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The head of the UN climate summit taking place in the UAE at the end of the year has underlined the important role of transparent and standardised voluntary carbon markets for closing the climate finance gap, speaking on Friday at the Paris Summit for a New Global Financing Pact.

A yacht competing in the Ocean Race had a close encounter with orcas on their approach to the strait of Gibraltar on Thursday, when the animals began nudging at its rudders. There were no injuries to the crew or damage to the boat. The Ocean Race said that ‘orca attacks’ on boats in the area around Gibraltar, where an individual or pod of orcas ram into a boat's hull or rudders, have become more common with boats being significantly damaged in some cases

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Almost 40 leaders to present plans for overhaul of public financial institutions including World Bank

Questions over a tax on global shipping and other big sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and how countries should go about setting up a loss and damage fund continue to be the subject of fierce discussion, as governments meet in Paris to prepare an overhaul of global development and climate finance.

Nearly 40 heads of state and government and a similar number of ministers and high-level representatives will finalise a roadmap for the reform of the world’s public finance institutions, including the World Bank, and of overseas aid and climate finance.

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The best of this week’s wildlife photographs, including busy bees, a peregrine falcon and wild horses

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Spot NZU prices extended losses on Friday as the market continued to reel from the policy options raised by a government policy consultation released at the beginning of the week.

Two soil carbon projects in Queensland were issued with 151,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) Friday, according to a company announcement, in an historic moment for the country’s carbon market.

It’s the age old battle between the NIMBYs and the YIMBYs!

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Two Korean companies have signed an agreement to conduct feasibility studies into developing international landfill emissions reduction projects under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, they announced Friday.

Amid the hand-wringing on transmission delays, more and more renewables experts argue there is huge capacity for wind, solar and storage on local networks.

The post Transmission tunnel vision: There’s a lot of space for wind, solar and batteries on local networks appeared first on RenewEconomy.

An employee of a Shell owned solar and battery group has won praise after publicly declaring his disgust at the oil giant's business strategy and quitting the business.

The post “I’m out:” Shell solar employee praised for quitting after oil giant’s climate backflip appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Nearly 50% of US bee colonies died off last year, although efforts have helped the overall bee population remain ‘relatively stable’

The US’s honeybee hives just staggered through the second highest death rate on record, with beekeepers losing nearly half of their managed colonies, an annual bee survey found.

But by using costly and herculean measures to create new colonies, beekeepers are somehow keeping afloat. Thursday’s University of Maryland and Auburn University survey found that even though 48% of colonies were lost in the year that ended 1 April, the number of US honeybee colonies “remained relatively stable”.

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Regulator approves new payments for Waratah Super battery, but the public won't be told. Why have battery storage deals suddenly become so secretive?

The post Regulator approves payments for world’s biggest “shock absorber” battery, but keeps it secret appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Alan Finkel says Australia can still reach its 82 per cent renewable target. "If I was betting with dollars, I would say yes. If I was betting with my life, I'd be hesitant."

The post Finkel: Australia can still reach its 82 pct renewables target by 2030 appeared first on RenewEconomy.

New study finds the financial impact of ambitious climate action will mostly be borne by the wealthiest people in society, due to stranded fossil fuels.

The post Climate costs most likely to hit world’s richest, as renewables erode fossil fuel billions appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Wind and solar generate more electricity than coal in the US for a record five-month period, as the fossil fuel declines "faster than anyone anticipated.”

The post Solar and wind out-power coal in the US for record five-month stretch appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Alan Finkel on Australia’s potential to emerge as an “electro-state” with its wind and solar resources, and his Powering Up book. Plus: More big battery deals.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Australia’s rise as an electro-state appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Poll also reveals increasing cynicism over environmental claims made by companies

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Australians are confused and cynical about the environmental claims made by companies and greenwashing is making people ever more sceptical, a latest survey of people’s attitudes to nature and climate change has found.

The research also points to a radical change in the expectations of Australian consumers and voters, with younger generations strongly rejecting the notion that humans have the right to use nature for their own benefit.

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As the planet continues to heat, politicians will go to greater and greater lengths to suppress popular outrage

So NSW’s premier, Chris Minns, thinks social media platforms like Meta should prevent climate activists from broadcasting their protests.

Scientists tell us that temperatures in the sea and air are spiking; a new study warns about global ecosystems collapsing sooner than predicted. Yet governments everywhere display more determination in suppressing protest than combating warming. As Greta Thunberg notes, “activists all over the world are experiencing increased repressions just for fighting for our present and our future”.

Jeff Sparrow is a Guardian Australia columnist

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New research exposing the surprising scale and diversity of Australia’s invertebrate pet trade online highlights the need for better regulation to protect our wildlife and manage biosecurity threats. Charlotte Lassaline, PhD Student, University of Adelaide Phill Cassey, Head, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.