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New Zealand carbon allowances on Tuesday closed at their highest ever level, but market participants still think there is further upside and that Wednesday’s government sale of 4.825 million NZUs might clear even higher.

Ban Ki-moon and Laurence Tubiana say greater ambition needed as climate bill debated in Senate

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Global climate figureheads have welcomed Australia’s increased climate commitments under the Albanese government as a “positive first step”, but said the country needs to do more to match other developed countries and play its part in efforts to limit global heating to 1.5C.

Ban Ki-moon, the former United Nations secretary general, and Laurence Tubiana, known as one of the architects of the Paris climate agreement, told a Canberra conference by video that Labor’s climate change legislation and enhanced commitment to the United Nations were welcome changes. But both said more was needed.

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Regulator looking at 26 incidents, with seven involving very large volumes which far exceed amounts subsequently licensed

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NSW authorities are investigating several major “unexplained” incidents where 200GL of flood water – equivalent to nearly half the volume of Sydney harbour – was harvested by irrigators during floods in western NSW in late 2020 and early 2021.

NSW estimates was told last week 26 separate incidents were under investigation. Seven involve very large volumes which far exceed the amounts that were subsequently licensed.

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By 2050, Africa’s 1bn children will bear the brunt of the climate crisis, yet they have no say in decisions largely made by old men

It is ironic that Africa – sometimes called the “youngest continent” due to the average age of its population being below 20 – has the oldest leaders in the world. Ten of Africa’s political leaders are over 75; the average age of an African president is 62.

According to the Global Center on Adaptation, young people in Africa are often excluded from politics precisely because Africa has its oldest generation squarely at the helm of political leadership.

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A Sydney-headquartered forestry and carbon offset company has set up a subsidiary that will specifically manage and develop agricultural assets, initially in Australia and New Zealand.

Labor's Climate Bill on track to pass through Senate as Bowen agrees to some "sensible" amendments proposed by independent Senator David Pocock.

The post Bowen considers forest biomass ban as Labor cuts deals on climate bill appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Federal energy minister Chris Bowen admits concerns about budget blowout for Snowy 2.0, and repeats that the project is badly delayed.

The post Bowen admits concerns about budget blow out for Snowy 2.0, confirms big delay appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Ecologists urge people to monitor for platypuses in their area after indications of a ‘severe decline’ in Ipswich

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There are fears that platypus populations might have been wiped out by recent floods in greater Brisbane, sparking new calls for the species to be nationally recognised as threatened.

While the platypus is endangered in South Australia and was listed as vulnerable in Victoria last year, the iconic monotreme is not officially considered threatened in Queensland and New South Wales.

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Azerbaijan has become the 20th nation to sign up to Japan’s Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), with the aim of generating carbon credits that can go towards both countries’ emissions targets under the Paris Agreement.

Andrew Forrest's Squadron Energy names former AEMO boss to its advisory board as the billionaire chases big names to underpin his green energy ventures.

The post Former AEMO boss Zibelman to advise Forrest’s Squadron on green energy transition appeared first on RenewEconomy.

FFI's first electrolyser factory, hailed as the world's biggest when unveiled last year, will make barely a dent in the company's huge green hydrogen ambitions.

The post Fortescue says first 2GW electrolyser factory will be too small, plans more appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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It’s impossible to escape exposure to microplastics and a new study confirms they'e in household dust around the world. But the health risks appear surprisingly low, and vacuuming makes a difference. Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Neda Sharifi Soltani, Academic Casual, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Scott P. Wilson, Chief Scientist, Earthwatch Australia, Honorary Senior Research Fellow, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The BBC sequel launches on Sunday with never before seen footage of animals in the frozen world.

Danish company unveiled its third 3GW offshore wind project in Australia, with a virtual carbon copy outline of its previous proposals.

The post Another 3GW offshore wind project “unveiled” in Australia, with carbon copy proposal appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Climate bills in Australia and the US promise progress without carbon taxes or markets. Here’s why. Ian A. MacKenzie, Associate Professor in Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A fast-growing population – 50% bigger than it was in 1990 – is causing, directly or indirectly, all of Australia’s serious environmental problems. These impacts must be central to decision-making. Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Science, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Janildo Oliveira Guajajara had recently taken part in an Amazon assembly organised by murdered Indigenous specialist Bruno Pereira

A rainforest activist from one of Brazil’s leading Indigenous protection groups has been killed just weeks after participating in an Amazon assembly organised by the murdered Indigenous specialist Bruno Pereira.

Janildo Oliveira Guajajara, a member of the Guardiões da Floresta (Forest Guardians) collective, was reportedly shot dead in the early hours of Saturday near the Araribóia Indigenous territory where he lived.

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Offset prices slipped lower over the past week, wiping out August’s gains, and eroding hopes the voluntary carbon market was escaping the clutches of the inflation-induced global economic slowdown.

Energy ministers will meet later this week in a scramble to agree on a rapid fix to soaring energy prices, when options on the table will include establishing price caps, suspending power derivatives markets, taxing windfall profits by clean energy firms and fast-tracking the sale of EU ETS units held in the MSR.