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The Safeguard Mechanism will be a strong incentive to reduce carbon emissions, according to the Future Gas Strategy Australia released this week, but an accompanying technical report raises significant challenges and unknowns that could undermine its success.

NFU’s director of strategy asked for review of EU-derived protections as part of post-Brexit loosening of rules

The National Farmers’ Union lobbied to increase the amount of pesticides allowed in the UK’s drinking water and to allow farmers to spread manure more frequently as part of a post-Brexit loosening of environmental regulations, it can be revealed.

Nick von Westenholz, the director of strategy for the lobby group, met Timothy Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, the Earl of Minto, who is the minister of state for regulatory reform, last year and asked him to review EU-derived environmental protections.

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Revenue from carbon credit sales combined with selective harvesting to meet growing demand for bio-based material can help support support bamboo planting in Europe, according to a developer of bamboo-based carbon projects.

One of the largest electricity utilities in Japan is planning to gradually phase out five 'inefficient' coal-fired power units that contribute around 30% of its thermal power generation capacity, while making some other utilities run partially on ammonia or biomass in a move to cut CO2 emissions.

The Thai government has teamed up with a Bangkok-based technology firm to provide financial support to the coastal communities through the creation and sale of carbon credits from a flagship mangrove restoration programme.

Two German companies have purchased nearly 20,000 biodiversity credits generated through a domestic forest conservation project, Carbon Pulse has learned.

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world

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Federal resources minister Madeleine King says “evidence and data” underpin the Albanese government's Future Gas Strategy. Experts in gas markets and climate disagree.

The post “Gas shortage? Yeah, nah.” A Fact Check on Labor’s fossil gas future strategy appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Politicians seeking to lock gas into Australia's future to 2050 need to understand that leaked gas emissions are likely 100 times worse than carbon dioxide emissions.

The post We need to talk about gas emissions, and the climate methane bomb appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Trust aims to boost small pearl-bordered fritillary colonies in Shropshire Hills by planting 20,000 violets this year for their caterpillars

A mass planting of marsh violets across England’s Shropshire Hills is to take place to try to prevent further decline of the small pearl-bordered fritillary or Boloria selene, a rare UK butterfly.

The small pearl-bordered fritillary’s distribution across the UK has plunged 71% since the mid 1970s and the species is now listed as vulnerable, according to the 2022 state of UK butterflies report.

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Waste and cost among drawbacks, as researchers say renewables could power UK entirely

In the battle to prevent the climate overheating, wind and solar are making impressive inroads into the once dominant market share of coal. Even investors in gas plants are increasingly seen as taking a gamble.

With researchers at Oxford and elsewhere agreeing that the UK could easily become entirely powered by wind and solar – with no fossil fuels required – it seems an anomaly that nuclear power is still getting the lion’s share of taxpayer subsidies to keep the ailing industry alive.

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Hysata's Paul Barrett on the electrolyser tech's record fund raising. Plus: Labor's gas strategy, NSW's sky high prices, and Origin hollers a Marshall.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Hydrogen hopeful’s big funding win appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The pursuit of ‘vanity height’ in skyscrapers is driven by aesthetic appeal and the status of being ‘the tallest’. Redefining how we measure building heights can help cut the environmental cost. James Helal, Assistant Dean (Sustainability), The University of Melbourne Dario Trabucco, Associate Professor, Building Technology, Università Iuav di Venezia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Concrete is poured and ready for delivery of 444 Tesla Megapack modules to make up one of the biggest grid-scale batteries in Australia.

The post Concrete slab awaits 444 Tesla Megapacks at Melbourne’s giant battery project appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A sustainable rice platform has raised $14 million in Series A funding for improvement of its measuring, reporting, and verification (MRV) technology and its expansion into Southeast Asia, with a focus on Vietnam and Indonesia.

A fifth of female climate scientists who responded to Guardian survey said they had opted to have no or fewer children

“I had the hormonal urges,” said Prof Camille Parmesan, a leading climate scientist based in France. “Oh my gosh, it was very strong. But it was: ‘Do I really want to bring a child into this world that we’re creating?’ Even 30 years ago, it was very clear the world was going to hell in a handbasket. I’m 62 now and I’m actually really glad I did not have children.”

Parmesan is not alone. An exclusive Guardian survey has found that almost a fifth of the female climate experts who responded have chosen to have no children, or fewer children, due to the environmental crises afflicting the world.

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Traded volumes for Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) on spot and forward markets reached a 15-month high in April, according to observers, but the monthly unit issuance has fallen considerably, as the market keeps an eye on the raft of methodology work underway by the government.

Battery storage smashes output records in biggest oil and gas state in US, while milestones continue to tumble in California.

The post Big batteries smash records in biggest oil and gas state in US appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Victoria and Tasmania gets allocations in big renewable tender, NSW is capped, and projects will have to manage own negative price risk.

The post Victoria and Tasmania get allocations as details released for Australia’s biggest renewable tender appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Brisbane-based Redback Technologies is back in the battery and smart inverter business under the control of new owners, Australia Ebon Group.

The post Australian home battery maker out of administration and “here to stay” under new owners appeared first on RenewEconomy.