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France’s two remaining coal power plants have been allowed to operate for longer in case of winter blackouts thanks to a temporary relief of emissions reduction standards through 2024, announced the energy transition ministry.

Latest blow to sustainable farming incentive for nature recovery prompts warnings of ‘tough autumn’

Farmers in England are being left without crucial nature recovery payments and unsure of what to plant after delays to a post-Brexit scheme.

The sustainable farming incentive (SFI) is part of a package of payments that is replacing the EU’s common agricultural policy, which paid land managers for the amount of land in their care. The aim of the SFI is to pay farmers to look after nature, soil and other public goods, rather than simply for farming and owning land.

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Weekly trading volume in China's emissions market almost doubled from the previous week with a new high in carbon prices, even as traders remain keen to know how the government will solve the surplus problem.

UK has not reciprocated after EU banned import of pot plant soil, in which some species can travel undetected

Invasive species are increasingly likely to come to Britain because of lax post-Brexit trade rules, experts have warned.

The EU has banned the import of soil in pot plants from the UK since Brexit, partly because invasive species such as the Asian hornet can travel undetected in soil. The UK has not put reciprocal bans in place, however, meaning damaging species from the continent could be transported in soil.

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Two weeks after she was in space with her mum, Ana Mayers is going back to university in Scotland.

In 2023, the effects of the climate crisis have come into sharp focus. Much of the northern hemisphere endured a blistering heatwave, while other countries were inundated with torrential rain and catastrophic flooding. A number of climate records – some unofficial – tumbled in recent weeks. The Guardian spoke to four people from Hawaii, India, China and the Middle East directly affected by extreme weather events

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Australia’s Biodiversity Council is asking the Queensland state government to halt new gas developments in the Lake Eyre Basin given the potential damage to the floodplains by drilling and its related infrastructure.

The Australian government is proposing to bar carbon project developments on Native Title land from being registered if proponents have not explicitly obtained consent from all eligible interest holders (EIH).

There’s shocking new evidence of rodenticide poisoning in Australia’s nocturnal predatory birds. High concentrations of the active ingredients were found in 92% of the 60 dead birds they tested. John White, Associate Professor in Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Deakin University Raylene Cooke, Associate Professor, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Latest data shows wind and solar having a big impact on coal, gas and emissions, but the Australian switch to big diesel SUVs is eliminating most of those gains.

The post Wind and solar strangle coal and gas, but diesel SUVs are killing us all appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Researchers say their pyramid-shaped pear tree structures could help certain marine habitats recover

Reefs made from sunken trees can help restore biodiversity in degraded marine habitats, scientists have found.

It is estimated that coral reefs support about 25% of all marine life. They provide housing, food and areas to spawn for millions of marine species and are the backbone of maintaining the aquatic life cycle.

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We are talking about a delay in the closure of Eraring as if it is our only option for secure and reliable power in NSW. It is not. For two reasons.

The post There are smarter and cheaper alternatives to keeping Australia’s biggest coal plant open appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Tom Geiser from Rondo Energy puts the case for heat batteries and their role in hard to abate sectors. Plus: Coal giants get a taxpayer funded lifeline.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Are heat batteries the next big thing? appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Plant in China releases water with higher amounts of tritium, scientist says, calling into question the reason for seafood ban imposed on Japan

As China bans all seafood from Japan after the discharge of 1m tonnes of radioactive water from the ruined Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, Beijing has been accused of hypocrisy and of using the incident to whip up anti-Japanese sentiment.

Scientists have pointed out that China’s own nuclear power plants release wastewater with higher levels of tritium than that found in Fukushima’s discharge, and that the levels are all within the boundaries of levels not considered to be harmful to human health.

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Australia’s chief scientific body has partnered with RFC Ambrian to found a new company they say can use 30% less electricity to generate clean hydrogen, reducing costs.

WA government says bp is a step closer to making a final investment decision on plans to turn its former oil refinery into a green hydrogen hub.

The post Kwinana green hydrogen hub edges closer at site of former oil refinery appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Big chunk of federal microgrid funds will be dedicated to the “unique challenges” facing Indigenous communities that rely on costly and polluting diesel.

The post First Nations the focus as new microgrid funding seeks to ditch diesel appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Former Treasury chief says every measure of Australia’s environment is ‘going in the wrong direction’

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Australia’s natural environment is in crisis and protecting it must become the top priority in government policy and legislation if it is to have a chance, a former Treasury chief says.

Dr Ken Henry, who led federal Treasury for a decade until 2011 and is now chair of the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation, said governments continued to not give enough attention to the causes of environmental destruction and how policy and management could be changed to turn things around.

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First of 21 shiploads of turbine parts for the massive Golden Plains wind farm in Victoria have been unloaded at Geelong Port, ready for delivery.

The post Huge wind turbine parts arrive at port for delivery to Golden Plains appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Ideology is trumping honest debate in the push for nuclear SMR. Australia's leading business daily is a case in point.

The post AFR’s sloppy journalism makes a nonsense of its case for nuclear SMRs appeared first on RenewEconomy.