Feed aggregator

A Norwegian oil company wants to drill 73m barrels a year off the coast of Newfoundland – the equivalent of adding 7m gas cars to the road

Coal and other fossil fuels are “choking humanity”. Those were the words of António Guterres, the secretary general of the United Nations, in response to the sobering recent International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report which warned that the world has a small window remaining to act before irreversible and catastrophic impacts are locked in.

People around the world are already paying the price with their lives and livelihoods. In 2021, the 10 biggest extreme weather events cost $170bn in damages.

Conor Curtis is a digital communications coordinator for the Sierra Club Canada Foundation and a researcher on climate change impacts and policy that affect his home province of Newfoundland and Labrador

Tzeporah Berman is the international program director at Stand.earth and the chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative

Continue reading...

Narrower definition excludes chemicals in pharmaceuticals and pesticides that are generally defined as PFAS

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) department responsible for protecting the public from toxic substances is working under a new definition of PFAS “forever chemicals” that excludes some of their widely used compounds.

The new “working definition”, established by the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, is not only at odds with much of the scientific world, but is narrower than that used by other EPA departments.

Continue reading...

A US-based technology venture is preparing to launch trade in offset forward contracts in a bid to boost pre-issuance funding for project developers.

In one of the largest claims in English legal history, 200,000 people affected by the 2015 incident will have their case heard this week

More than 200,000 victims of Brazil’s worst environmental disaster are seeking compensation in a UK court this week, in one of the largest group claims in English legal history.

The claimants, including representatives of Krenak indigenous communities, are fighting to get compensation for the devastation caused by the Mariana dam disaster in November 2015. The £5bn lawsuit is against the Anglo-Australian mining company BHP.

Continue reading...

Opposition in cabinet as well as on backbenches to expansion of turbines in England widely seen as an eyesore

Pro-green cabinet ministers are frustrated by Boris Johnson’s decision to back away from ambitious onshore windfarm plans for England, as it emerged more than 100 Tory MPs are lobbying against the policy behind the scenes.

The prime minister, who is to announce his energy strategy later in the week, will announce big targets for increasing nuclear power and offshore wind, as well as exploiting more North Sea oil and gas.

Continue reading...

Rating given over threat to whales, while populations of other fish show worrying decline, warns Marine Conservation Society

Crab and lobster have been classed as “fish to avoid” by the Marine Conservation Society in its new UK guide to sustainable seafood, due to concern over whales getting entangled in Scottish fishing gear.

Monkfish from the North Sea and the west of Scotland, where populations have declined to their lowest since 2013, have also joined the guide’s list of “fish to avoid”, alongside most skates and rays. Skates and rays are in decline globally, with a third of species facing extinction due to overfishing.

Continue reading...

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

Australia's first offshore wind project a step closer with the federal government declaring the Bass Strait-Gippsland region as the first priority region.

The post Gippsland to get priority assessment for first offshore wind projects appeared first on RenewEconomy.

AgriProve Solutions have registered 10 more soil carbon projects across South Australia to begin being issued Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), according to the latest regulator data update.

Rodents, cockroaches and insects take refuge in people’s homes while mozzies ‘breed like crazy’, pest experts warn

• Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing
• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates

In the 30 years Tommy Horozakis has owned his pest control business, he struggles to recall another time like now.

“I’ve been inundated by calls about rodents, spiders, cockroaches, mozzies. It’s crazy,” said Horozakis, who runs Sydney’s The Pest Control Company. “Everything is looking for shelter from the wet weather, and unfortunately our homes couldn’t be better.”

Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning

Continue reading...

Malcolm Turnbull on his family's shift to electric, Morrison's lies on EVs, and the pressing need to stop burning fossil fuels.

The post The Driven Podcast: Malcolm Turnbull on EVs, Morrison lies, and end of fossil fuels appeared first on RenewEconomy.

IPCC says Australia victim of one of the most successful fossil fuel lobbying efforts, as UN chief slams leaders for lying about climate action.

The post “Dangerous radicals:” UN takes aim at Australia over fossil fuels and climate lies appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Technology and regulation have solved some issues with bycatch. To reduce damage to marine life further, we can harness the skills of our best fishers. Leslie Roberson, Postdoctoral research fellow, The University of Queensland Chris Wilcox, Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Malcolm Turnbull says the Coalition's gas led recovery is a "dog", and says the world must stop burning fossil fuels and put gas "out of business."

The post Gas-led recovery is a “dog”, world must stop burning fossil fuels, Turnbull says appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Analysis shows big increase in amount of toxic air pollutants emitted by Australia’s ageing fleet of coal-fired power plants, even while generation output of some has decreased.

The post New data shows big jump in toxic coal plant pollution, even as output falls appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A $1,500 donation will buy an Inheritance Pass, valid for entry in 2172, part of a fundraising effort to celebrate the park’s 150th year

Yellowstone national park is offering an annual pass valid for entry in 2172 in exchange for a $1,500 donation, part of a fundraising efforts in honor of the park’s 150th birthday.

The park hopes that the tickets, dubbed “The Inheritance Passes”, will be used by the donor’s descendants. Yellowstone Forever, the park’s fundraising arm, will use the money to support park projects such as trail improvements, education, native fish conservation and scientific studies.

Continue reading...

Pennsylvania’s GOP-controlled Senate on Monday failed to overturn Governor Tom Wolf’s (D) veto of a resolution that would block the state’s RGGI-modelled cap-and-trade regulation, meaning the programme could take effect starting in July.

The current estimate is that Earth would warm by 1.5℃ to 4.5℃ if emissions were to double on pre-industrial levels. The range has remained stubbornly wide, despite improved climate modelling. Olaf Morgenstern, Principal Scientist -- Atmosphere and Climate, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

EU member states are now two-thirds of the way through the 2022 free carbon allowance allocation cycle, according to official data, while countries handed out a further 6.26 mln EUAs for 2021.

It is astounding that there is no nationally agreed policy-making framework to guide Australia through a once in a century technological transition.

The post It’s astounding Australia has no policy framework to drive urgent clean energy transition appeared first on RenewEconomy.