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Rate of decline in 2023 thought to be linked to climate breakdown as UK-wide survey shows mixed picture across 58 species

The small tortoiseshell butterfly has suffered its worst year on record in England, and has declined by 82% across the UK since 1976, according to the annual scientific count of butterfly populations.

The sharp decline in numbers of the once-common garden butterfly has puzzled scientists, but it is thought to be linked to climate breakdown. It had its worst year on record in England, its second worst in Wales and its joint-fifth worst in Scotland in 2023 but did well in Northern Ireland, logging its second-best year.

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Arena chief Darren Miller doesn't share the "defeatist attitude" that Australia can't play a part in the global solar supply chain. But it's not all about competing with China.

The post “We’re not trying to compete with China:” Why Australia’s Solar Sunshot is not a flight of fancy appeared first on RenewEconomy.

An Australian biodiversity credit company has partnered with a local skin care product producer to launch a body wash and moisturiser set that will protect one square metre of a biologically rich area of coastal South Australia per unit sold, in what they hope will prove a use case for demand in the fledgling nature crediting market.

Japan researchers flag new material that is pushing limits in energy density and stability, but crucially can work -- in the lab -- at sub-zero temperatures.

The post “Long held dream:” Japan lab claims big leap forward with new solid-state battery material appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australia's renewable share showed moderate gains in the March quarter, with three states showing gains and two steps going backwards.

The post Three steps forward, two steps back as Australia inches towards renewables targets appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Industry ‘rebate chasers’ are threatening the roll out of hot water heat pumps, but they could be stopped overnight.

The post Urgent action needed to stop Australia being flooded by cheap, inefficient ‘faux’ hot water heat pumps appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Eight energy outlooks published in 2023, alongside historical data sources, see substantial fossil fuel consumption through at least 2050, implying a scale-up of carbon removal technologies will be required in order to meet international climate targets, according to a report published Tuesday by a US non-profit research institution.

Nova Scotia on Tuesday submitted an alternative strategy to the Canadian federal carbon tax, though observers noted that the proposal was a rehash of previously-released measures aimed at achieving the province's environmental targets.

Australia's electricity grid - still dominated by fossil fuels - is to have a hefty "shadow" carbon price that will guide regulatory and policy decisions, and help meet the country's ambitious renewable energy goals.

The post Australia’s fossil fuel dominated grid to have hefty shadow carbon price, starting at $66 a tonne appeared first on RenewEconomy.

An Oregon Department of Environmental Protection (DEQ) advisory committee on Tuesday discussed modifications to emissions caps, covered entity thresholds, and compliance distribution alternatives as part of a new rulemaking for the state’s scrapped Climate Protection Program (CPP).

Peter Dutton thinks the Coalition is on a winner by promoting nuclear power but unbiased opinion polls find that support for nuclear power in Australia falls well short of renewables.

The post Peter Dutton’s nuclear push is a “suicide note” playing mostly to right wing echo chambers appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Utilities tend to treat solar and batteries as threats to their power grids. California’s policy will now tap their flexible power to benefit the grid instead.

The post California’s new rules allow solar and batteries to help out the grid appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator has issued just over 1 million new Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), while an industry body calls for sufficient budget funding from the government to ensure reforms to the market are carried out.

Geoengineering proposals to cool the ocean would indeed reduce ice loss from West Antarctica’s glaciers, but not enough to stop sea-level rise or allow the ice sheet to regrow. Alanna Alevropoulos-Borrill, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Nick Golledge, Professor of Glaciology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

RGGI confirmed near-universal compliance for the fifth three-year compliance period of the regional power sector cap-and-trade scheme, while RGGI allowance (RGA) prices dipped considerably in an unrelated development, correcting from historic highs in the face of continued lack of Program Review news.

A Toronto-headquartered voluntary carbon investor saw positive income in 2023 following a major revaluation of its only credit-issuing project to-date, but needs to raise more cash to fund planned operations for the next 12 months, it reported Tuesday.

The bioenergy division of a Brazil-based steelmaker has sold a San Francisco-headquartered carbon removals marketplace 15,000 tonnes of biochar credits so far in 2024, they said Tuesday.

Eleven Canadian conservation groups have urged federal government ministries to include logging and forestry emissions in an ongoing review of national greenhouse gas accounting practices.

The body that monitors compliance by members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) with the EU’s single market rules has opened an investigation into Norway’s proposed exemptions from certain carbon taxes for industries covered by the EU ETS, saying it “has doubts” as to whether the country’s measures are in line with the bloc’s state aid rules.

Natural variability in Australian rainfall can produce “mega-droughts” lasting 20 years or more. Add in human-caused climate change, and future droughts may be far worse than imagined. Georgina Falster, Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian National University Nerilie Abram, Chief Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes; Deputy Director for the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science; Deputy Director for the Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, Australian National University Nicky Wright, Research Fellow, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.