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Almost half of products cleared so far under a new US federal ‘biofuels’ program are not, in fact, biofuels

• This article is co-published with ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power

The Environmental Protection Agency recently gave a Chevron refinery the green light to create fuel from discarded plastics as part of a climate-friendly initiative to boost alternatives to petroleum. But, according to agency records obtained by ProPublica and the Guardian, the production of one of the fuels could emit air pollution that is so toxic, one out of four people exposed to it over a lifetime could get cancer.

“That kind of risk is obscene,” said Linda Birnbaum, former head of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. “You can’t let that get out.”

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The Asia-Pacific can realise its significant long-term potential as a CCUS leader with a series of actions by governments and companies, such as kickstarting cross-border CO2 transport and storage deals and developing supply chain partnerships, according to a global consulting firm.

Regulators in Shanghai have jointly released an implementation plan to develop a standard and measurement system for the city regarding its climate goals, which will include a focus on industrial projects and forestry pilots.

India should align the early phase of its transition towards establishing a carbon market with the development of an emissions trading scheme (ETS) that is similar to what exists elsewhere in Asia and the rest of the world, an Indian energy policy think-tank report has recommended.

Ynys Enlli, also known as Bardsey Island, officially has one of the best night skies in the world.

Major mapping project reveals PFAS have been found at high levels at thousands of sites

• What are PFAS, how toxic are they and how do you become exposed?
• Buncefield: the PFAS legacy of ‘biggest fire in peacetime Europe’

Pollutants known as “forever chemicals”, which don’t break down in the environment, build up in the body and may be toxic, have been found at high levels at thousands of sites across the UK and Europe, a major mapping project has revealed.

The map shows that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a family of about 10,000 chemicals valued for their non-stick and detergent properties, have made their way into water, soils and sediments from a wide range of consumer products, firefighting foams, waste and industrial processes.

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Steel majors will need to explain how they will meet their net zero emissions targets while continuing to build blast furnaces in high-growth economies like India.

The post Steel giants are stoking double standards on decarbonisation appeared first on RenewEconomy.

AEMO proposes new preferred route for VNI West transmission upgrade that costs less, fixes more grid problems, and might even have social licence.

The post VNI West: New transmission route found to get around cost and community concerns appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A report has found that emissions from new facilities in the early years of the Safeguard Mechanism could scuttle the government’s climate goals, however it said the scheme would become more resilient towards the end of the decade.

The gas industry is sprouting utter nonsense about big batteries - a technology it knows will kill its dirty cartel in no time at all.

The post Gas industry still talking garbage about big batteries, knowing they will kill its dirty cartel appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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NSW gives final approval for Waratah Super Battery, before launching into campaign mode as the election battle heats up.

The post Waratah Super Battery: Australia’s biggest committed battery gets final approval appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Experimenting with low waste living shows it’s not easy being green. But householders can help policymakers design better waste management systems. Rob Raven, Professor and Deputy Director (Research), Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University David O. Reynolds, Postdoctoral Fellow, Waste and Households, National University of Singapore Jo Lindsay, Professor of sociology, Monash University Ruth Lane, Associate Professor in Human Geography, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Plan to triple size of Macquarie Island protection zone to shield ‘remote wildlife wonderland’

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The Australian government plans to make an area about the size of Germany in the Southern Ocean a marine zone, strengthening protections around Macquarie Island for millions of penguins and seals.

The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, announced that the government wants to triple the size of the Macquarie Island marine park, describing it as a globally significant contribution to marine conservation that would put 388,000 sq km under high protection.

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Newcastle Airport is looking to land its 100% renewable energy target seven years ahead of schedule, with a solar carport and new energy purchase agreement.

The post Newcastle Airport signs up to go 100% renewable, seven years early appeared first on RenewEconomy.

With the Coalition opting out of an adult discussion on climate policy, tough decisions lie ahead for Labor, the Greens and independents on what they are willing to accept

The long-running fractures that define Australian climate politics can do weird things to people who have been involved in it too long.

One observer with more experience than most had a moment of reverie this week, joking about a fantasy universe in which Labor, the Coalition and the Greens all made substantial compromises to transform the landscape, literally and figuratively.

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Far more tiny particles now come from tyres than are emitted from exhausts but new tyre designs may help

Scientists are “increasingly concerned” by the health impact of air pollution produced by the wear of vehicle tyres. The particles are especially damaging due to the toxic chemicals they are made from, say the scientists from Imperial College London.

The warning follows UK government data that shows significantly more tiny pollution particles now come from tyre erosion than are emitted from vehicle exhausts.

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An ocean-based carbon removal company has published its monitoring, reporting and verification protocol ahead of the launch of its first project in the nascent sector.

Offshore wind - now classified as "variable baseload" - poised for another major growth spurt with consultation open on Australia's second zone.

The post “Variable baseload:” Second offshore wind zone in works as talks begin on Hunter appeared first on RenewEconomy.

California granted the most compliance offsets since mid-September over the past two weeks following a notable dip during the previous issuance, though a similarly small portion of offsets with direct environmental benefits to the state (DEBs) were distributed, according to data from regulator ARB published Wednesday.