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This week, how food producers are finding their own solutions to cut down on plastic use, especially with fresh produce like fruit, veg and meat.

US state-led Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPSs) are in need of reform to stimulate a more rapid transition to renewable energy and avoid crediting dirty energy forms that are undermining programme goals, according to an NGO report released this week.

At least three dead and thousands evacuated as officials worry potentially devastating fire season has only just begun

At least three people have died and thousands have been evacuated in California as eight active wildfires continue to burn across the state. More than 3,000 firefighters have been deployed to contain the flames, and the destruction is expected to worsen throughout the weekend as high temperatures and dry conditions inhibit efforts.

The state governor, Jerry Brown, has declared a state of emergency in northern California’s Shasta county, and in southern California’s Riverside county, to help provide local fire crews with the resources they need to battle the blazes. Donald Trump has not yet commented on the fires.

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Prof Michael Mann, one of the world’s most eminent climate scientists, declares the impacts of global warming are now ‘playing out in real-time’

• Heatwave made more than twice as likely by climate change, scientists find

The extreme heatwaves and wildfires wreaking havoc around the globe are “the face of climate change”, one of the world’s leading climate scientists has declared, with the impacts of global warming now “playing out in real time”.

Climate change has long been predicted to increase extreme weather incidents, and scientists are now confident these predictions are coming true. Scientists say the global warming has contributed to on the scorching temperatures that have baked the UK and northern Europe for weeks.

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A new species of spider, frolicking hares and migratory sea turtles are among this week’s pick of images from our overheated natural world

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There's some chemistry to the pleasant smell of rain after a long, dry spell.

EU carbon prices held above €17 for a sixth straight day on Friday, as buying interest around that key level offset the bearish effect of a weak auction result earlier in the day.

The government’s latest National Travel Survey reveals that more parents are using cars for school run amid mounting evidence of health harms

The proportion of parents who drive their children to school rather than walk or cycle is on the rise despite growing concerns about the impact of air pollution on young people’s health.

New figures from the government’s National Travel Survey show that the percentage of primary school children who walk or cycle in England fell from 53% to 51% in 2017.

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Below is a table of the closing prices, ranges and volumes for China's regional pilot carbon markets this week. All prices are in RMB, and volumes in tonnes of CO2e. Data sourced from local exchanges.

The Europe-wide heatwave is an unambiguous signal of climate change, say researchers.

The fingerprints of global warming are clear, they say, after comparing northern Europe’s scorching summer with records and computer models

The heatwave searing northern Europe was made more than twice as likely by climate change, according to a rapid assessment by scientists.

The result is preliminary but they say the signal of climate change is “unambiguous”. Scientists have long predicted that global warming is ramping up the number and intensity of heatwaves, with events even worse than current one set to strike every other year by the 2040s.

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Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator this week handed just over 404,000 carbon credits to 14 projects under the national emissions offset programme, taking the total issuances so far this year past 9 million.

Australia’s Department of the Environment and Energy issued a consultation paper late Friday regarding a series of changes to its Safeguard Mechanism that would allow higher CO2 emissions from the nation’s largest facilities.

US interior secretary’s meeting with group in favor of Yosemite valley restoration met with puzzlement from experts

US interior secretary Ryan Zinke has prompted puzzlement by meeting with a group that seeks to dismantle a dam providing San Francisco’s water, as experts wonder whether he is taking the fringe proposal seriously or trolling the city.

Zinke’s Sunday discussion with Restore Hetch Hetchy concerned the dam at Hetch Hetchy reservoir in California’s Yosemite national park. Removing it would restore the valley, which was once so beautiful that the environmentalist John Muir called it “one of nature’s rarest and most precious mountain temples”, to its natural state - and force San Francisco to figure out where else to store 90% of its water supply.

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The Government has released exposure draft amendments to the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Safeguard Mechanism) Rule 2015 for public comment.

The Government has released exposure draft amendments to the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Safeguard Mechanism) Rule 2015 for public comment.

When the free-market case for bike infrastructure is so clear, why won’t Conservative candidates embrace it?

Among his many claims to political prominence, both good and bad, Boris Johnson was notable as a Conservative who built a lot of bike lanes fairly quickly (at least in the end).

Similarly, much of New York City’s bike renaissance was launched by Michael Bloomberg, the three-term mayor who, as a billionaire media tycoon and Republican, had more in common with most Bond villains than your stereotypical wind-in-the-hair bike advocate.

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All dogs need regular exercise outside of the home (and it's good for people too). Paul McGreevy, Professor of Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Science, University of Sydney Adrian Bauman, Professor of Public Health, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

AGL is the largest generator in the NEM. You would think this would make its share price sensitive to electricity prices. And you would be correct.

AEMC rule changes would give consumers more control over the energy market, and reduce the ability of generators to exploit their market power. This could be a huge win.