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As temperatures rise across Oceania, droughts are becoming more extreme and strong winds drive catastrophic fires

Hawaii was never paradise. Since the day my ancestors first stepped ashore, our islands have been devastated by hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and erupting volcanoes that buried whole towns.

But fires are something new. We were not prepared. Our officials were not prepared, for a raging inferno of 1,000-degree heat that moved at lightning speed, reducing our historical town of Lahaina – once the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom – and 2,000 homes to ash. More than 1,300 people are still missing. At this stage, many will not be found. Cadaver dogs whine with frustration. They are uncovering mostly ash.

Kiana Davenport is a writer of Native-Hawaiian and Anglo-American descent. She is the author of eight novels and three anthologies: Prize-Winning Pacific Stories

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The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has signed a strategy for carbon neutrality with eight targeted outcomes that include enhancing interoperable carbon markets and the necessary standardisations of carbon, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy efficiency reporting.

A Tokyo-based climate startup has teamed up with a regional bank in Japan to expand its carbon farming business at home, the latest in a growing line of Japanese firms to announce plans for the generation of agricultural carbon credits.

Knowing the ‘next drought is just around the corner’, Australia’s Water Minister Tanya Plibersek is striking a new agreement to return water and health to the Murray-Darling Basin. Jamie Pittock, Professor, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

What the UK needs is pragmatic, joined-up policymaking. But what we get instead are culture wars, and a tabloid feeding frenzy

What’s an acceptable number of dead people in European waters? What about dead children? I’m asking largely about healthy young people, albeit exhausted ones. Migrants, who have braved long, terrible journeys, often experiencing horrific violence and terror.

So how many should we write off as justifiable collateral damage in our war against … what, exactly? There is no war except with ourselves: it’s a culture war. The cause is “strong borders”, but strong against what? Despite the rhetoric, this not an invasion. If the strong borders are to protect our economy – well, these are young, fit workers who could boost our economies if we actually let them work.

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New Zealand might apply new governance standards to its emissions trading scheme from 2025, and will begin work to procure a national exchange, but no final decision to proceed with it has been made, the government said Tuesday.

Australian miner BHP has forecast that coal-based steel and iron making processes in major production economies like China and India will be required for decades, due to lack of readiness, and the industry will need to continue to purchase carbon credits for a “considerable period” to become carbon neutral.

Stephanie Unwin, the CEO of Horizon Power, discusses how 400 residential and business customers had just one year to electrify after the local gas distribution decided to cut off the gas supply.

The post SwitchedOn Podcast: How this regional town transitioned off the gas network in just 12 months appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australia is not likely to solve its coal closure issues until it gets serious about hard targets. But the extension of Eraring is not a fait accompli.

The post Eraring and Loy Yang A coal closure wrangles show need for hard renewable targets appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Scientists find ‘substantial ecological changes’ after greening initiative by major road in Melbourne, Australia

The benefits of urban greening initiatives are increasingly well documented: they can help mitigate the effects of urban heating, and improve physical health and mental wellbeing. And even small greening actions in cities can significantly improve local biodiversity, new research suggests.

Increasing the diversity of native plants in a single urban green space resulted in a sevenfold increase in the number of insect species after three years, Australian researchers have found.

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Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised the Victorian Government on the orderly closure in June 2035 of the Loy Yang A Power Station in the Latrobe Valley, a key Australian decommissioning project amidst the global energy transition.

The post Norton Rose Fulbright advises Victorian Government on Loy Yang A Power Station closure appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Star of the South reveals the findings from a year-long analysis of port options to support construction and operation of the pioneering offshore wind project.

The post Star of the South identifies five ports to support Australia’s first offshore wind farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The East of England is "seriously water-stressed" and its biggest water firm is working on upgrades.

Transgrid settles on new lower-cost option for a "Sydney ring" that will allow more renewables to flow into major load centres.

The post Transgrid chooses lower cost option to connect NSW load centres with regional renewables appeared first on RenewEconomy.

City of Sydney becomes the latest NSW local government to harness its own planning powers to mandate all-electric appliances in new homes and businesses.

The post Sydney moves to ban gas, as councils go where NSW Labor fears to tread appeared first on RenewEconomy.

North Rhine-Westphalia looks set to abolish a controversial rule on the minimum distance wind turbines must be from the nearest residence.

The post German state looks to remove minimum distance rule for wind turbines appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Antarctica is experiencing disturbing changes – from missing winter sea ice to disintegrating ice shelves – and it’s almost certain things will get worse

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After decades immersed in Antarctic science, I’ve learned that physical and biological changes rarely occur smoothly. More often than not, they unfold in sharp steps. Right now, Antarctica’s climate and ecosystems are experiencing disturbing changes.

Much of this winter’s sea ice is missing. A crucial ocean current is slowing down, and glaciers and ice shelves are disintegrating.

Changes in Antarctic and Southern Ocean environments are linked to, and influence, climate impact drivers globally.

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Southeast Asian national oil companies are poised to increase spending on renewable energy, with each of the major companies picking an area where they see the greatest synergies, although the majority of spend in low carbon sectors is still coming from elsewhere, according to a report released this week.

AGL opens Torrens Island battery - the second biggest in the country and the first to be built by AGL - as it eyes more battery projects at the sites of its ageing coal plants.

The post “This is the transaction in action:” AGL opens its first big battery, Liddell next in line appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Space exploration is often propelled by competition, driven by national pride and with little thought about consequence. It is time to consider space as a commons, not just a resource to exploit. Priyanka Dhopade, Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, University of Auckland Carolle Varughese, Research Assistant, University of Auckland Lena Henry, Lecturer in Creative Arts, Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland Sarah Hendrica Bickerton, Research Fellow, University of Auckland Te Kahuratai Moko-Painting, Co-Director – Centre for Pūtaiao, University of Auckland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.