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Climate strike founder shortlisted ahead of global strikes planned in more than 105 countries

• Listen to Greta Thunberg on the Today in Focus podcast

Greta Thunberg, the founder of the Youth Strike for Climate movement, has been nominated for the Nobel peace prize, just before the biggest day yet of global action.

Thunberg began a solo protest in Sweden in August but has since inspired students around the globe. Strikes are expected in 1,659 towns and cities in 105 countries on Friday, involving hundreds of thousands of young people.

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Cambridge City Council has not decided how to mark the renowned physicist's life a year after his death.

The week highlighted, yet again, that instead of a credible energy policy, the government has only confusion and black holes. Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Revealed: Interior department official says he is ‘thrilled’ by Trump’s ‘knack for keeping the attention of the media and public focused somewhere else’

A top US official told a group of fossil fuel industry leaders that the Trump administration will soon issue a proposal making large portions of the Atlantic available for oil and gas development, and said that it is easier to work on such priorities because Donald Trump is skilled at sowing “absolutely thrilling” distractions, according to records of a meeting obtained by the Guardian.

Joe Balash, the assistant secretary for land and minerals management, was speaking to companies in the oil exploration business at a meeting of the International Association of Geophysical Contractors, or IAGC, last month.

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Emma Haruka Iwao calculates the value of pi to 31 trillion digits, after a lifelong fascination.

Strikes are planned at 60 locations in Australia, including every state and territory capital

Tens of thousands of Australian school students are expected to walk out of class on Friday to demand governments take action on climate change.

The Australian strikes are part of a global campaign by students for greater urgency from politicians in tackling what they see as the greatest threat to their future.

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Schoolchildren around the world are joining a global strike against climate change this week. But they’re not the only everyday people inspired to take action. We talk to 10 UK activists on the frontline of our most serious environmental issues.

Extinction Rebellion is an environmental direct action group

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Facilities covered by Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism used 42% fewer offsets to meet their emissions target in FY2017-18 compared to the previous year despite rising emissions, as the few companies missing their targets explored other options to comply.

Data shows while emissions from electricity sector are in decline, gains have been wiped out by increases from other industries

Australia’s annual carbon emissions have reached a new high and drops in emissions from the electricity sector have been wiped out by increases from other industries, according to new data.

Ndevr Environmental, an emissions-tracking organisation that releases quarterly greenhouse gas emissions data, said on Thursday that annual emissions for the year up to December 2018 increased to 558.4m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. It was the highest level on record when excluding unreliable land use data.

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Endeavour Energy has joined an innovative trial of new ways to monitor and control its network to keep downward pressure on electricity prices and smooth the transition to a cleaner energy future.

The post New trial launched to empower mini-power plants appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Developers and contractors want more clarity, and fewer last minute changes, to connections for wind and solar projects.

The post Who should hold “hot potato” of connection costs for wind and solar farms? appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Federal resources minister upgrades W.A. EPA carbon guidelines from "homemade sledgehammer" to “brain explosion.” Macquarie analyst says it's a "solid compromise" for LNG companies.

The post Ignoring carbon “a luxury” says Macquarie, as fallout continues over WA EPA guidelines appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Clean Energy Regulator has today issued the first Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs) to a soil carbon project under the Emissions Reduction Fund.

The post Issuance of the first Australian carbon credit units to a soil carbon project appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Horizon Power’s Mark Paterson explains why replacing poles and wires with solar and batteries is a great idea.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Why pulling down poles and wires is a good idea appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Four major GHG emitters have teamed up to establish a joint company that will build up a forestry-based carbon portfolio to help meet their obligations under New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme.

New Mexico approves bill which would see the state secure 100% of its electricity from zero-carbon resources by 2045, joining a host of other US states.

The post New Mexico joins list of American states targeting 100% zero carbon appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Shell intends to be biggest power company in the world in little more than a decade, as everything goes electric, including transport and heating, and electricity goes green.

The post Shell’s big power plans point to rapid shift to electric, and scale of disruption appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A plant-growth-regulating spray might be the solution for vineyards affected by heatwaves. Christopher Davies, Team Leader, CSIRO Christine Bottcher, Research scientist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Environment department ‘cherry picked’ data to claim clearing has decreased, but figures show recent steady increase

Two of Australia’s largest environment groups have accused the federal environment department of providing inaccurate information about land clearing to the Senate, and of not acting to reduce habitat loss.

The Australian Conservation Foundation and WWF Australia say the department has “cherry picked” data to claim that land clearing in Queensland has decreased, when national figures on land clearing rates in that state in fact show increases since 2011.

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The Clean Energy Regulator on Thursday issued offsets to a soil carbon project, a global first that could unlock millions more carbon credits from Australia’s project pipeline.