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The European Commission on Tuesday put forward a draft decision allowing Finland to unilaterally expand the scope of its Emissions Trading Scheme for road transport and heating fuels (ETS2) to new sectors.

The EU and its member states are still lagging behind in establishing the policies and funding mechanisms needed to scale up carbon removals in line with reaching net zero emissions by 2050, according to new research.

The chemical compounds that block UV rays may lead to bleaching of coral and a decrease in fish fertility

Urgent investigation is needed into the potential impact sunscreen is having on marine environments, according to a new report.

Sunscreens contain chemical compounds, known as pseudo persistent pollutants, which block the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays and can lead to bleaching and deformity in coral or a decrease in fish fertility.

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It could be wildfires, a pandemic or a financial crisis. The super-rich will flee to their bunkers – the rest of us will have to fend for ourselves

Though we might find it hard to imagine, we cannot now rule it out: the possibility of systemic collapse in the United States. The degradation of federal government by Donald Trump and Elon Musk could trigger a series of converging and compounding crises, leading to social, financial and industrial failure.

There are several possible mechanisms. Let’s start with an obvious one: their assault on financial regulation. Trump’s appointee to the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Russell Vought, has suspended all the agency’s activity, slashed its budget and could be pursuing Musk’s ambition to “delete” the bureau. The CFPB was established by Congress after the 2008 financial crisis, to protect people from the predatory activity that helped trigger the crash. The signal to the financial sector could not be clearer: “Fill your boots, boys.” A financial crisis in the US would immediately become a global crisis.

George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist

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Lobbyists argued it was unfair for their industry to be treated the same as others as end product – oil and gas – inevitably produced emissions

Experts have accused the fossil fuel industry of seeking special treatment after lobbyists argued greenhouse gas emissions from oilfields should be treated differently to those from other industries.

The government is embroiled in a row over whether to allow a massive new oilfield, Rosebank, to go ahead, with some cabinet members arguing it could boost growth and others concerned it could make the goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 impossible to reach. Labour made a manifesto commitment to halt new North Sea licensing, but Rosebank and some other projects had already been licensed and were awaiting final approval when the party won the general election.

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New Zealand dairy co-op Fonterra will introduce payments for farms that achieve emissions reductions below certain thresholds, it announced Tuesday.

New big battery starts exporting energy to the grid in north-west Victoria, where it will help stabilise the grid and accommodate new renewables.

The post Big battery starts sending power to the grid near Victoria’s “rhombus of regret” appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Scientists in Sweden have found a way to recycle 99% of a perovskite cell using water, salts, and an acid.

The post Researchers recycle perovskite solar cells using water-based “green solvent” appeared first on RenewEconomy.

BYD will deliver five giant five-hour battery storage projects to Saudi Arabia, as the oil giant tries to hit its renewable energy goals.

The post Saudi Arabia signs world’s biggest battery storage deal with China’s BYD appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Plans for a 1600 MWh big battery, proposed for construction next to an existing solar farm, have joined the queue seeking federal environmental approval.

The post Giant four-hour battery project proposed next to New England solar farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Most of the seafood Australians consume comes from overseas. This includes products from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing operations. We can fix this. Leslie Roberson, Postdoctoral research fellow, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland Carissa Klein, Associate professor in Conservation Biology, The University of Queensland Rosa Mar Dominguez-Martinez, PhD Candidate, Ocean Conservation Team, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Failure to plan for a major lignite plant phaseout in Poland will cause the country to miss out on valuable EU funding, since lignite is on course to become unprofitable as early as 2030, a think tank warned in a report published on Tuesday.

Photos underline folly of Snowy Hydro's Kurri Kurri gas plant - a facility so badly conceived it needs its own massive storage facilities, and cannot provide 24/7 power.

The post Remarkable photos expose folly of the location of Snowy’s Hunter gas power plant  appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The state House of Representatives voted down six bills on Friday that sought to put guard rails on carbon capture development in North Dakota.

The first trees have been planted as part of a Brazilian state-run agroforestry carbon credit programme geared towards family farmers, it announced Friday.

Claiming nuclear will deliver you 44% lower bills is a bit like claiming a wrinkle cream will make you look 44% younger. 

The post The four accounting tricks behind Peter Dutton’s nuclear cost claims appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A pair of Arkansas bills passed out of a legislative committee last week seek to facilitate the transfer of permitting authority for CO2 pipelines and injection wells from federal agencies to the state.

All countries must accelerate efforts to avert the biodiversity crisis, and preserve Earth’s precious natural places for future generations. Justine Bell-James, Professor, TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland James Watson, Professor in Conservation Science, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The US government's decision to scrap its 2050 net zero target has cut the share of the global economy covered by national net zero commitments from 93% to 78%, according to data by an independent research consortium.

The European Commission will organise a workshop in the coming months to discuss innovative financial and insurance packages for carbon farming, amid warnings from the agriculture sector that smallholders risk being left out of the EU’s new certification scheme for carbon removals.