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Experts say facility beyond reach of climate breakdown and other terrestrial events is needed to safeguard biodiversity

With thousands of species at risk of extinction, scientists have devised a radical plan: a vault filled with preserved samples of our planet’s most important and at-risk creatures located on the moon.

An international team of experts says threats from climate change and habitat loss have outpaced our ability to protect species in their natural habitats, necessitating urgent action. A biorepository of preserved cells, and the crucial DNA within them, could be used to enhance genetic diversity in small populations of critically endangered species, or to clone and create new individuals in the worst-case scenario of extinction.

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The UK's clean energy industry received a strong boost on Wednesday, when the government announced it would offer a record £1.5 billion in the next renewables auction – just days after it confirmed it would hike a windfall tax on the country's offshore oil and gas sector.

Improving the health of ruminant livestock could reduce methane emissions, while at the same time enhancing economic outcomes and animal welfare, finds a new study.

Over 460 million hectares of the world's intact natural land is at risk of being converted into other uses, such as agriculture, a paper has said.

The insects are being looked after in a conservation project that encourages visitors to enjoy their ‘piercing’ light

Far out in the Channel, the lights of ships at anchor flickered while the lighthouse at Anvil Point emitted its steadier beam. Late on, a crescent moon shone a coppery orange.

But, undoubtedly, the most extraordinary light source to be seen was the vivid green gleam from the glow-worms that inhabit the herb-rich grassland on the cliffs and quarries in this tucked-away corner of southern Britain.

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ISS STOXX, a group of companies providing research and technology for capital market participants, has added a new data set to its suite of ESG climate solutions, to support banks and insurance companies in complying with mandatory climate-related disclosure frameworks, it announced on Wednesday.

European carbon prices advanced to their highest in 12 trading sessions, again testing a key technical level that has held the market in check for eight weeks, amid general firmness across the energy complex and as speculative traders increased their bearish bets to the most in more than four months.

An Australian forestry industry lobby group is urging Australia to expand forest-related carbon crediting, it said this week via a proposal to Canberra to include them in the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme.

While a growing number of big companies are setting science-based targets for net zero emissions, few are beginning to tackle the largest and most unwieldy chunk of their climate footprints - the emissions released across their supply chains, before they even begin making the products they’re renowned for. 

Methodologies under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement need to go beyond the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) baseline determination, even as CDM can serve as a reference for Paris Agreement methodologies, according to a World Bank and Climate Warehouse paper.

A Korean geoscience research institute is pursuing the commercialisation of an emerging seawater desalination technology that can reduce CO₂ through brine treatment.

Critics say bill is a ‘fossil fuel wolf in clean energy clothing’ that would gut environmental protections

US senators should reject an energy-permitting reform bill being brought to committee on Wednesday by senators Joe Manchin and John Barrasso because it’s a “wishlist for the fossil industry” of the kind envisioned by Project 2025, environmental groups say.

Manchin, a senator from West Virginia and a former Democrat who registered as an independent in May, and Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, argue their bill will speed permitting of power transmission, mining and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects. Their bill will be voted on by the Senate energy and natural resources committee, of which Manchin, a longtime proponent of the reforms, is the chair and Barrasso is the committee’s top Republican.

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Two European carbon startups have raised millions towards expansion of their technologies that operate in the management and carbon removals sub-sectors.

Biodiversity monitoring company NatureMetrics has launched a tool to measure and track soil restoration progress, claiming it could help private organisations better demonstrate their commitment to nature positive outcomes.

Australia has handed out the first offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) permit from last year’s large acreage round to a Western Australia-based minnow hoping to use end-of-life oil fields it has a share in to develop an ambitious CCS and ammonia project.

A group of around 40 companies on Wednesday announced the launch of the Singapore Carbon Market Alliance (SCMA), whose main focus will be to secure access to the Article 6 market for companies in the city state.

Carbon Pulse has appointed Sonja van Renssen as its first Chief Strategy Officer, to lead editorial and business development projects that will take the company into its next phase of growth. Carbon Pulse has also launched Data Dive, a new data journalism offering, and refreshed its Dossiers, which present the latest facts and figures on emissions trading systems (ETSs) around the world.

China is planning to add two methodologies to its national voluntary carbon credit programme, as the world's biggest-emitting nation aims to drive down GHG emissions from its coal mining and transportation sectors.

Australia once led the world in coal methane mitigation. So why are multi-million dollar hand-outs still needed to spur on emissions reductions?

The post Coal mine methane mitigation is finally getting real again – but only after huge government handouts appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Universities join forces to launch the Australian Centre for Offshore Wind Energy, to address key challenges facing the brand new industry.

The post Universities join bid to launch offshore wind in Australia with new research centre appeared first on RenewEconomy.