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Regulators allow states to continue spreading sludge even as PFAS-tainted substance has ruined livelihoods and poisoned water

States are continuing to allow sewage sludge to be spread on cropland as fertilizer and in some cases increasing the amount spread, even as the PFAS-tainted substance has ruined farmers’ livelihoods, poisoned water supplies, contaminated food and put the public’s health at risk.

Michigan and Maine are the only two states in the US to widely test sludge, and regulators in each say contamination was found in all tested samples. Still, in recent months, officials in Virginia increased the amount of sludge permitted to be spread on farmland without testing for PFAS, while Alabama regulators have rejected residents’ and environmental groups’ pleas to test sludge for the chemicals.

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Shanxi has become the latest Chinese jurisdiction to launch a so-called “inclusive” small-scale offset scheme, aiming to drive lifestyle changes that can cut carbon emissions from individuals.

Venture capital investment in carbon capture start-ups hit a record high in the second quarter of 2022, reflecting growing interest in carbon removal that is likely to continue given a more conducive policy environment for the technology, especially in the US, researchers have found.

A major New Zealand dairy company has completed the first phase of its off-farm decarbonisation strategy, as the head of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) urges businesses to focus on cutting gross emissions reductions, rather than relying on offsets.  

This role will be involved in the identification, assessment and project management of emission reduction and carbon offset projects; maximizing stakeholder participation; as well as developing and executing the plan to optimize the revenue and value returned on carbon credits generated.

Why not dress all the swift parrots in salmon outfits? Then the Tassie government will jail anyone who goes within 50 metres of one!

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Floodwater carries dense clouds of sediment, choking the lush seagrass meadows on which these gentle grazers rely. Kathy Ann Townsend, Senior Lecturer in Animal Ecology, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Poor nations exhort UN to consider ‘climate-related and justice-based’ tax on big fossil fuel users and air travel

The world’s most vulnerable countries are preparing to take on the richest economies with a demand for urgent finance – potentially including new taxes on fossil fuels or flying – for the irrecoverable losses they are suffering from the climate crisis, leaked documents show.

Extreme weather is already hitting many developing countries hard and forecast to wreak further catastrophe. Loss and damage – the issue of how to help poor nations suffering from the most extreme impacts of climate breakdown, which countries cannot be protected against – is one of the most contentious problems in climate negotiations.

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The world will have released more planet-heating emissions than have occurred since the industrial revolution, analysis found

Burning the world’s proven reserves of fossil fuels would emit more planet-heating emissions than have occurred since the industrial revolution, easily blowing the remaining carbon budget before societies are subjected to catastrophic global heating, a new analysis has found.

An enormous 3.5tn tons of greenhouse gas emissions will be emitted if governments allow identified reserves of coal, oil and gas to be extracted and used, according to what has been described as the first public database of fossil fuel production.

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Is it possible to make an industry average scheme work? Yes, with enough gaffer tape. Is it the best pathway to take? Maybe not.

The post Safeguard Mechanism: What to make of the “industry-average” baseline scheme appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Solar is doing well – and particularly associated home battery uptake; wind power is struggling; and China is rapidly becoming the main factor limiting global decarbonisation.

The post Three global renewables trends to watch for – and what they mean for Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australian renewables champion Miles George joins non-executive ranks of AGL Energy, as part of major overhaul of the board at the big three gen-tailer.

The post AGL board clean-out continues, with new chair – and a new renewables champion appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Origin Energy says it is getting out of the gas exploration business, starting with its share in the controversial Beetaloo Basin project, as it shifts its focus to the energy transition.

The post Origin announces exit from gas exploration, starting with Beetaloo Basin appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Sydney’s inner west is taking part in the Turtles in Schools program which aims to encourage future generations to take care of the environment. Led by Western Sydney University, the program is currently in a trial phase, with select New South Wales schools. By 2023, up to 10 turtle tanks will be installed in schools. By 2024, the program will be available to all year 5 and 6 classrooms across the country

• Teaching with turtles: the NSW program turning school students into conservationists

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Cyclones, floods and other climate-linked events are threatening Indigenous heritage tens of thousands of years old. Unless we act, they’ll be gone for good. Anna M. Kotarba-Morley, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology, Flinders University Enid Tom, Kaurareg Elder and director of Kaurareg Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Knowledge Marcus Lacey, Senior Gumurr Marthakal Indigenous ranger, Indigenous Knowledge Shawnee Gorringe, Manager at Mithaka Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Knowledge Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

UK supermarket chains have dropped the use of “best before” date labels to reduce the amount of food being thrown out when it’s still perfectly edible. It’s just as big a problem in Australia. Louise Grimmer, Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing, University of Tasmania Nathan Kilah, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Winning the 2024 climate talks could pressure Australia to rejoin the Green Climate Fund, increase its 2035 emissions target, and ditch new coal and gas developments

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If the Albanese government has its way, in two years’ time up to 20,000 people – political leaders, diplomats, lobbyists, activists and professional greenwashers – will spend a fortnight in Sydney (or maybe Brisbane or Melbourne) in what will inevitably be described as an attempt to save the planet.

Labor promised before the election that if it won power it would bid to host a Cop (a conference of the parties to the United Nations framework convention on climate change), hopefully in partnership with Pacific island neighbours.

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Schools host the reptiles and visit them in wetlands. Environmental groups say it augurs well for an activist future

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When students from Lithgow visited wetlands near their primary school west of Sydney, they quickly picked up on a problem: there was nowhere for turtles.

“A bunch of students said there are no logs or rocks here, so where are they going to bask?,” Assoc Prof Ricky Spencer, from Western Sydney University, said. “I thought, that is a good point.”

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Along with subsidising big polluters, governments are setting in place repressive anti-protest laws to protect them

The climate crisis accelerates. Anti-protest laws proliferate.

These developments are not unrelated.

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Labor's climate modeller says proposal to award free credits to big polluters who do better than an industry average could kill integrity of Safeguard Mechanism.

The post Labor modeller says plan for free credits could kill integrity of Safeguard scheme appeared first on RenewEconomy.