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Progress is being made to advance the fledgling market for blue carbon through dedicated methodologies and capacity building efforts, yet more could be done to enable project developers to access the carbon markets more effectively and to scale projects faster, say industry experts.

But experts say damage can be reversed if US and Canada act quickly to stop new plastics from entering lake system

About 90% of water samples taken over the last 10 years from the Great Lakes contain microplastic levels that are unsafe for wildlife, a new peer-reviewed paper from the University of Toronto finds.

About 20% of those samples are at the highest level of risk, but the study’s authors say the damage can be reversed if the US and Canada quickly act.

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Mandatory reporting for large and medium-sized businesses would lower prices and help climate, say campaigners

The government has been criticised for binning food waste legislation that campaigners say could have reduced food prices and helped tackle the climate crisis.

The policy would have made food waste reporting mandatory for large and medium-sized businesses in England. According to research by the environmental campaign group Feedback, if it led to just a 1% reduction in food waste, food businesses would save an estimated total of at least £24.4m a year.

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Financial institutions are failing to account for nature-related dependencies and risks in their decision-making, according to a report published Thursday.

European carbon prices rose for the fifth time in the last six sessions on Thursday, climbing to their highest in 13 days and shrugging off the weakest auction in seven weeks as buying activity picked up slightly, while energy markets continued to consolidate amid uncertainty over LNG supply in the coming weeks.

A weekly summary of our biodiversity news plus bite-sized updates from around the world. All articles in this edition are free to read (no subscription required).

A UK-based charity has purchased land in Alentejo, Portugal with a vision to transform it into a rewilding project and sanctuary for former circus elephants.

Listed company MPower says the value of the Lakeland solar and storage project it bought last year has doubled.

The post MPower doubles its money on one of Australia’s oldest solar and battery projects appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Wildlife experts fear spread could devastate native bees, which the hornets dismember and eat

Asian hornets have been spotted in their greatest numbers yet in the UK, which could have a devastating effect on native bees, which they kill, dismember and eat.

There have been 39 wasps and nests seen in the country since the species was first observed in 2016, and this year there have been 16 sightings, data shows.

Folkestone, Kent: confirmed 11 August.

Folkestone, Kent: confirmed 10 August.

Maidstone, Kent: confirmed 7 August and nest destroyed.

Portland, Dorset: confirmed 7 August and nest destroyed.

Deal, Kent: confirmed 6 August.

Folkestone, Kent: confirmed 4 August and nest destroyed.

Portland, Dorset: confirmed 4 August and nest destroyed.

Whitstable, Kent: confirmed 3 August and nest destroyed.

Deal, Kent: confirmed 2 August.

Plymouth, Devon: confirmed 27 July and two nests destroyed.

Gravesend, Kent: confirmed 24 July and nest destroyed.

Shepherdswell, Kent: confirmed 5 July and nest destroyed.

Deal, Kent: confirmed 28 June and nest destroyed.

Canterbury, Kent: confirmed 31 May and single hornet captured.

Ashford, Kent: confirmed 23 May and single hornet captured.

Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland: confirmed 11 April and single hornet captured.

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Japan’s environment ministry has identified four projects under the bilateral Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) that it will subsidise in order to secure carbon credits to realise the country's Paris Agreement target, it announced Thursday.

Finding governing models and funding mechanisms to effectively address the ongoing nature crisis will be the main focus when the Global Environment Facility (GEF) next week holds its four-yearly assembly in Vancouver, Canada.

Africa has lost about 90% of its vultures over the past 50 years. It’s a rapidly growing crisis, and the decline is not down to natural causes. Most of these birds are being poisoned, often unintentionally, by humans. We know the impact that mass vulture death can have on humans, because India suffered the same fate just 20 years ago. Neelam Tailor looks into how humans are accidentally killing millions of vultures, and the deadly impact it has had on people

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A European climate tech investment marketplace for the agriculture industry is to generate 250,000 carbon credits in Europe next year from sustainable farming carbon projects, it said Thursday.

Oil and gas exploration is not going anywhere, however capital discipline and environmental, social, and governance concerns will see greater focus by companies and a ceiling for spend, analysts have found.

A wildfire that broke out in a national park on the Spanish island of Tenerife has spread to 300 hectares, prompting authorities to order the evacuation of five villages and sever access to the forest surrounding the Mount Teide volcano

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Two Australian companies have signed a A$1.45 million ($928,000) data and tech sharing agreement that will help measure primary production land for carbon and biodiversity projects.

Japanese trading house Mitsui has invested in a US-based project developer to help accelerate the promotion of regenerative agriculture as part of its growing involvement in the global market for nature capital, it announced Thursday.

Analysis finds Treasury rules on new windfarms likely to stifle energy generation and keep bills high

New offshore windfarms will be strangled by government red tape, costing UK billpayers £1.5bn a year, an analysis has found.

The latest government auction for new offshore windfarms, due to be completed in September, could result in few projects making it through Treasury rules, according to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), a non-profit organisation.

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Australian supermarket chain Woolworths Group has teamed up with a research thinktank to co-design a pilot programme to test incentives for farmers to measure their natural capital in supply chains.

Thermal energy storage hopeful marks key milestone in funding deal with gas giant Woodside.

The post 1414 Degrees commissions molten silicon energy storage demonstrator appeared first on RenewEconomy.