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Pie-in-the-sky fantasies of carbon capture and geoengineering are a way for decision-makers to delay taking real action

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, one of which dropped yesterday, are formidably researched and profoundly important, but they mostly reinforce what we already know: human-produced greenhouse gases are rapidly and disastrously changing the planet, and unless we rapidly taper off burning fossil fuels, a dire future awaits.

The message is far from hopeless – “Mainstreaming effective and equitable climate action will not only reduce losses and damages for nature and people, it will also provide wider benefits,” said the IPCC chair, Hoesung Lee, in the press release. “This Synthesis Report underscores the urgency of taking more ambitious action and shows that, if we act now, we can still secure a liveable sustainable future for all.”

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China’s emissions market saw a second straight week of barely any trades amid lingering negative sentiment, with observers saying the world's largest carbon market by tonnes of CO2 covered might repeat the late-rush pattern of the previous compliance cycle.

The Australian government has launched a process to recognise so-called other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) in a bid to increase available options to meet its biodiversity targets, a move considered by many nations worldwide as they ponder how to comply with the 30x30 target in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs, including a rescued sloth, a baby nutria and a patient frog

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Biodiversity is becoming an issue of increasing importance to investors, a global survey released this week has found, with nearly half stating that addressing the issue was either at the centre of, or a significant factor in, their respective investment policies.

South Korea's latest electricity policy is not ambitious enough for the country to get itself aligned with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C target, given its planned slow fossil phase-out, a report has found.

Some Greens want to pass the safeguard mechanism changes and keep fighting on fossil fuels while others want to attack it as a Coalition creation that can’t be redeemed

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The future of one of Labor’s signature climate policies – updating the safeguard mechanism to deal with industrial greenhouse gas emissions – hangs in the balance. The government held off pushing it through parliament this week while negotiations continued with the Greens and key independent senator David Pocock over a potential deal to strengthen it.

The design of the policy is not the Greens’ responsibility, but what happens next is largely up to its party room – with the Coalition opposed, the government can’t get its legislation through without their support. The minor party is divided. Its 15 members will meet through the weekend ahead of a potential decision by Monday. It could go either way. Given the party operates on a consensus model that allows time to find common ground, it could also remain unresolved into next week.

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

Innovation in agricultural sector is needed if cities are to solve air pollution problems, say scientists

A study reveals that farming is responsible for more than a quarter of the particle pollution in UK cities.

UK agriculture created 38% of the particle pollution in Leicester, 32% in Birmingham and 25% in London in 2019, according to the study. In each case the contribution from rural agriculture was greater than all of the sources within the cities themselves.

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His expeditions to Antarctica helped prove that humans were responsible for global warming.

ASX listed Sparc Technologies reports "exciting" developments in its pursuit of sodium ion batteries, an alternative to lithium ion.

The post Sparc Technologies claims “exciting” progress on sodium ion batteries appeared first on RenewEconomy.

New details emerge of FFI's "green iron" ore processing technology as it makes a milestone move out of the Perth laboratory and into pilot-scale production.

The post Fortescue hails “green iron” breakthrough as own coal-free tech moves to pilot phase appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The company that raked in $US40 billion of profits last year says yes, we can transition to a new zero carbon world, but it will be costly, awful and impossible without CCS.

The post No meat, no choice: Oil giant Shell’s dystopian view of a net zero world free of fossil fuels appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Data from California shows flexible timing of vehicle charging can save the day – even during heat waves when electricity consumption surges.

The post Yes, the grid can handle electric vehicle charging – even when demand spikes appeared first on RenewEconomy.

California regulator ARB and the US government must pursue harmonisation between the treatment of biogas-derived electricity under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as a new addition to the latter biofuels programme takes shape, a conference heard Thursday.

Having had seven years to prepare for the April exit of the Liddell coal plant in NSW, how ready is the market?

The post Never mind Eraring, the Liddell coal closure in April is the one to watch appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Rewiring Australia says budgeting $12.5bn to help fast-track the electrification of homes and businesses will deliver fast and deep benefits.

The post It’s no nuclear submarine, but experts say $12.5bn in budget funds will help electrify Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.

There does not need to be a trade-off between improving existing carbon credit methodologies and bringing new and innovative ideas to market, a panel at the North American Carbon World conference in Anaheim heard Thursday.

Power generators regulated under Massachusetts’ Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) carbon market purchased allowances at the March current and advance auction at the lowest price since Q2, according to results published Thursday.

Report also suggests migration could help ensure UK has necessary skills to meet government’s 2050 net zero target

New climate visas should be created to allow victims of natural disasters to come to the UK, and to bring in skilled workers needed for the transition to net zero, a Conservative thinktank has argued.

Onward, whose co-founder Will Tanner recently became Rishi Sunak’s deputy chief of staff, is urging the government to prepare for the likely increase in global migration as a result of the climate crisis.

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