Feed aggregator

University of Southampton palaeontologists identify the remains of a dinosaur measuring 32ft.

South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will develop a “next generation” liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carrier, it has announced, reflecting a further step being taken by Asian industrial players to bring CO2 transport options to commercial scale.

Researchers call for recognition of latest online strategies used to derail climate action

Climate policy is being dragged into the culture wars with misinformation and junk science being spread across the internet by a relatively small group of individuals and groups, according to a new study.

The research, released on Thursday, shows that the climate emergency – and the measures needed to deal with it – are in some cases being conflated with divisive issues such as critical race theory, LGBTQ+ rights, abortion access and anti-vaccine campaigns.

Elitism and hypocrisy: these posts focused on the alleged wealth and double standards of those calling for action, and in some cases referenced wider conspiracies about globalism or the “New World Order”. The study identified 199,676 mentions of this narrative on Twitter (tweets and retweets) and 4,377 posts on Facebook around the time Cop26 took place

Absolution: it found 6,262 Facebook posts and 72,356 tweets around Cop26 which absolved one country of any obligation to act on climate by blaming another. In developed western countries this often focused on the perceived shortcomings of China and, to a lesser extent, India, claiming they were not doing enough so there was no point in anyone acting.

Unreliable renewables: over a longer period – from 1 January to 19 November 2021 – the study found 115,830 tweets or retweets were shared, alongside 15,443 posts on Facebook, that called into question the viability and effectiveness of renewable energy sources.

Continue reading...

China has announced new rules for determining the number of carbon allowances in its emissions trading scheme that traders say will lead to a bump in the number of permits, while also extending the deadline for submitting 2021 emissions data due to Covid disruptions.

We have to start thinking about batteries in completely new ways. They aren’t just our backstop insurance policy, they are the pathway to energy independence and a decarbonised economy.

The post Energy crisis: Government has been thinking about batteries the wrong way appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Japan’s Osaka Gas Energy Oceania, the carbon trading arm of Osaka Gas, has acquired a minority stake in an Australian carbon project developer, to gain a deeper understanding of carbon markets, it announced Thursday.

Nasa says the incident is not expected to limit the mission's overall performance.

We must restore our largely broken relationship with nature if we are to ensure the planet’s future – and our own

Asked to consider the value of animals, many people’s first thought would be about money. During the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, the price of dogs became a popular talking point. Others might think of the less tangible, but also very real, value they place on their relationships with companion animals, especially pets such as cats and dogs. Fewer would immediately consider the ways in which our entire civilisation rests on animals. The fact is, though, that our society and economy are embedded in a natural system that is maintained by the activities of animals, and without them, we would not be here.

Animals are vital to the functioning of the biosphere in innumerable ways. Their interactions with plants, fungi and microbes sustain the conditions on which we, along with all other life, depend. For example, the great whales that sit at the pinnacle of marine food webs are linked to some of the most fundamental processes that shape conditions in our world. They eat other marine creatures, including krill, and in the process take nutrients from deeper water to be released via their faeces into the ocean, where they fertilise blooms of planktonic algae.

Continue reading...

Taxing the 'super profits' of gas companies could help governments cut the energy costs of consumers, and fund energy efficiency improvements.

The post “Tax excess profits:” Higher taxes, not subsidies, could be key to solving energy crisis appeared first on RenewEconomy.

European Chemical Agency’s positive assessment for continued sale of substance is flawed, say environmental campaigners

EU regulators dismissed key scientific evidence linking glyphosate to rodent tumours in a positive assessment they gave for continued sales of the substance last week, according to a new report by environmental campaigners.

Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used weedkiller and its EU relicensing has become a touchstone in a wider battle between environmentalists and agribusiness over the future of farming.

Continue reading...

Former head of Australia's carbon offset watchdog defends claims most offsets lack integrity, and says regulators are "clearly afraid of scrutiny".

The post “They are clearly afraid of scrutiny:” Dispute deepens over carbon offset integrity appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The first quarter of the year has seen a huge spike in new carbon projects being registered with Australia’s Emission Reduction Fund, according to a regulator report, which also said it was unlikely it’s recent contract rule change would create an oversupply in the market.  

Really, how productive is the average home vegetable garden – and will it leave you hungry? It largely depends on space, soil and gardening skills. Isobel Violet Hume, PhD Candidate , University of Adelaide Matthias Salomon, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Adelaide Timothy Cavagnaro, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The mood in the solar industry has lifted as energy price hikes boost interest in rooftop PV and battery storage.

The post Solar Insiders Podcast: The solar industry won’t waste this energy crisis appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Mining giant issues Request for Proposals to develop at least 4,000MW of wind and solar and "firming solutions" to power its Queensland aluminium assets.

The post Rio Tinto puts out call for 4GW of wind and solar to power Queensland refineries appeared first on RenewEconomy.

NSW is targeting offshore wind projects to help power some of the state's biggest energy users as it opens up registrations for Illawarra renewable zone.

The post NSW targets offshore wind projects as it seeks proposals for Illawarra renewable zone appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.

AEMO playing the role of "ship's crew and its cartographer" for the grid as it maps out route to 100 per cent renewables in just a few years.

The post “Ship’s crew and its cartogropher:” AEMO maps out priorities for 100 pct renewable grid appeared first on RenewEconomy.

None will address prices immediately. For now, the best option to keep warm this winter without breaking the bank is to shop around for the best electricity deals. Tim Nelson, Associate Professor of Economics, Griffith University Joel Gilmore, Associate Professor, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Even if Millmerran power station’s carbon capture plan succeeds, it will only eliminate 2.1% of emissions. Plus: nuclear still costlier than renewables

• Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing

The history of carbon capture and storage as a way to meaningfully cut greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels is littered with big and eye-wateringly expensive promises that have failed to deliver.

The new Nationals leader, David Littleproud, made a claim this week that some viewers may have taken to mean that one such CCS project was ready to go.

Continue reading...