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Spain submitted a draft version of its revised national climate and energy plan (NECP) on Thursday a day ahead of the deadline, setting a good example as it prepares to assume the six-month EU presidency while others member states were expected to run late with their plans. 

How debris recovered from the sea bed near the Titanic could help investigators learn what happened.

Talks of introducing “indicative checkpoints” instead of legally binding 2030 and 2040 emissions targets at this week’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO)’s closed-door working meeting would put a 2050 zero emission target for the shipping sector at risk, NGOs have warned.

There is huge variation between corporates in terms of their exposure to carbon pricing both within and between sectors out to 2030, with not one industry equally impacted by the risk of rising prices, an analytics and financial products firm said on Thursday.

A US venture capital firm has extended its partnership with a carbon market startup, agreeing to buy 1,000 tonnes of emissions removals credits in the process.

ASBN is seeking a visionary. We need a deeply committed, mission-aligned, transformational CEO who has deep experience with finance, operations, membership, recruitment, and staff management. We expect this to be a 6-to-12-month assignment, with the opportunity to – but not the requirement – to apply for the position on a permanent basis.

European carbon prices ignored weakness in other markets on Thursday morning, erasing much of the previous afternoon's loss, while energy prices declined for a second day despite forecasts for weaker renewables generation.

Heat pump costs, poor insulation and lack of workers hinder scheme but industry remains positive.

Exclusive: Other summer hotspots such as Devon and Cornwall also likely to face problems, leaked minutes show

Cumbria and the Lake District are likely to be plunged into drought, minutes from the government’s National Drought Group reveal, with reservoir levels in the regions having dropped significantly.

Other popular summer holiday destinations including Devon and Cornwall are also likely to be hit by water supply problems, the group heard, and holidaymakers may be be told to curb their use.

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A weekly summary of our biodiversity news plus bite-sized updates from around the world. All articles in this edition are free to read (no subscription required).

Lesions found on 99% of southern resident orcas studied on Pacific north-west coast

Scientists studying an endangered population of orcas resident off the Pacific north-west coast of Canada and the US have recorded a “strong increase” in skin lesions on the animals’ bodies, which they believe is due to the decreasing ability of their immune systems to deal with disease.

The lesions appear on the whales as grey patches or targets, or black pin points. Some resemble tattooed skin. Their presence on the animals’ graphically black and white bodies is “increasing dramatically”, according to Dr Joseph K Gaydos of the SeaDoc Society at the school of veterinary medicine at the University of California, lead author of the scientific paper.

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California-based Open Earth Foundation on Thursday published a whitepaper outlining a potential system for integrating nature-based currencies (NBCs) into the broader economy.

An Australia carbon blockchain company has received a funding injection from an agricultural investment firm ahead of the beta-launch of its platforms next month.

Japan should provide more institutional support for the development of the emerging carbon dioxide removal (CDR) market, such as expanding the scope of existing offset crediting schemes, a government-appointed study group has urged.

A biodiversity startup using data analytics to try and scale investment in measurable nature positive outcomes, including via biodiversity crediting, plans to use a recent fund raise to grow out its platform, capture more species data, and expand its team in a bid to make 'naturewashing' a thing of the past.

Oil and gas companies have no plans to phase out fossil fuels, according to a study that assessed the world's top fossil fuel companies and found most still have plans to increase total oil production this decade.

Despite the market recently being inundated with Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), a major bank’s report expects the unit price to rise thanks to compliance demand created by the Safeguard Mechanism.

South Korea is the second largest battery producer in the world. A compact across value-added critical mineral industries should be a strategic federal priority.

The post How Australia can join forces with South Korea to build batteries onshore appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Companies are taking out devastating ‘civil injunctions’ against climate activists – and making them pay the costs

Apparently, it’s not enough for the police to be given powers to shut down any protest they choose. It’s not enough for peaceful protesters to face 10 years in prison for seeking to defend the living planet, or to be deprived of the right to explain their actions to a jury. Now they are also being pursued through another means altogether: the civil courts. And the penalties imposed in these cases, with or without trial, legal aid or presumption of innocence, can be much greater.

The law in England and Wales permits corporations and government bodies to create their own system of punishment. The tool it grants them is a simple one, with massive, complex and ever-ramifying consequences. It’s called the civil injunction.

George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist

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Peabody yet to restore park after finishing construction work in 2020, leaving children with no green space

Families in south London are demanding that an award-winning developer reopens a park that was boarded up in 2016 for the construction of new homes.

Hatcham Gardens sits in a densely built part of Lewisham next to a school and surrounded by flats. Peabody was given permission by Lewisham council to close the park temporarily for use during construction.

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