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The EU plans to increase the ambition of its nationally-determined contribution (NDC) to the UN Paris Agreement by a “few percentage points” in light of its ongoing work to strengthen domestic climate policies, Reuters reported on Monday, citing a draft document.

A major auditor has validated a methodology for permanent carbon removal through direct air capture (DAC) and underground mineralisation storage, paving the way for using carbon finance to scale up the nascent and costly technology.

The appointed body overseeing the UN’s new carbon crediting mechanism began its second-ever meeting on Monday, with limited time remaining to shape recommendations before the Egypt COP27 UN climate talks this November, including on fee levels related to project registration and credit issuance.

*PREMIUM LISTING – The Executive Director will be responsible for standing up the new entity and driving its success. The Executive Director will manage a team of 6-8 people to implement the work programme of the Climate Warehouse.

*PREMIUM LISTING – We are recruiting a Technical Director to support the work of this new entity. The candidate will report to the Executive Director and will be responsible for implementing the IT and technical aspects of the Climate Warehouse work programme.

Wind energy remains as an attractive carbon-free option since its costs are generally low compared to wind’s value in wholesale markets.

The post Wind power is getting better and better, and providing more value to the grid appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Right-leaning European parliamentarians are circulating an idea to auction €30 billion worth of MSR-held and other carbon allowances over 18 months, rather than the four-year stretch for raising €20 bln proposed by Brussels’ RePowerEU initiative, two well-placed sources have told Carbon Pulse, added supply that could amplify bearish market pressure.

Meeting with Ranil Jayawardena comes amid concern government could scrap nature recovery goals

The head of Natural England and the chair of England’s largest landowners’ organisation are to meet the new environment secretary to urge him not to scrap or water down rewilding schemes.

Tony Juniper, who will meet Ranil Jayawardena along with the CLA chair Mark Tufnell on Tuesday, pointed out that swathes of prime land were being used for golf courses, housing and other infrastructure but political focus was on the small amount that would be rewilded.

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Leading global PV manufacturer Canadian Solar launches lithium-iron phosphate utility-scale big battery system with up to 2,800kWh of usable energy capacity.

The post Solar giant joins big battery market with launch of utility-scale SolBank appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Regulators allow states to continue spreading sludge even as PFAS-tainted substance has ruined livelihoods and poisoned water

States are continuing to allow sewage sludge to be spread on cropland as fertilizer and in some cases increasing the amount spread, even as the PFAS-tainted substance has ruined farmers’ livelihoods, poisoned water supplies, contaminated food and put the public’s health at risk.

Michigan and Maine are the only two states in the US to widely test sludge, and regulators in each say contamination was found in all tested samples. Still, in recent months, officials in Virginia increased the amount of sludge permitted to be spread on farmland without testing for PFAS, while Alabama regulators have rejected residents’ and environmental groups’ pleas to test sludge for the chemicals.

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Shanxi has become the latest Chinese jurisdiction to launch a so-called “inclusive” small-scale offset scheme, aiming to drive lifestyle changes that can cut carbon emissions from individuals.

Venture capital investment in carbon capture start-ups hit a record high in the second quarter of 2022, reflecting growing interest in carbon removal that is likely to continue given a more conducive policy environment for the technology, especially in the US, researchers have found.

A major New Zealand dairy company has completed the first phase of its off-farm decarbonisation strategy, as the head of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) urges businesses to focus on cutting gross emissions reductions, rather than relying on offsets.  

This role will be involved in the identification, assessment and project management of emission reduction and carbon offset projects; maximizing stakeholder participation; as well as developing and executing the plan to optimize the revenue and value returned on carbon credits generated.

Why not dress all the swift parrots in salmon outfits? Then the Tassie government will jail anyone who goes within 50 metres of one!

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Floodwater carries dense clouds of sediment, choking the lush seagrass meadows on which these gentle grazers rely. Kathy Ann Townsend, Senior Lecturer in Animal Ecology, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Poor nations exhort UN to consider ‘climate-related and justice-based’ tax on big fossil fuel users and air travel

The world’s most vulnerable countries are preparing to take on the richest economies with a demand for urgent finance – potentially including new taxes on fossil fuels or flying – for the irrecoverable losses they are suffering from the climate crisis, leaked documents show.

Extreme weather is already hitting many developing countries hard and forecast to wreak further catastrophe. Loss and damage – the issue of how to help poor nations suffering from the most extreme impacts of climate breakdown, which countries cannot be protected against – is one of the most contentious problems in climate negotiations.

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The world will have released more planet-heating emissions than have occurred since the industrial revolution, analysis found

Burning the world’s proven reserves of fossil fuels would emit more planet-heating emissions than have occurred since the industrial revolution, easily blowing the remaining carbon budget before societies are subjected to catastrophic global heating, a new analysis has found.

An enormous 3.5tn tons of greenhouse gas emissions will be emitted if governments allow identified reserves of coal, oil and gas to be extracted and used, according to what has been described as the first public database of fossil fuel production.

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Is it possible to make an industry average scheme work? Yes, with enough gaffer tape. Is it the best pathway to take? Maybe not.

The post Safeguard Mechanism: What to make of the “industry-average” baseline scheme appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Solar is doing well – and particularly associated home battery uptake; wind power is struggling; and China is rapidly becoming the main factor limiting global decarbonisation.

The post Three global renewables trends to watch for – and what they mean for Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.