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Water is our life support system in a drying continent, yet the coal and gas industries consume prodigious amounts of water each day.

The post A fossil fuel frenzy is drinking Australia’s finite water resources appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A solar powered, megawatt-scale hydrogen electrolyser plant to produce "green ammonia" in WA's Pilbara region begins environmental approvals process.

The post Solar powered green ammonia plans in Pilbara submitted to state EPA appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Wind output reaches a new record high on Australia's main grid on Tuesday night.

The post Chart of the Day: Record wind output on Australia’s main grid on Tuesday appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultural knowledge and sophisticated understanding of weather systems is the cornerstone for Big Weather, an exhibition currently showing at NGV Australia’s Ian Potter Centre. Climate crisis is never far from the surface, with works from artists like Karla Dickens, Clinton Naina, Treahna Hamm and Nici Cumpston addressing the changing weather patterns and the ongoing effects of colonisation on the land and its processes.

• Big Weather will be showing at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne, until 21 October

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The tourist town of Kalbarri on WA’s mid-west coast was hit by Cyclone Seroja on Sunday. Winds reached 170km/h, and about 70% of Kalbarri’s buildings were damaged. Many residents remain without power or telecommunications as clean-up operations begin

• ‘Heartbreaking’: Cyclone Seroja damages up to 70% of homes in West Australian town

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

US envoy John Kerry will hold talks in Shanghai ahead of a climate summit hosted by President Biden.

A review of the state of Britain's native woods and trees finds only 7% are in good condition.

Persistent noise from natural gas wells in New Mexico disrupted birds that feed on and distribute pinyon seeds

As humans proliferate, we have penetrated deeper into wildlife habitats, creating a pervasive rise in environmental sound with our gadgets, traffic and industry. A growing body of research has shown how noise pollution adversely affects animal behaviour – but a study suggests the detrimental effects have trickled down to plants as well.

To investigate the long-term ecological effects of persistent noise, researchers chose the Rattlesnake Canyon habitat management area in New Mexico. Dominated by woodland plants, the area in the US south-west contains a high density of natural gas wells, some of which are coupled with compressors that run continuously and generate chronic noise at up to 100 decibels. That is as loud “as being next to the speakers at a Black Sabbath concert or standing right next to the train tracks as the train goes by”, said Dr Jenny Phillips, who was lead author of the study while at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. Other wells are devoid of compressors.

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The EU must tighten sustainability criteria for forest-risk imported commodities and introduce mandatory due diligence requirements, environmental campaigners said in a report published Wednesday.

A modest CO2 price could help spur investment, bolster economic growth, and help the US meet long-term climate goals, with the mechanism having little impact on economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report published Tuesday.

More than 300 businesses and investors active in the US have called on President Joe Biden to deliver a Paris Agreement target that roughly doubles the previous commitment made under Barack Obama’s administration, according to a letter published Tuesday. 

Transportation and Climate Initiative Program (TCI-P) jurisdictions should raise the proposed fuel sector carbon market’s minimum and reserve tier trigger prices, while providing additional clarity and responsibility for equity advisory groups, environmental organisations wrote in public comments.

Shipbrokers are launching dedicated carbon trading desks or forging ties with market experts ahead of looming regulation and amid rising interest in mitigating the climate impact of their voyages.

New research paper creates a database of CCS plants that were proposed and never built, underlying the false promise of "clean coal".

The post Carbon capture’s litany of failures laid bare in new report appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australia in 10th biggest burner of coal in the world, and has the fifth highest share of coal of total power generation.

The post Australia is world’s 10th biggest burner of thermal coal for power: report appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Scientists are starting to use genetic information from bacteria to measure the health of vast areas of the ocean. Eric Jorden Raes, Postdoctoral researcher Ocean Frontier Institute, Dalhousie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Māori treasure kiwi feathers for weaving cloaks for high-ranking people. But the bird's first description by European scientists is quite recent, based on a specimen that arrived in London in 1812. Paul Scofield, Adjunct professor, University of Canterbury Vanesa De Pietri, Fellow, University of Canterbury Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

EUAs hit an all-time high for the second straight day on Tuesday, but prices quickly fell back below €44 on losses put down to profit-taking.

The sponge species was unnamed for a decade before nine-year-old Sylvie suggested Parpal Dumplin.