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The EU disbursed €2.7 billion from the EU ETS-financed Modernisation Fund for decarbonisation measures in eight member states, the European Commission announced, at the same time it approved billions of euros of state aid for clean energy projects.

The CEO of a large carbon project developer has said that excitement is building across the voluntary carbon market after countries finalised the Article 6 rulebook at COP29 in Baku.

Japan has released the draft version of its 7th Energy Basic Plan, proposing to ramp up the share of renewables in its energy mix while saying carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will be needed to offset emissions it can’t otherwise eliminate.

McNeese State University in Louisiana building a liquefied natural gas center, prompting fears of ‘corporate capture’

One of Louisiana’s top public universities has prompted concerns about “corporate capture” over its expanding relationship with the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry, despite environmental warnings about pollution and prolonging fossil fuel use.

As the US’s LNG boom gained momentum in south-west Louisiana, McNeese State University courted the industry to help launch a new LNG Center of Excellence currently under construction, hired a director doubling as an LNG industry lobbyist, and approached federal regulators to co-locate their own research center at the university, according to emails obtained via public records requests by DeSmog and the Guardian.

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The arrival of sweeping EU disclosure requirements next month is prompting one of the chief drivers of voluntary corporate climate disclosures, CDP, to adapt its remit to a focus on reducing the burden of reporting, and making sure that the right data is collected and put into action.

Chile’s CO2 tax, which accepts select carbon units in lieu of payment on a tonne-for-tonne basis, has added two new standards and all their methodologies to its eligibility pool, potentially bringing in millions of tax-eligible credits to a supply-constrained market.

An industrial project to decarbonise steel and produce e-methanol aims to improve the competitiveness of Europe’s steel industry and reduce its exposure to the EU ETS.

European carbon reached midday on Thursday substantially higher after earlier moving in a comparatively narrow range, as natural gas prices appeared to reassert their influence over the EU ETS amid speculation over whether and how the bloc will source additional supplies next year.

Call for additional precautions as captive species including lions, tigers and cheetahs are killed by virus

Dozens of rare animals including tigers, lions and cheetahs are dying as bird flu infiltrates zoos, with potentially “grave implications” for endangered species, researchers have warned.

As a growing number of zoos report animal deaths, scientists are concerned that infected wild birds landing in enclosures could be spreading it among captive animals. In the US, a cheetah, mountain lion, Indian goose and kookaburra were among the animals that died in Wildlife World Zoo near Phoenix, according to local media reports last week. San Francisco Zoo temporarily closed its aviaries after a wild red-shouldered hawk was found dead on its grounds, and later tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAIV). A rare red-breasted goose died at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, causing aviaries to close and penguin feeding for visitors to be suspended in November. These cases follow the deaths of 47 tigers, three lions, and a panther in zoos across south Vietnam over the summer.

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South Korea announced Wednesday it will phase down subsidies for private and state-owned biomass facilities following widespread criticism over their impact on climate as well as the industry's role in fuelling deforestation.

A new wave of geothermal energy companies are emerging, and they're using shale gas tech to make it cheaper, faster and simpler than a decade earlier.

The post It getting hot down under: Hot rock geothermal energy is making a comeback in Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Albanese government approved a batch of four coal mines on Thursday, including a super-emitting mine that could almost crash the Safeguard Mechanism. 

The post Albanese’s four new coal mine extension approvals could crash the Safeguard Mechanism  appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A ratings agency has revised the outlook for India’s largest carbon credit developer EKI Energy to “stable” from “negative”, reflecting improving financials despite continued challenges in the global carbon credit market.

Crediting standard Verra has opened applications for a panel of biodiversity experts that will be tasked with reviewing projects under its Nature Framework, the company announced Thursday.

A Japanese shipping firm has agreed a five-year deal to buy credits from a Direct Air Capture with Carbon Storage (DACCS) project in the US, using petroleum company ENEOS as a middle man.

A French utility has signed an offtake agreement with the developer of a CO2 battery in Sardinia, Italy, which will provide long-duration energy storage to the Italian grid.

Verra wants to take greater control of carbon methodology development in a shift from third-party led work in the past, the standards body said Wednesday in proposed updates to its crediting programme processes.

The joint committee (JC) regulating the Japan-Philippines Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) has rejected two proposed methodologies amid concerns they might lead to over-crediting, including one for high-efficiency firewood cookstoves.

Tanya Plibersek says projects in NSW and Queensland produce coal for making essential steel as critics say move ‘opposite of climate action’

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The Albanese government has approved the expansion of four coalmines that climate campaigners estimate will release more than 850m tonnes of CO2 over their lifetime – equivalent to almost double Australia’s annual emissions.

The four mines will target mostly coal to be used for steelmaking with some thermal coal for burning in power stations.

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A revised draft of the UN-backed clean cooking methodology has been sent to voluntary carbon standards for review and approval, and includes several key changes based on recent stakeholder feedback.