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A visit to the narrow lane of Ka Faroshi bird market brings comfort to war-weary Afghans

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Canadian government viewed Trump’s election as “positive news” for Keystone XL and energy industry

The Trudeau government treated Donald Trump’s election as “positive news” for Canada’s energy industry and welcomed the help of Canada’s main corporate oil group in lobbying the US administration, documents show.

Meetings conducted by senior government officials with TransCanada and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) reveal an one-sided approach more reminiscent of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s secret oil advocacy than Justin Trudeau’s green electoral promises.

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The International Garden Photographer of the Year is one of the world’s premier competitions specialising in botanical photography. There are 11 main categories and numerous special awards including Young Garden Photographer of the Year, and the mobile-only category Gardens on the Go. It is run in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where the winning pictures will be exhibited, followed by a rolling programme of touring exhibitions in the UK and abroad

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Sinah Common, Hayling Island, Hampshire: Despite years of dedicated gorse-scanning this was the first time I’d seen one of these secretive little birds on my patch

The gorse thicket was ablaze with flower, but the heady coconut-suncream scent of the golden blossom was at odds with the biting wind and overcast sky. As a shower began to fall like a haze of iron filings, I decided to take shelter behind one of the well-preserved anti-aircraft gun emplacements – a relic from the second world war, when decoy fires were set on Hayling Island to draw the Luftwaffe away from the important military targets on nearby Portsea Island.

As I hunkered down against the concrete wall, I noticed a small, dark-coloured bird flitting through the furze like a restless sprite. I followed at a discreet distance as it crept through the low branches, gleaning insects from the needle-like leaves with quick, jerky movements. At first glance I thought it was a wren, but as I raised my binoculars it turned and cocked a disproportionately long, slender tail – not the short, stubby appendage I was expecting to see. I realised that I was looking at a Dartford warbler, Sylvia undata.

While the species has recovered from the 1960s population crash, continuing to increase in numbers and expand its range in recent years, Dartford warblers are largely sedentary birds. They breed exclusively on lowland heath and rarely travel far from their natal habitat. When food is scarce they will range more widely and can occasionally be spotted in coastal scrub during the winter months, but despite years of dedicated gorse-scanning this was the first time I’d encountered one on my local patch.

I wasn’t content with this fleeting glimpse, but “Darties” are secretive, skulking birds. My fingers reddened with cold as I waited in the hope that this one would emerge from the dense, dark undergrowth. As the rain eased off, my patience was finally rewarded. The bird – a male – perched up on the crown of a bush and I was able to admire his slate-grey upper parts, ruddy breast and vermilion eye-rings.

The instant he caught sight of me, the feathers on his domed-shaped head began to rise in the suggestion of a crest. Tail wagging, he scolded me with a harsh nasal “dzurr”, before vanishing back into cover.

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It's been a year since the last South Australia blackout and when the Coalition brandished a lump of coal in parliament. And the progress since then has been remarkable – on the cost front, on storage, and the emergence of dispatchable renewables.

Aurizon withdraws application for NAIF funding to build Gallilee rail line, in fresh vote of no confidence in the Adani-led mega coal project.

