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Human destruction of nature has led to the extinction of many plants and animals.

Leaders prepare to discuss the destruction of the natural world as the international community negotiates a set of targets for the next decade

• All eyes on China: what to look out for at the UN biodiversity summit

4.19pm BST

Protecting at least 30% of land and sea is the headline target of the draft Kunming agreement for the next decade’s biodiversity targets. But Indian indigenous youth activist Archana Soreng has warned that it could be the “biggest land grab in history”.

Removing indigenous communities from their land to protect nature is “colonial and environmentally damaging”, the member of the Khadia tribe continues, warning that human rights could be abused en masse in the name of conservation if world leaders are not careful with how the implement protections.

Related: Planetary ‘safety net’ could halt wildlife loss and slow climate breakdown

4.10pm BST

Prince Charles is speaking as we get towards the end of the introduction, telling the summit that he was immensely flattered to be invited. The Prince’s comments are focused on what he calls a “blue-green recovery”, talking of an urgent need to embrace circular economics with a Marshall plan for nature. Establishing functioning carbon markets, developing carbon capture and storage, and creating a market for ecosystem services are all key, he says.

“We are at the last hour. We know what we need to do. Let’s get on with it,” the Prince concludes.

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Consumers can get vouchers to install insulation, double glazing, smart controls and more

Homeowners in England can now apply for vouchers worth between £5,000 and £10,000 to make their homes more energy efficient under the government’s Green Homes Grant scheme.

From Wednesday, homeowners can apply for a government grant to fund energy efficient improvements.

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The future gets described in confusing ways. Things that are likely, improbable and impossible are constantly muddled. As RenewEconomy has documented for a good part of the past decade, the recent history of clean energy has sat in the middle of this muddled language. Many have peeked into the future, and declared the rapid growth...

The post A rapid Chinese energy transition is far more feasible than you might think appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Hear how to make the leap to smart, sustainable transport in this first in a series of webinars to discuss the global transition to electric vehicles.

The post Webinar: The EV transition – Policy and practice appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Ground controllers say the leak is coming from a Russian module on the International Space Station.

UK retailer worked with dairy farms to end use of destructive cattle feed, but critics say move could ‘shift problem elsewhere’

UK retailer Marks & Spencer has eliminated soya from the production of all its milk as part of its commitment to end deforestation in its supply chain.

The high street chain says it has worked with the 44 British farmers producing M&S RSPCA Assured milk to replace soya feed with alternatives such as rapeseed oil and sugar beet – avoiding the use of nearly 4,000 tonnes of soya each year. The retailer sells an estimated 160m pints of milk in its UK stores and through Ocado annually.

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Mr Brown, known as the Berlin patient, was cured after a bone marrow transplant to treat leukaemia.

The annual photography competition devoted to close-up, macro and micro shots has announced its winning image, taken by Galice Hoarau, a French professor of marine molecular ecology. His night-time shot of an eel larva won CUPOTY, and was chosen from more than 6,000 entries from 52 countries. Here is a selection of the best

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Turnbull says there is no such thing as cheap gas on the east coast of Australia, because of the cost of getting it out of the ground.

The post Turnbull says gas is “bonkers”, Australia may have to face frontier carbon taxes appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Former UK climate minister John Gummer says Australian politicians still haven't accepted that climate change is happening and that they have a responsibility to act. 

The post “Australia is not an exception:” Gummer slams climate go-slow in Canberra appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Victorian Government is helping local businesses use more renewable energy technologies that reduce electricity costs, create jobs and support clean power.

The post Bringing clean energy to regional Victorian communities appeared first on RenewEconomy.

S.A-based Green Gold Energy reveals plans for two new solar farms totalling more than 300MW in south east region of state.

The post Plans revealed for two new big solar farms in South Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.

AGL today announced it had completed the acquisition of Click Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of ASX-listed amaysim Australia Limited, for $115 million

The post AGL finalises acquisition of Click Energy appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Regulator finalises "light touch" changes to market rules that will prevent wind and solar dropping capacity with no notice when prices go negative.

The post Regulator seeks quick fix to stop wind and solar farms ducking out of market appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Pledges are made to distract and placate us - but at this years UN biodiversity summit public anger cannot be extinguished

It’s the hope I can’t stand. Every few years, governments gather to make solemn promises about the action they will take to defend the living world, then break them before the ink is dry. Today, at the virtual UN summit on biodiversity, they will move themselves to tears with the thought of the grand things they will do, then turn off their computers and sign another mining lease.

Ten years ago, at the last summit, world leaders made a similar set of “inspirational” promises. Analysis published a fortnight ago showed that, of the 20 pledges agreed at Nagoya in Japan in 2010, not one has been met. The collapse of wildlife populations and our life-support systems has continued unabated: the world has now lost 68% of its wild vertebrates since 1970. It sounds brutal to say that these meetings are a total waste of time. But this is a generous assessment. By creating a false impression of progress, by assuaging fear and fobbing us off, these summits are a means not of accelerating action but thwarting it.

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NSW energy minister Matt Kean breaks ranks with federal Liberal party colleagues, saying clean energy, not gas, is key to long term Australian prosperity.

The post NSW energy minister says ‘the business case for gas is on the clock’ appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Tesla has been putting prototypes of its energy dense, high nickel 4680 cells into vehicles for some months, Elon Musk says.

The post Tesla has been using high-energy nickel 4680 batteries for months appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Zibelman says renewables share will approach 70 per cent "regularly" by 2030, but engineering and economics has and will cut through the politics.

The post “We cut through the politics:” Zibelman says rapid transition to renewables “not a choice” appeared first on RenewEconomy.

ESB chair Kerry Schott on why new market design will take grid beyond "engineers in brown cardigans" and governments that "buggerise around".

The post “We are headed for step change:” ESB’s Kerry Schott on new market design appeared first on RenewEconomy.