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The British Columbia Low Carbon Fuel Standard (BC-LCFS) saw credit generation outpace deficits for the second straight year in 2021 as fuel suppliers engaged in more low-carbon projects, according to provincial data published Wednesday.

Batteries thrown into household rubbish bins cause about 700 fires a year in waste facilities, a survey suggests.

EU subsidies for decarbonisation that are derived from ETS revenues would most effectively be distributed to sectors where the carbon price is too low or where free allowances make it hard for clean energy to compete, according to a report published Thursday, which proposed mechanisms to channel cash to where it's most needed.

CWP gets approval for the first big battery to be retrofitted to an existing wind or solar farm with the same connection point. It's a big deal.

The post Landmark connection deal allows battery to be added to biggest wind farm in NSW appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The EU and Switzerland are significantly increasing the frequency of dates where allowance transfers are allowed between the two regional emissions trading schemes.

Quinbrook wins contracts for two new syncons in UK, part of anticipated £430 million spend on system services.

The post Quinbrook to build two new syncons in UK as part of £460m system spend appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Drawn by jobs - or escaping climate change - many people from the Pacific are moving elsewhere. John Connell, Professor of Human Geography, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The European Commission presented its highly-anticipated proposal for a certification scheme for carbon removals on Wednesday, a move welcomed by some observers as offering a first-step towards a robust regulatory framework, while others noted shortcomings such as the definition of removals in the text.

An Indian carbon standards registry has linked up on Wednesday with the Carbon Trade Exchange (CTX), for an initial display of five projects on offer and almost 100,000 credits made available to the voluntary carbon market, the exchange told Carbon Pulse.

Tory backbenchers are among 40 parliamentarians who asked PM to ‘stand up for nature’ at talks

• UK politics live – latest news updates

Forty parliamentarians, including seven Conservative MPs, have privately written to Rishi Sunak imploring him to attend the Cop15 biodiversity conference, which starts next week.

In the letter, seen by the Guardian and organised by the all-party parliamentary group on the environment, the parliamentarians warn that a million species are facing extinction globally and that lack of high-level political buy-in could spell disaster for nature.

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State attempts to push through plans to shut hundreds of factory farms to cut nitrogen oxide emissions

The Dutch government is offering to buy out up to 3,000 “peak polluter” farms and major industrial polluters in an attempt to reduce ammonia and nitrogen oxide emissions that are illegal under EU law.

The nitrogen minister, Christianne van der Wal, said farmers would be offered more than 100% of the value of their farms to quit. For the first time, the government has said that forced buyouts will follow next year if the voluntary measures fail.

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A deal on the EU Emission Trading System is expected to help finalise the bloc's Fit for 55 climate package in the next couple of weeks, but a number of thorny issues remain unresolved on key files as time is running out to complete the negotiations, lawmakers warned.

Draft regulations would ban mini-shampoo bottles and throwaway cups, with push towards reuse over recycling

The EU executive wants to ban mini-shampoo bottles in hotels and the use of throwaway cups in cafes and restaurants, as part of sweeping legal proposals to curb Europe’s mountains of waste.

A draft EU regulation published on Wednesday also proposes mandatory deposit and return schemes for single-use plastic drinks bottles and metal cans, as well as an end to e-commerce firms wrapping small items in huge boxes.

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Guardian unpicks complex web of investment firms, wealth funds and tax haven-based businesses that own most of sector

• England’s water: the world’s piggy bank
• Can global water investors be held to account?
• England’s water: is privatised model a fair system?
• England’s water firms respond to investigation into role of global investors

Foreign investment firms, private equity, pension funds and businesses lodged in tax havens own more than 70% of the water industry in England, according to research by the Guardian.

The complex web of ownership is revealed as the public and some politicians increasingly call for the industry to be held to account for sewage dumping, leaks and water shortages. Six water companies are under investigation for potentially illegal activities as pressure grows on the industry to put more money into replacing and restoring crumbling infrastructure to protect both the environment and public health.

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Guardian analysis reveals more than 70% of English water industry in foreign ownership

• Revealed: more than 70% of English water industry is in foreign ownership
• England’s water: the world’s piggy bank
• Can global water investors be held to account?
• England’s water: is privatised model a fair system?

The water companies responded to the Guardian’s requests for comment as follows.

A Severn Trent spokesperson said: “Since privatisation, Severn Trent has invested £25bn in infrastructure, including £100m each year improving the rivers in our region.

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A 'historic' deal on the inclusion of maritime in the EU ETS has been provisionally struck by EU negotiators in Tuesday evening’s trilogues meaning 40% of maritime emissions would be covered in 2024 and phased-in to full-scope in 2026, but discussions are still open regarding other EU ETS-related reform bills, a senior MEP involved in the talks said on Wednesday morning.

EUAs rose to their highest in three months as buying interest continued to drive the market despite relatively light volume overall, while the UK allowance contract continued to lose ground compared to its EU counterpart ahead of the afternoon's fortnightly auction.

The European Commission has appointed a new director-general for its climate directorate after the previous head died unexpectedly this summer.

Minister confirms pollution penalties will be ringfenced for environment rather than going to Treasury

Water company fines for pollution are to be used to pay for environmental improvements in England rather than given to the Treasury, the government has said.

Since 2015, the Environment Agency has concluded 56 prosecutions against water and sewerage companies, securing fines of more than £141m. Most of these were from one company, Southern Water, which received a record penalty of £90m last year.

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Interest in and registration of soil carbon projects has skyrocketed in Australia in recent years, however only one project has ever been issued Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).