Feed aggregator

Hot, dry conditions bring numerous species into contact with people and pets, and not just in the bush. It’s good to know which is which

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The quickest way to tell the difference between an eastern brown snake and a copperhead is to nearly step on it. If it strikes, it’s an eastern brown. If it stays still as you jump back, it’s a copperhead.

Thankfully, the snake I nearly stood on this week as I walked distractedly through the horse yard was a copperhead. Lowland copperheads are the seventh most venomous snake in Australia, but they are also shy and only bite when severely provoked. They are pretty common here in the Macedon Ranges. This is the second time I’ve nearly stepped on this particular snake. I also didn’t see it when carrying washing out to the line last month. Both times it skedaddled.

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The Tokyo Stock Exchange will introduce two new trading categories for agricultural carbon credits under Japan’s J-Credit scheme, as it seeks to enhance market liquidity and efficiency amid increasing project registrations and certification volumes.

UN civil aviation body ICAO late on Friday published reports outlining its Technical Advisory Body’s (TAB) assessments, recommendations, and public comments made during the 2024 cycle for applications by carbon credit standards seeking eligibility under the airline offsetting programme.

Emitters in California's carbon market more than halved their use of offsets during the 2021-23 compliance period, driving overall utilisation under the scheme to below 4% despite an uptick in WCI partner Quebec, government data published Friday showed.

The US EPA’s power plant emissions rules were tested Friday before a three-judge panel as attorneys representing Republican states argued that the rules didn’t properly consider the costs of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology and that the EPA overstepped in its rulemaking authority.

Emitters built their net holdings throughout the North American carbon markets, while financial players continued to shuffle their positions in California Carbon Allowances (CCAs) and RGGI Allowances (RGAs) in favour of V25s, data released Friday from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) showed.

Europe may have made significant progress in decarbonising its energy sector, but investment efforts must more than double to an average of $1 trillion annually by 2030.

Brazil’s National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) this week solicited proposals under initiatives collectively worth R$109 million ($18 mln) that would support forest restoration in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest.

Oil derived from sugarcane is a promising alternative feedstock in the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) given its land-use efficiency, but the process faces high production costs, researchers published in a recent study.

So-called "CDR optimisation" projects that build on pre-existing practices need to improve accounting techniques to distinguish between removed and avoided emissions in order to ensure integrity in the crediting process, representatives from a California-based research group told Carbon Pulse.

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world

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The Saskatchewan legislature unanimously passed legislation that will keep federal carbon pricing off of provincial home heating bills on Thursday following a year of political tussling with Ottawa over payment of the levy on fuel.

Switzerland’s Alpiq has hired a veteran trader for its European emissions desk.

Participants in the voluntary carbon market (VCM) are increasingly confident that integrity issues plaguing the sector are being solved, but challenges remain around attracting buyers, speakers said at an industry conference this week.

The European Union and the Mercosur group of South American countries concluded a long-awaited trade deal on Friday, calling it a "political necessity" and "historic milestone" despite environmental concerns and opposition from seven EU countries, including France.

The last RGGI cap-and-trade auction of 2024 cleared at a $2.35 discount to RGGI Allowances (RGAs) in the secondary market the day before the sale, and at the low end of market expectations for a discounted settlement, with limited participation from financial entities, according to results published Friday.

Next year could be a turning point for the beleaguered voluntary carbon market because the underlying fundamentals have stayed robust, particularly the rising number of companies setting SBTi climate targets, despite a tough year, according to analysts in a new report.

Shipowners can cut compliance costs under the EU's new green shipping fuel regulation by using LNG-powered ships or wind-assisted propulsion, according to a new report by a global shipping insurer.

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The 2024 contest saw close to 2,000 entries from photographers in Australia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea

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Switzerland's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and overall climate targets, policies and finance have been rated as “insufficient” in a new analysis released on Thursday.