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Nasdaq’s carbon removals platform Puro.earth has opened a consultation on a methodology to earn carbon credits from accelerating the process of CO2 being stored by rocks, while it also this week announced a new removals insurance partnership.

Its enzymes degrade polyethylene within hours at room temperature and could ‘revolutionise’ recycling

Enzymes that rapidly break down plastic bags have been discovered in the saliva of wax worms, which are moth larvae that infest beehives.

The enzymes are the first reported to break down polyethylene within hours at room temperature and could lead to cost-effective ways of recycling the plastic.

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New report reveals flawed regulations have delivered billions of dollars in "supernormal" profits to poles and wires companies, at the expense of consumers.

The post “Another fail” as Australian energy consumers overcharged by $10 billion appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Plastics campaigners call it ‘astounding’ that multinational they say is world’s top polluter has sponsored key UN climate meeting

A sponsorship deal between this year’s UN climate conference and Coca-Cola, which has been described as the “world’s top polluter” by an environmental group, has been branded “greenwash” by campaigners.

Cop27, to be held in the Egyptian coastal resort of Sharm el-Sheikh from 6-18 November, is the world’s primary forum for governments, businesses and environmental organisations to tackle the climate emergency.

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The call followed news that King Charles will not attend COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in November.

EU carbon prices wiped out early gains to stand broadly unchanged at midday Tuesday as the market was pushed in different directions by reports that suggest EU institutions remain at odds over how to fund the REPowerEU initiative.

EU finance ministers on Tuesday endorsed a unified stance to partly finance the REPowerEU strategy by sourcing the greatest chunk of the €20 billion from the Innovation Fund and the remaining portion from frontloaded member state auctions, in turn finally discarding the idea of MSR-held sales.

German utility RWE on Tuesday confirmed plans to end its lignite-based power generation in 2030, reaching a deal with Berlin to align with the government’s coal phaseout date even as the company receives state funding to bring coal operations out of reserve in the meantime.

The award recognises advances in quantum mechanics which describes nature at the sub-atomic scale.

Traded volumes in Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) surged in the September quarter, while the carbon credit price came off as the market waits for the outcome of the government review and Safeguard Mechanism reforms.

Efforts to decarbonise the power sector by shifting away from coal-fired generation are at risk due to an apparent pivot towards gas, with nearly 90 GW of gas plant capacity in the global development pipeline being coal-to-gas conversions or replacements, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Several African leaders at last month’s UN general assembly left dismayed after their calls for action on the climate crisis were overshadowed by the Ukraine war. One was Kenya’s new president, who writes here about why priorities must change

There is almost no facet of society that will be left untouched by the ravages of the climate crisis and how we respond to it. The crisis poses fundamental questions for the economy; it affects public health and jobs, and its threats range from food security to national security. That is why it will be among the central concerns of my government and why I believe any responsible world leader must make it a priority.

Climate change drives the droughts that affect the provision of water; destroys lives and livelihoods; cripples food production, and destroys our homes and infrastructure. Extreme temperatures affect migration patterns and exacerbate conflicts as hundreds of thousands flee to seek alternative livelihoods for survival.

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An industry body has called on the Australian government to prepare its carbon market for greater activity and demand, while at the same time emphasising it should be treated as just one integral piece of the larger puzzle of cutting emissions.

Study finds minority ethnic people make up nearly half of populations in areas with very high NO2 or PM2.5 levels

People of colour in England are more than three times more likely to live in neighbourhoods with very high air pollution, putting them at disproportionate risk of heart attacks, cancer and strokes, according to research.

Minority ethnic people make up nearly half the populations living in areas where average levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or small particulate matter (PM2.5) were double World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, research based on official statistics showed.

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Pumped hydro offers us large scale energy storage. If we do it carefully, we can make sure these dams don’t cause the damage of the past. Jamie Pittock, Professor, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia's climate bill was an important first step, but it must be followed by many more concrete actions, including a solid plan to reach the targets.

The post Australia’s climate bill is the beginning of the journey, not the end appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Victoria’s Labor government launches call for innovators to develop news ways of recycling solar panels with $10 million Solar Waste Challenge.

The post Victoria launches push for new solar panel recycling options appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Neoen Australia's Kaban wind farm has powered up, a milestone for the first new project in Queensland's first designated Renewable Energy Zone.

The post Kaban wind farm powers up, connects to Queensland’s renewable “SuperGrid” appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Over the last two years, CSIRO has been talking to Australia’s food producers about a new suite of solutions to pest control

Australian farmers are heavily reliant on the use of pesticides to control weeds, diseases, and insect pests, collectively known as agripests.

In some industries, pesticides are the first option when managing pests, rather than a last resort. They are not only applied as aerial sprays after a pest has been detected but are coated on seeds and soil as a ‘just-in-case’ application, well before any outbreak is detected.

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Queensland sounds out local market for supply of wind turbines, solar panels, batteries and pumped hydro equipment for state's $62bn shift to renewables.

The post Queensland seeks local manufacturers to build state’s renewable energy “supergrid” appeared first on RenewEconomy.