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Results from a UK experiment could help clear a hurdle to achieving commercial fusion power.

No G20 country is on track to meet climate goals and disruption to business is inevitable, says risk assessor

Major businesses and investors in the world’s largest economies should brace themselves for a turbulent transition to a low-carbon future because none of the G20 countries are on track to meet their climate ambitions, according to a new report.

There is “no longer any realistic chance” for an orderly transition for global financial markets because political leaders will be forced to rely on “handbrake” policy interventions to cut emissions, according to research from risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

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An industry group claimed Virginia’s revised RGGI regulation failed to adhere to enacting legislation in shifting to state-run auctions, while the finalised cap-and-trade rule should be stuck down as an illegal tax, according to a brief filed this week.

Voluntary emissions reduction (VER) prices are currently significantly undervalued, and must rise by several orders of magnitude in order to guarantee financial returns and ramp up climate ambition, the CEO of a private jet charter broker said Tuesday.

A massive blackout was caused by the failure of a new coal plant. It's part of a wider trend marking the beginning of the end for Australian coal.

The post A new flagship coal plant failed spectacularly – but it won’t be the last time appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Snowy Hydro CEO dismisses suggestions of conflicts of interest over Kurri Kurri land deal in a combative senate estimates hearing.

The post Snowy CEO denies conflicts of interest over Kurri Kurri land deal appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Conservationists introduced the species back into a sanctuary north of Sydney in late 2020.

These hefty dinosaur birds stand as tall as humans, enough to dissuade most from getting too close. But how would they fare against each other in a fight? A wildlife expert places her bet. Julia Ryeland, PhD Candidate, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

None of Australia's highest-emitting energy firms are fully or even closely aligned with global climate goals. Just one goes even partway, and five appeared to be taking no action at all. Anna Malos, Australia - Country Lead, ClimateWorks Australia Coral Bravo, Senior Analyst, ClimateWorks Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Companies regulated by the EU ETS used almost 1.6 billion Kyoto Protocol offsets against their surrender obligations over the past 13 years, data published by the European Commission late Tuesday showed, as the window finally closed on this cheaper compliance option.

The Lowy Institute’s annual survey of sentiment on climate action found strong support for net zero emissions by 2050 and a ban on new coalmines

The Morrison government is under increasing pressure to act on the climate crisis, with a new poll showing seven in 10 Australians want the Coalition to lock in stronger commitments in the lead-up to this year’s Glasgow summit.

The Lowy Institute’s annual survey of sentiment on climate action finds strong domestic support for Australia committing to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and majority support for a ban on new coalmines.

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Government revenue from global carbon pricing instruments swelled by almost a fifth last year as programmes largely withstood the impact of the coronavirus crisis, according to an annual report released Thursday by the World Bank.

North Carolina’s Air Quality Committee (AQC) will consider a petition next month to join the RGGI cap-and-trade programme via regulatory channels, with green groups arguing the proposed rulemaking would help the state reach long-term climate goals.

Black people in the US are subject to double the level of heat stress in cities than whites.

The 27-nation EU’s heads of state and government on Tuesday failed to reach an agreement over the fate of national emissions reduction targets for sectors outside the bloc’s carbon market in a debate meant to provide guidance to the European Commission’s upcoming climate package.

EU carbon prices gained as much as a euro early Tuesday but fell back towards €52 following one of the weakest auctions of the year, while UK Allowance prices tested their recently record highs.

Renewables are getting cheaper, but fossil fuels are still more lucrative. To reach net zero, we’ll need radical intervention

Last week, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world’s leading energy authority, laid bare the scale of the challenge in keeping the world on track to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050: a massive acceleration in renewable energy development and, starkly, no new oil, gas or coal development. None.

For as long as coal remained cheapest, the IEA consistently predicted that it would continue to be the dominant energy source in electricity generation. Now that renewables, and solar in particular, generate electricity as cheaply – and often cheaper – than hydrocarbons, the IEA considers a rapid energy transition more achievable. It finds encouragement in the cost of the respective energy types: in economic terms, the IEA’s is a “cost-centric” worldview.

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Shutting Turów lignite mine would cause thousands of job losses, says development minister

Poland’s government has defied an injunction by the top European Union court that ordered the immediate closure of a major brown coalmine, with officials saying it would shake the nation’s energy system and lead to the loss of thousands of jobs.

The country’s development minister, Jarosław Gowin, said Poland would not shut the lignite mine in Turów, on the border with Germany and the Czech Republic, but instead was engaged in “very intensive diplomatic and law-related efforts” to secure undisturbed operation of the mine and connected power plant that generates 7% of Poland‘s energy.

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Increasing blanket of mucus-like substance in water threatens coral and fishing industry

When seen from above, it looks like a brush of beige swirled across the dark blue waters of the Sea of Marmara. Up close, it resembles a creamy, gelatinous blanket of quicksand. Now scientists are warning that the substance, known as sea snot, is on the rise as a result of global heating.

The gloopy, mucus-like substance had not been recorded in Turkish waters before 2007. It is created as a result of prolonged warm temperatures and calm weather and in areas with abundant nutrients in the water.

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