Feed aggregator

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

Questions regarding offset integrity and double counting featured prominently on Thursday as the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) solicited expert feedback on its role in governing the voluntary carbon market.

Verra is looking for a Senior Program Officer or Program Officer to help ensure the growth and maturation of our standards, with a particular focus on project developers as a key stakeholder group.

California Carbon Allowance (CCA) values rushed to highs not seen since January this week on the heels of a bullish May auction result and heightened speculative activity, while RGGI Allowance (RGA) prices ticked up as the power sector programme held its own Q2 sale. 

Researchers from Monash and CSIRO find way to boost the energy efficiency and longevity of solar glass, while also allowing more natural light to pass through it.

The post Australian researchers make clear gains in solar glass technology appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Contracting firm downgrades revenue forecasts for second time in two months after yet more delays at two wind farm projects.

The post More wind farm project delays put dent into contractor’s revenue hopes appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A Dutch carbon offset firm has launched a €2-million capital raise via green bonds.

The CEO of a major US-based agricultural carbon offset firm has stepped down.

The US-based marketing arm of a REDD+ project developer on Thursday released a forest conservation plan to develop a global portfolio of community-based forest conservation projects, expected to generate 800 million voluntary carbon credits by the end of this decade.

Pupils’ vital attention skills stunted by ‘toxic’ peaks of road noise heard from the classroom

Road-traffic noise significantly slows the development of crucial memory and attention skills in primary school children, research has found.

The study of almost 2,700 children aged between seven and 10 in 38 schools in Barcelona, Spain, is the first to assess the impact of traffic noise on child cognitive development over time and to determine the impact of peaks in noise.

Continue reading...

Most widely used pesticide in history harms critical ability of bumblebee to regulate nest temperature

The critical ability of wild bumblebees to keep their colonies at the right temperature is seriously damaged by the weedkiller glyphosate, research has revealed.

Glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide in history, intended to kill only plants. The harm to bumblebees – vital pollinators – was not identified in regulatory risk assessments, which only test whether a pesticide rapidly kills healthy, individual bees. However, the collective failure to regulate colony temperature could have a massive impact on its ability to produce the next generation, the scientists said.

Continue reading...

New study finds 44% of world’s land surface needs increased protection, with 1m wildlife species at risk of extinction

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

Almost half the planet’s land surface needs extra conservation protection if the biodiversity crisis is to be halted, a major new study has found.

At least 64.7 million sq km (25 million sq miles) needs “conservation attention” but overlaps with areas where 1.8 billion people live – about a quarter of the world’s population – raising critical human rights challenges for conservationists, communities and governments.

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

Continue reading...

The European Parliament is likely to back the entry of all shipping emissions into the EU ETS from 2024 in a vote next week, stakeholders said, with lawmakers replicating much of a preliminary Committee position but also crafting exemptions that would substantially weaken the carbon price signal for some.

Romania has published a draft emergency law outlining a schedule for the phaseout of all its remaining coal power capacity by end-2030, two years earlier than it set out just eight months ago as the country ramps up renewables investments.

Vegetated areas above treeline have increased by 77% since 1984, satellite data shows

The impact of global heating on the Alps is visible from space, with the snow-white mountains increasingly colonised by green plants, according to a study of high-resolution satellite data.

Vegetated areas above the treeline in the Alps have increased by 77% since 1984, the study says. While retreating glaciers have symbolised the speed of global heating in the Alpine region, researchers described the increases in plant biomass as an “absolutely massive” change.

Continue reading...

A former EU negotiator for carbon markets under the Paris Agreement has joined Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ vehicle to fight climate change and protect nature.

The carbon offset subsidiary of a Chinese forestry and paper company has secured a 200-million yuan ($30 mln) bank loan at a preferential interest rate to develop forest carbon projects across a number of domestic and international offset standards.

Environmentalists threaten legal action over UK permit for Shell to develop Jackdaw field

Environmentalists are threatening legal action in an attempt to halt the development of a new gas field in the North Sea that has been given the green light by the UK government.

Climate experts reacted with anger after the government announced it had given the Jackdaw field, to be developed by the oil multinational Shell, “final regulatory approval” on Wednesday.

Continue reading...

A group of key industrial players have joined SteelZero, adding momentum to the initiative as it has just published a set of policy guidelines to help speed up the transition towards the use of low carbon steel.

A handful of OTC block trades pushed volumes in China’s emissions market over the past week above 1 million, but the price remained unchanged and market outlook tempered by the overall policy situation.