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The much-maligned bedbug has been around for 115 million years - since dinosaurs ruled the Earth.

UK scientists have created an artificial version of the stomach bug E. coli that is based on an entirely synthetic form of DNA.

Debris on Cocos (Keeling) Islands was mostly bottles, cutlery, bags and straws, but also included 977,000 shoes, study says

On the beaches of the tiny Cocos (Keeling) Islands, population 600, marine scientists found 977,000 shoes and 373,000 toothbrushes.

Related: ‘Monstrous’: Indigenous rangers’ struggle against the plastic ruining Arnhem Land beaches

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Up to a million shoes are among the tide of plastic debris washed up on an Australian island say scientists.

Pangea Energy and vanadium battery producer CellCube to build a 50MW/200MWh storage system alongside a solar farm in South Australia.

The post CellCube to build huge grid scale vanadium battery in South Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Global energy investment reached $US1.8trn in 2018, but renewable generation saw declines in dollar terms and only a small increase in capacity growth.

The post Fossil fuel investment increased in 2018, as renewables stalled: IEA appeared first on RenewEconomy.

This summer's load shedding tell us that NEM institutions and policy makers are not yet focused on what can be done to reduce and manage demand before considering supply side options.

The post Victorian summer review: It’s time to prioritise peak demand reduction appeared first on RenewEconomy.

BNEF says electric cars will dominate global new car sales by 2040, but petrol car sales may already have peaked. Meanwhile, head of ARENA also gets bullish on EVs in Australia.

The post Global petrol car sales may already have passed their peak as consumers eye EVs appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Almost a quarter of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is now unstable, according to a new study.

ACT becomes first state or territory to make formal declaration of climate emergency and calls on federal support for jurisdictions to prepare for climate change impacts.

The post ACT declares climate change emergency – slams federal government failure to act appeared first on RenewEconomy.

New research shows affected areas are losing ice five times faster than in the 1990s, with more than 100m of thickness gone in some places

Ice losses are rapidly spreading deep into the interior of the Antarctic, new analysis of satellite data shows.

The warming of the Southern Ocean is resulting in glaciers sliding into the sea increasingly rapidly, with ice now being lost five times faster than in the 1990s. The West Antarctic ice sheet was stable in 1992 but up to a quarter of its expanse is now thinning. More than 100 metres of ice thickness has been lost in the worst-hit places.

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The Tokyo municipal government will require facilities covered by its emissions trading scheme to cut CO2 emissions 25-27% below their baseline levels over the next five years, although most of the market participants have already achieved carbon cuts in that range.

Here are the promises and policies of the Coalition, Labor, the Greens, One Nation and more. Sarah Bekessy, Professor, RMIT University Alex Kusmanoff, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Inter-disciplinary Conservation (ICON) Science Research Group, RMIT University Ascelin Gordon, Research Fellow, Global Studies, Social Science & Planning, RMIT University Emily Gregg, PhD Candidate, RMIT University Freya Thomas, Research Fellow, RMIT University Georgia Garrard, Senior Research Fellow, Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group, RMIT University Holly Kirk, Post Doctoral Fellow, RMIT University Jeremy Ringma, Conservation Scientist, RMIT University Katherine Berthon, PhD Candidate, RMIT University Lindall Kidd, PhD Candidate, RMIT University Marco Gutierrez, PhD Student, RMIT University Mathew Hardy, Research Officer, Biodiversity Conservation, RMIT University Matthew Selinske, PhD Student in Conservation Science, RMIT University Michael Harrison, Research Fellow, RMIT University Roshan Sharma, PhD student, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand on Thursday released another batch of decisions on reforming its emissions trading scheme, focusing on transparency and compliance, but provided no clarity on major market-moving issues.

Media criticism has actually kickstarted my drive to get commuters on to two wheels

Over the last few weeks, our schoolchildren have staged climate change strikes, while Extinction Rebellion locked down central London. Nearby, MPs (including myself) listened to Greta Thunberg and held debates on climate change.

So, at a time when most of the country is focused on the threats to our environment, the challenges we face in addressing them and the need for not just behavioural change but a transformation of our economy, what is more newsworthy to Fleet Street?

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Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten has referred to climate change as an "emergency," in his final formal pitch to voters ahead of Saturday's federal election.

The post Shorten declares climate “emergency” as top priority for Labor appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Farmers in Mallee Hill and Mount Short in the state’s south have run out of water after months of drought

Two areas of Western Australia have been declared “water deficient” and will have supplies trucked in by the state government to keep farm animals alive.

Farmers around the area of Mallee Hill in the shire of Lake Grace and Mount Short in the Ravensthorpe shire have run out of water for their stock and had been driving more than 40km to cart water back to their farms.

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Drilling and associated development of oil in the Australian Bight will be decided by an approval system totally inadequate in the complex world of today.

The post Oil drilling in Australian Bight a disaster for climate, biodiversity appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Bizarre new rules, strict new performance standards, a feeding frenzy and archaic rules are causing delays, cost blowouts and cancellations, and threaten Australia's solar boom.

The post It’s not easy to build a solar farm in Australia any more appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Queensland energy minister says controversial new solar rules will result in a more highly skilled workforce, and won't get in way of state's renewable energy target.

The post Queensland energy minister describes lampooned new solar rules as “visionary” appeared first on RenewEconomy.