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Vulnerable island nation split over project to dredge millions of tonnes of sand to create land for resorts and industry at Addu Atoll, made a Unesco reserve for its seagrass and mangroves

A controversial project to reclaim land on an atoll threatened by rising sea levels has been announced in the Maldives, with hopes that it may boost tourism balanced against fears that it could “choke the ecosystem”.

The low-lying island nation, one of the world’s most vulnerable to climate change, has commissioned a major shore protection and land reclamation scheme using sand dredged from a lagoon, despite concerns about the impact on this Unesco biosphere reserve.

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The hardest to save will be five reptiles, four birds, four frogs, two mammals and one fish, for which there are no recent confirmed records of their continued existence. Stephen Garnett, Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Hayley Geyle, PhD candidate, Charles Darwin University John Woinarski, Professor (conservation biology), Charles Darwin University Mark Lintermans, Associate professor, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The banking giant has reportedly suspended its responsible investing leader Stuart Kirk.

Change of government will see a clean-out of fossil fuel industry lobbyists that held sway in the corridors of power for nearly a decade.

The post Fossil fuel industry loses its grip over Australia’s climate and energy policies appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Global Warming Policy Foundation is lobby group not charity and brings no public good, say signatories

The Global Warming Policy Foundation, a climate sceptic thinktank, has been reported to the Charity Commission by the Green MP Caroline Lucas and Extinction Rebellion.

The move comes after the Guardian revealed that the group received funding from fossil fuel interests.

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Labor needs to move quickly on climate and energy. A trip to Japan for the Quad meeting should be followed by a visit to a wind or solar farm.

The post Labor must move quickly on climate and energy: Here’s a list of things to do appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Doing as little as possible on climate change was a seemingly safe political strategy until recently. As of Saturday night, it’s a recipe for political disaster. John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia can become a global clean energy superpower with a modern and prosperous economy powered by reliable, low-cost, clean energy.

The post A letter to incoming minister for climate change, Chris Bowen appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Offshore wind energy in Germany is being used to stabilise the country's electricity system in case of grid fluctuations.

The post Offshore wind farm balancing German power grid in green energy “milestone” appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) spot prices jumped by around 20% in early Monday trade, buoyed by the Labor Party’s victory at the federal election over the weekend.

The Greens celebrate best ever federal election result, and a win for climate action. But the next three years will be a leadership test for Adam Bandt.

The post Greens power play: New parliament to be a leadership test for Adam Bandt appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The role will be primarily focused on sourcing and delivering projects that involve tree planting at scale.

Carbon Market Solutions is looking to fill several roles in its team.

It’s that time of year in Australia’s capital when a chill hangs in the air, wooly jumpers come out of the wardrobe and deciduous trees put on their annual colour show. Photographer Mike Bowers documents the change of season in Canberra

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Climate "doomers" believe it’s far too late to do anything about climate change - but they're wrong.

Five global firms have joined a facility that seeks to forward purchase one million carbon removal credits (CDR) at a targeted average price of $200 a tonne of CO2e through 2030, aiming to drive nascent technologies to scale.

Driver’s details shared on social media after allegedly running over ducklings at roundabout as other drivers waited for them to cross

Police have urged the public against any vigilante actions after the registration of a driver who allegedly ran over a brood of ducklings was published online.

Staffordshire police confirmed it is investigating a Facebook post which claimed that at least three ducklings were killed on Friday at a roundabout in Trentham near Stoke-on-Trent. The post claimed they were killed by the driver of a white transit van who allegedly ignored other drivers who were waiting for the ducks to cross the road.

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Migrant birds carry information around the globe. When their arrival is delayed, we should worry

Swifts are back in UK skies, putting an end to the annual hiatus when nature seems to hold its breath, awaiting successive waves of migrant birds whose twittering is the soundscape of summer. But these are worrying times. The swift has joined that traditional herald of summer, the cuckoo, on the RSPB’s latest red list of endangered species, following a 58% fall in their numbers since 1995.

Billions of birds are disappearing, according to a report released this month. “Birds truly are the canary in the coalmine as indicators for the health of our planet, given their sensitivity to ecosystem changes, their ubiquity around the planet, and how well studied they are,” said Patricia Zurita, of BirdLife International.

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A wildlife-watcher’s paradise, the Somerset site will also serve as a blueprint for sustainable countryside management

The creation of a “super nature reserve” in Somerset is a gamechanger for wildlife conservation. But the real question is: what happens next?

“Build it, and they will come”, to paraphrase the 1980s feelgood movie Field of Dreams. And they have. Since former peat diggings were transformed into the Avalon Marshes 30 years ago, a host of new species have colonised these watery flatlands. Cranes, bitterns, spoonbills, glossy ibises and three kinds of elegant, snow-white egrets – little, cattle and great white – are now a regular sight here.

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Billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andre Forrest seize on climate driven poll results to push case for rapid green energy transition.

The post Cannon-Brookes says election shows AGL coal plans untenable, as Forrest lays into Coalition appeared first on RenewEconomy.