedented boom in the US in the wake of its first ever climate bill, with the capacity of solar and wind projects expected to double by the end of the decade and providing the bulk of total American electricity supply, new analysis has shown.
The passage of the legislation, known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), will help propel the US towards the forefront of the clean energy economy, experts predict, helping it compete with China on the manufacturing and installation of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and emerging zero carbon technology.
Continue reading...Equinor, Wintershall to develop Germany-Norway CCS value chain
Taiwan court convicts couple for $3.3 mln carbon credit investment scam
It is 100 days until Cop15 – and the omens are good for a global plan to protect nature | John Vidal
Despite many challenges, December’s crucial biodiversity talks in Montreal may set a new path for humans to live with nature
They are known as “the twins”, born in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro but diplomatically separated and left to develop at different speeds. One is the UN’s climate change convention, or UNFCCC, now a fully fledged global agreement with huge annual summits attended by heads of state and rock stars pledging to reduce emissions.
The other, the UN convention on biological diversity (CBD), aims to protect the world’s 10 million species of animals and plants, but it meets less often, is modest by comparison, and has yet to make its mark with the public in the same way as climate.
John Vidal is a former Guardian environment editor
Continue reading...Pakistan floods cause devastation – in pictures
Flooding in Pakistan has killed more than 1,000 people and affected over 30 million, in a catastrophe that is still unfolding. ‘We are witnessing the worst flooding in the history of the country,’ says Dr Fahad Saeed, a scientist with the Climate Analytics group
Continue reading...The age of the ‘car is king’ is over. The sooner we accept that, the better | John Vidal
Accidents and pollution are making road vehicles untenable. With public transport and ride-sharing, their demise can’t come soon enough
In 1989 a group of Chinese government urban planners came to Europe on a fact-finding mission. They were widely praised for curbing car use – the country of 1 billion people, after all, had just a few million vehicles; the bicycle was king; its city streets were safe and the air mostly clean. How did they manage to have so few cars? asked their hosts, grappling as ever with chaotic British streets, traffic jams and pollution.
“But you don’t understand,” replied one of the delegation. “In 20 years, there will be no bicycles in China.”
John Vidal is a former Guardian environment editor
Continue reading...‘Utterly damning’ review finds offsets scheme fails to protect NSW environment
Conservationists say auditor general’s report shows offsets must be ‘last resort’ amid calls for overhaul of biodiversity market
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A New South Wales government environmental offsets scheme is failing to protect some of the state’s most endangered species and ecosystems and is riddled with integrity and transparency concerns, according to a review by the state’s auditor general.
The report, described as “utterly damning” by conservationists, prompted opposition and crossbench MPs to call for an overhaul of the scheme.
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Continue reading...Renewables hardly get a mention as super profits wed Woodside to gas
Renewables takes back seat at Woodside as profits surge on soaring global gas prices.
The post Renewables hardly get a mention as super profits wed Woodside to gas appeared first on RenewEconomy.
‘One of the most progressive and environmentally conscious legal texts on the planet’: Chile’s proposed constitution and its lessons for Australia
I went to the seaside and left my husband at home, swimming in sewage | Zoe Williams
He wanted me to stay when the drains backed up and left the garden submerged in a foul pond. Obviously I still went
I had four teenagers all packed and ready to go to Ramsgate, and I was doing a quick final scout around the house for where the terrible smell was coming from. I love seeing a teenager with an overnight bag. You just know they’ve forgotten the real stuff (toothbrush, pants) and remembered the dumb stuff (crochet hooks, spare headphone case). And they look so proud and independent.
In fact, the smell was outside the house, a backed-up drain that had made a zen-looking but appallingly foul pond of the garden. Mr Z came back from work and identified this, just as we were all leaving. “Do you want me to stay?” I said, with a lot of heavy upwards inflection to indicate that no way on earth was I going to. “Well, yes,” he replied.
Zoe Williams is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading...Namibia to develop carbon market with UN agency assistance to help meet upgraded NDC goals
“Failure by almost every measure:” Offsets under fire again after “damning” audit
A theme emerges as NSW auditor-general raises serious concerns about the effectiveness and integrity of the state's Biodiversity Offset Scheme.
The post “Failure by almost every measure:” Offsets under fire again after “damning” audit appeared first on RenewEconomy.
First batch of SA-made renewable hydrogen heads to Whyalla by tube trailer
A custom tube trailer will transport the first shipment of renewable hydrogen from Hydrogen Park SA, for use in production of high-purity argon.
The post First batch of SA-made renewable hydrogen heads to Whyalla by tube trailer appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Coca-Cola steps closer to 100 pct renewables in deal with state’s biggest wind farm
Coca Cola steps closer to 100 per cent renewables in 8-year deal with biggest wind farm in Western Australia.
The post Coca-Cola steps closer to 100 pct renewables in deal with state’s biggest wind farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Seven-star energy efficiency ratings are a solid step – now we need to retrofit old Australian homes | The Conversation
This long-overdue change is good news for households and the planet but much more must be done to future-proof housing
Energy-efficiency standards for new homes in Australia are being upgraded for the first time in a decade. New homes will be required to improve minimum performance from six stars to seven stars under the nationwide house energy rating scheme. Federal, state and territory building ministers agreed on the change last Friday.
The rating will also use a whole-of-home energy “budget”. This will allow homes to meet the new standard in different ways. The standard will come into force in May 2023 and all new homes will have to comply by October 2023.
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