Single-Column Responsive Email Template SENG SA Newsletter - February 2018 People Power and PolitiX Meet Nick Xenophon and Graham Davies (immediate past Chair of SENG) to discuss issues in SA and Waite, including: - Why we need open, honest, accountable government; - Education, infrastructure, transport, health, conservation; - Jobs, the economy, cost of living. Have a solar powered chilled beer and a bite while discussing energy, and community power roll out schemes. Date: Saturday, 10 February 2018 Time: 11am to 3pm Venue: Mitcham Cultural Village - 103C Princes Rd, Adelaide SA 5062 Cost: Free Host: Graham Davies - SA Best Candidate for Waite Register: For further information follow this link. Energy Improvements to Older Houses David Whaley of UniSA will examine the costs and benefits of renovating older SA homes for energy efficiency. What energy improvements can be made, what do they cost and how effective are they? He'll also describe using the ATA's FLIR camera to check the thermal efficiency of his own recently built house. Date: Monday, 19 February 2018 Time: 7.30pm to 9pm Venue: Goodwood Community Centre - 32-34 Rosa Street, Goodwood SA 5034 Cost: $2 ATA members, $5 non-members Host: Alternative Technology Association (ATA) Register: Event details are here, and on Facebook. South Australia: Our Future - Election Forum The 2018 South Australian state election comes at a critical moment, both for nature protection and making the transition to clean energy. Come and hear the leaders of the major parties put forward their case for why they deserve your vote based on some of the most pressing environmental issues in our state. This event will also be streamed live via Facebook. Date: Tuesday, 20 February 2018 Time: 11.30am to 1pm Venue: The Science Exchange - 55 Exchange Place, Adelaide SA 5000 Cost: Free Hosts: Conservation Council SA, SolarCitizens, Australian Conservation Foundation, The Wilderness Society Register: For further information, or to register, see Eventbrite or Facebook. Unmaking Waste 2018 International Conference With a particular emphasis on redesigning systems, processes and products to ‘unmake’ waste, this conference is intended to challenge researchers, from every relevant discipline, to rethink what can be done about our global consumption problem and its multiple effects. The conference’s themes are Eco-Design and Development, Sustainable Consumption, Waste Minimization, and Circular Economy. Date: Thursday, 20 September to Sunday 23 September 2018 Venue: Adelaide SA 5000 Hosts: China-Australia Centre for Sustainable Urban Development, and the University of South Australia Register: For further information, to register, and to read the 2015 conference proceedings, follow this link. No More Bad Investments - Presentation Recording Available A recording of Ian Dunlop's presentation on 'The Case for Emergency Action on Climate Change' from November 23rd's forum last year is now available here. The forum explored climate risk and examined the proposed No More Bad Investments (NMBI) model legislation drafted by Environment Justice Australia and Philip Sutton. The legislation’s purpose is to facilitate a transition to a ‘safe climate economy’ through the prevention of activities with adverse climate impacts, and through driving a transition to activities without these impacts. The NMBI Q&A document can be downloaded here. Driving towards a cleaner future: help produce a car for tomorrow Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the Flinders Automotive Solar Team (FAST). FAST has produced its inaugural solar powered car providing a fantastic opportunity for students and volunteers of Flinders University to be involved in a project that contributes to a positive environmental future. Initially produced for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, their main goal is to produce a car that is capable of being road registered, for everyday use. To achieve this goal they require financial support. Follow this link to make a tax deductible donation to the team, or this link to find out more about sponsorship opportunities to gain local, national and international exposure for your business. Follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For further information, see the project website, or contact Dr Stuart Wildy, Director of FAST, at info@fastsolar.com.au Undergraduate Student Awards Applications are open for SENG SA's next round of undergraduate student awards, for projects completed in 2017. For further information and to apply, email Kurt van Ryswyk, SA Awards Coordinator. What Do You Want To See? Have yourSAy on SA Government policies and initiatives here. EPA SA consultations can be found here. Get in touch with the SENG SA committee; we welcome feedback, suggestions, and content contributions. Or join us on LinkedIn. If you can't view this email click here to view online Click here to unsubscribe from this newsletter

The CEFC has made a $25 million cornerstone investment in the first ever green tranche of an Australian residential mortgage backed bond.

Republican Congressman, a libertarian and a climate denier, lives off-grid with solar and storage, and even owns a Tesla Model S electric vehicle.

German household power bills are badly exaggerated, and the Energiewende is not causing energy poverty.

Groundwater is out of sight, but it shouldn't be out of mind. As cities struggle to cope with drought, we should remember that our largest stocks of water are hidden deep underground. Emma Kathryn White, PhD Candidate, Infrastructure Engineering, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Households taking part in a CSIRO designed Virtual Power Station trial have used solar, battery storage, energy monitoring to save up to 60% on electricity bills.

Orders roll in for Norwegian made all-electric car ferry, after prototype cuts carbon emissions by 95% and operating cost by 80% compared to fuel-powered counterparts.

An updated study from US and Danish academics says we can electrify the world through using mainly solar, wind and hydro – and for a quarter of the cost of fossil fuels, if you factor in savings from avoided damage to the environment and health.

Wind and solar energy are expected to account for more than half of Tamil Nadu's power by 2027.

The 70ft-long (21m) dinosaur replica only just squeezed into its new home in Dorset.

Better recycling and compostable materials could be an answer to our plastic pollution problem.

Poultry group which sold out-of-date meat to supermarkets may close three factories

Nine hundred jobs are under threat at three poultry plants belonging to 2 Sisters Food Group, the UK’s largest supplier of supermarket chicken, which has been dogged by a controversy over food standards.

The potential closure of two of the firm’s West Midlands factories in Smethwick and Wolverhampton, plus a third in Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire, follow a nightmare year for the company, which has included the closing of a further site in Smethwick as well as a Guardian and ITV undercover investigation that prompted production to be suspended for five weeks last autumn at the group’s West Bromwich plant.

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CSIRO researchers use world-first genetic analysis to estimate population, but believe numbers could be as high as 12,800

About 5,500 great white sharks are cruising in the waters off Australia’s east coast, new research has revealed.

For the first time, the CSIRO has been able to put a number on the size of the white shark population using world-first genetic analysis.

It estimates there are about 750 adults living in waters east of Victoria’s southern coast, up to central Queensland and across to New Zealand.

Taking juvenile sharks into account, researchers believe the total east coast population sits at 5,460 – but could be as high as 12,800.

Related: Shark attacks in Australia: how common are they really?

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Scientists may finally understand the mechanism behind solar flares., which can play havoc with technology on Earth.