Feed aggregator

António Guterres warns of ‘climate crunch time’ and announces dire new scientific warnings of global heating

Fossil-fuel companies are the “godfathers of climate chaos” and should be banned in every country from advertising akin to restrictions on big tobacco, the secretary general of the United Nations has said while delivering dire new scientific warnings of global heating.

In a major speech in New York on Wednesday, António Guterres called on news and tech media to stop enabling “planetary destruction” by taking fossil-fuel advertising money while warning the world faces “climate crunch time” in its faltering attempts to stem the crisis.

Continue reading...

The venomous spiders native to east Asia look frightening, but are reportedly shy creatures

The US north-east is bracing for yet another pest invasion – this time, giant venomous spiders – as scientists warn that the gag-inducing arachnids are set to advance this summer.

The joro spider, an invasive species from east Asia, will be making a larger appearance in New York, New Jersey and other eastern US states as the summer season heats up.

Continue reading...

Human-induced global warming is rising faster than ever, leaving the smallest remaining carbon budget for 1.5C on record, an international group of researchers calculated.

Increasing funding in natural capital over the next six years could deliver more than 20 times the return on investment, while bridging the nature finance gap could generate trillions of dollars in earnings, a report revealed on Wednesday.

Groundbreaking new research also reports that 11% of surveyed have faced physical violence in their reporting

Almost four out of every 10 journalists covering the climate crisis and environment issues have been threatened as a result of their work, with 11% subjected to physical violence, according to groundbreaking new research.

A global survey of more than 740 reporters and editors from 102 countries found that 39% of those threatened “sometimes” or “frequently” were targeted by people engaged in illegal activities such as logging and mining. Some 30%, meanwhile, were threatened with legal action – reflecting a growing trend towards corporations and governments deploying the judicial system to muzzle free speech.

This article was amended on 5 June 2024 to clarify that 39% of those threatened “sometimes” or “frequently” were targeted by people engaged in illegal activities. A previous version incorrectly said 49%.

Continue reading...

Renewable output hits lowest level in four years on Wednesday morning, but rescaled modelling shows surprisingly little back-up might be needed.

The post Renewable output hits lowest level in four years in another challenging week appeared first on RenewEconomy.

European carbon prices were modestly weaker at the end of Wednesday morning after earlier volatility had seen the market swing in a more than €2 range, as traders reacted to choppy natural gas movements and Commitment of Traders data that showed investment funds had increased their bearish bets last week.

Argentina's President Javier Milei has proposed an ETS and promoted administrative reshuffling, including of climate-adjacent agencies, as part of his government’s attempt to overhaul the country's economy, but pushback to his flagship legislation, acute financial constraints, and risk aversion in the voluntary carbon market (VCM) threaten his plans.

A group of West African countries has appealed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to include a provision for carbon offsetting within its net zero guidance to companies, saying that credit revenues are crucial to supporting communities and conservation efforts.

China is on track to surpass its 2025 green hydrogen production target already this year, according to research released Wednesday.

Verra has inactivated all afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation (ARR) modules under its VM0007 REDD+ methodology framework, it announced this week.

The Royal Society of Chemistry says the current regulation of chemicals is 'not fit for purpose'.

The Royal Society of Chemistry says the current regulation of chemicals is 'not fit for purpose'.

Two Japanese companies announced Wednesday they had joined in an alliance that will seek to generate carbon credits from renewable energy projects, including potentially under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM).

The government of Thailand is planning to impose a carbon tax on the nation by 2025, the country’s Excise Department has told local media. 

Australia could be a key intermediary in decarbonising the Asia Pacific’s iron and steelmaking processes, according to a BloombergNEF report released Wednesday, saying it would be more economically feasible compared to other methods being explored by itself and its trade partners.

Oil and gas company Santos has been fined millions for breaches of record-keeping. Here’s why Samantha Hepburn, Professor, Deakin Law School, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Named due to its resemblance to JRR Tolkien’s sentient tree-like Ents, the 32m tall rātā was the clear winner in the annual poll

A lone rātā that appears to be striding across the landscape has taken gold in New Zealand’s tree of the year competition.

The New Zealand Arboricultural Association – which runs the competition to celebrate New Zealand’s trees – said the “extraordinary” northern rātā had earned the name “The Walking Tree” because of its resemblance to one of JRR Tolkien’s sentient tree-like Ents.

Continue reading...

Canada has announced it will extend to 2026 its Conservation Exchange Pilot programme, which allows companies to earn government-issued certificates for verified achievements in conservation projects they fund.

The latest version of US technology designed to prevent bird deaths from turbine collisions will have its first run at Tasmania's Musselroe Wind Farm.

The post Old Tassie wind farm to debut new turbine shutdown tech, in bid to protect eagles appeared first on RenewEconomy.