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Forecasts suggest highs of 35-38C and even 39C in Seville, easily surpassing the peak of 37.4C set in 2011

For much of Europe, April so far has been rather cold and reasonably wet in places. However, Spain has remained very dry and very warm, retaining the subtropical air that has led to forest fires and a widespread drought. Plumes of heat from the tropics are expected to continue to affect the country throughout the coming days, threatening the April maximum temperature record.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Spain for the month is 37.4C (99.3F) in Murcia on 9 April 2011. Forecasts suggest that on 26 April temperatures will widely reach 35-38C, and Seville may even hit a maximum of 39C. For comparison, the April high in Seville stands at 35.4C. It is possible that records for the month will not only be broken next week, but smashed.

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John Price jailed after admitting ‘wanton’ destruction of one of UK’s most unspoiled rivers

A farmer has been jailed for “the worst case of riverside destruction” seen by environmental authorities after ripping up 1.5km of the River Lugg in Herefordshire, wrecking the habitats of otters, kingfishers, trout and salmon.

Following the first prosecution under the farming rules for water legislation, John Price was jailed for 12 months, ordered to pay prosecution costs of £600,000 and disqualified from being a director of a limited company for three years after admitting seven charges related to his “wanton” destruction of one of the country’s most unspoiled rivers.

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Australia it will launch a sovereign green bonds programme next year as well as develop a sustainable finance taxonomy, in a bid to encourage greater, more transparent private sector investment in the energy transition.

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs, including a sleepy sloth, a black-backed jackal and a breaching whale

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Genex solar farms yields fall back to earth as market prices soften, but focus now on storage projects with its first big battery ready to charge.

The post Genex solar yields fall back to earth as it readies to charge up first big battery appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A lack of demand from businesses and clear regulation in Thailand is likely to stymie the growth of the nation’s nascent carbon market as heavy emitters look cut emissions at source, according to analysts. 

Why does a wealthy, powerful nation struggle so badly while a small, much poorer one succeeds?

One of the world’s greatest environmental heroes doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page. Though he has done more to protect the living planet than almost anyone alive, his name is scarcely known. It’s partly because he’s quiet and self-effacing and partly because of a general ignorance about Central America that so few of us have heard of Alvaro Umaña.

This might be about to change. He stars in a fascinating film, now released in the Netherlands and negotiating global sales, called Paved Paradise (disclosure: I was also interviewed). It’s the first feature-length documentary I’ve watched that engages intelligently with the most critical environmental issue: land use. By contrast with popular but misguided films such as Kiss the Ground or The Biggest Little Farm, it recognises that sprawling extractive land uses are a lethal threat to the living world. It makes the case that, unless we count the hectares and decide together how best they should be used, we will lose the struggle to defend the habitable planet.

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Plans to create green space cancelled because soil contamination levels pose risk to human health

Plans to plant a new woodland have been cancelled after local councillors discovered a field was so saturated with sewage the soil could be too toxic for the trees.

The woodland was to have been planted in a council-owned field located by Otterspool Road in Romiley, Greater Manchester. Officials hoped the woodland would improve the environment, provide green space and encourage wildlife habitats.

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A rapid rise in reduced power tariff offerings reserved for load-controllable heat pumps has sent their operating costs up to a third lower than gas heating.

The post How Germany is driving the electrification of home heating – and beating out gas appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Tesla says big batteries can deliver system strength services around one third cheaper than spinning machines currently favoured by network companies.

The post Batteries battle with spinning machines for key role in 100 pct renewables grid appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Former competition czar Rod Sims emerges as chair of Superpower Institute, promoting Australia’s low cost green energy opportunity, and fighting the info war. Plus: Big battery boom.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Sims to lead Superpower info war appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Global thermal coal trade is beyond its peak. So why does Australia expect to gain an increasing share in a declining market?

The post Australia’s thermal coal outlook faces “fragile” global demand appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Energy market rule change lowers a key grid connection hurdle for renewables, put in place in the wake of South Australia's 2016 "system black."

The post Big win for wind and solar as rule change reverses “system black” fallout appeared first on RenewEconomy.

An Australian oil and gas company venturing into the carbon management space has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Canadian carbon capture and removal technology firm, to collaborate in the offering of a ‘one-stop shop’ solution for industrial businesses dealing with hard to avoid CO2 emissions, they announced on Friday.

Rod Sims has emerged as a champion of Australia's green energy transition, hailing its wind and solar as lowest cost power in the world and vowing to fight the info wars.

The post “Lowest cost power in the world:” Sims signs on to fight green energy info war appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Taiwanese regulators have teamed up with the island's main stock exchange to build and launch a carbon trading platform that will launch around mid-year as part of Taiwan's efforts to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Australia’s transition to electric vehicles has been much slower than in many other developed nations. But the country is actually well placed to catch up fast. Scott Dwyer, Research Director - Energy Futures, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Government to give $6,000 rebate to drivers switching to EVs worth up to $68,000

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Queensland has doubled incentives for drivers to get behind the wheel of electric cars, making it the most generous state in Australia for switching to EVs.

Drivers will now be eligible for a $6,000 subsidy under the Zero Emission Vehicle Rebate Scheme when they buy an electric vehicle worth up to $68,000.

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Northern elephant seals sleep underwater for just two hours per day on their months-long foraging journeys.