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Indonesian ecobricks: A new approach in its plastics 'war'

BBC - Wed, 2018-05-09 09:40
The boss of an Indonesian food factory is encouraging his community to creatively reuse plastic waste.
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CP Daily: Tuesday May 8, 2018

Carbon Pulse - Wed, 2018-05-09 09:29
A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.
Categories: Around The Web

South Georgia declared rat-free after centuries of rodent devastation

The Guardian - Wed, 2018-05-09 09:01

World’s biggest project to kill off invasive species to protect native wildlife is hailed a success

The world’s biggest project to eradicate a dangerous invasive species has been declared a success, as the remote island of South Georgia is now clear of the rats and mice that had devastated its wildlife for nearly 250 years.

Rats and mice were inadvertently introduced to the island, off the southern tip of South America and close to Antarctica, by ships that stopped there, usually on whaling expeditions. The effect on native bird populations was dramatic. Unused to predators, they laid their eggs on the ground or in burrows, easily accessible to the rodents.

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Use excess wind and solar power to produce hydrogen – report

The Guardian - Wed, 2018-05-09 09:01

With more electricity often generated than needed the excess could be utilised to generate the green power source

Green energy would be boosted if excess electricity from wind and solar farms was used to produce hydrogen for use in heating and other parts of the energy system, according to engineers.

Renewables were the UK’s second biggest source of electricity in the last three months of 2017, and now provide about a third of the country’s power at certain times of day.

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US RFS changes to include E15 waiver and scrap RINs cap -lawmakers

Carbon Pulse - Wed, 2018-05-09 08:11
Biofuels groups have secured the year-round sale of 15% ethanol blends (E15) under the US Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) and avoided a price cap on Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs), lawmakers said on Tuesday, but several key questions about the programme remain unanswered.
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Scott Pruitt's new EPA deputy could surpass boss in scrapping protections

The Guardian - Wed, 2018-05-09 07:25

If scandals oust Pruitt, Andrew Wheeler is an ex-coal industry lobbyist pledged to end the ‘pure hell’ of Obama regulations

If the extraordinary barrage of ethical scandals buffeting Scott Pruitt finally dislodges him as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, a reassuringly familiar figure to Republicans will take over and probably continue much of Pruitt’s controversial work to scale back environmental protections.

Andrew Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, was confirmed as the EPA’s second-in-command by the Senate in April, in the face of complaints from Democrats that he will simply act as the same sort of industry mouthpiece as his boss, Pruitt.

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Connecticut Senate passes bill to expand RPS, awaits House vote

Carbon Pulse - Wed, 2018-05-09 06:41
The Connecticut Senate approved legislation late Monday that would double and amend the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), with the House soon set to weigh in on the text as the 2018 session draws to a close.
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Birdwatch: cirl bunting's recovery is sign of hope

The Guardian - Wed, 2018-05-09 06:30

After nearly becoming extinct in Britain, the cirl bunting has bounced back, thanks to joint efforts by RSPB and farmers

Few British birds have enjoyed such mixed fortunes as the cirl bunting, Emberiza cirlus. Discovered by my ornithological hero George Montagu in 1800, near his Devon home, it extended its range across much of southern Britain, before going into sharp retreat in the 1970s.

By 1989 there were just 120 pairs – all but two in south Devon. Then, thanks to the RSPB, and especially project officer Cath Jeffs, it bounced back. Jeffs persuaded local farmers to create the right habitat for the buntings, and today there are more than 1,000 breeding pairs.

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From drone swarms to tree batteries, new tech is revolutionising ecology and conservation

The Conversation - Wed, 2018-05-09 06:12
Ecology is in the midst of a technological revolution. From tiny sensors that can be fitted to animals, to swarms of remotely-piloted drones, researchers have a host of new ways to study the natural world. Euan Ritchie, Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Blake Allan, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
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Australia's fuel stockpile is perilously low, and it may be too late for a refill

The Conversation - Wed, 2018-05-09 06:12
Australia depends on imported fuel to keep running. We never got around to setting up an official reserve, and that means we're already at risk. Samantha Hepburn, Director of the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Law, Deakin Law School, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
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EU Market: EUAs keep big gains as auction supply dries up

Carbon Pulse - Wed, 2018-05-09 03:40
EU carbon prices were steady on Tuesday to hold on to the previous session’s holiday-fuelled gains, as weekly auction supply tightens to one of its lowest levels in 2018.
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BC government unveils legislation to alter climate change targets

Carbon Pulse - Wed, 2018-05-09 03:28
British Columbia has introduced legislation to scrap its near-term GHG reduction target and replace it with two interim goals en route to the province’s mid-century objective.
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Brussels shrinks carbon leakage list, but keeps big emitters eligible for free EUAs

Carbon Pulse - Wed, 2018-05-09 03:03
The European Commission cleared 44 big-emitting industries to receive free carbon allowances for 2021-30, reducing drastically the number of eligible sectors but retaining big polluters such as steel, cement, and chemicals.
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Senior Emissions Trading Expert, Human Dynamics – Balkans/Turkey

Carbon Pulse - Wed, 2018-05-09 02:12
The overall objective of the project is to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation and the development towards a resource-efficient, low-emissions and climate-resilient economy.
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Spider trained to jump on demand

BBC - Tue, 2018-05-08 22:42
This is a regal jumping spider, and there are no prizes for guessing what it's good at.
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Uniper continues to hold off on hedging, results show

Carbon Pulse - Tue, 2018-05-08 21:31
German utility Uniper held back on its hedging of forward power output for the second quarter in a row, its results showed on Tuesday, in potentially bullish news for carbon.
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Australia halves climate spending, leaves offset fund cash-strapped in annual budget

Carbon Pulse - Tue, 2018-05-08 21:26
Australia’s emerging offset market is set to continue in low-key mode for the next year after the government budget released Tuesday halved climate spending and failed to replenish the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF).
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Wet wipes could face wipe-out in plastic clean-up

BBC - Tue, 2018-05-08 20:07
The government says it plans to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste, including wet wipes.
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Lava swallows car in Hawaii

BBC - Tue, 2018-05-08 19:20
The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii started erupting on May 3 and has so far destroyed 26 homes.
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How a spider jumps on its prey - science has the answer

BBC - Tue, 2018-05-08 19:00
Scientists hope to learn how to build tiny jumping robots - by studying an extraordinary spider.
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