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Brazil finalises lower RenovaBio targets as biofuel credit trade picks up
'Shocking': wilderness the size of Mexico lost worldwide in just 13 years, study finds
Researchers say loss of 1.9m square kilometres of intact ecosystems will have ‘profound implications’ for biodiversity
Wilderness across the planet is disappearing on a huge scale, according to a new study that found human activities had converted an area the size of Mexico from virtually intact natural landscapes to heavily modified ones in just 13 years.
The loss of 1.9m square kilometres (735,000 sq miles) of intact ecosystems would have “profound implications” for the planet’s biodiversity, the study’s authors said.
Continue reading...EU Midday Market Briefing
Activists sue ministers over release of game birds for shooting
Wild Justice accuses government of breaching duty to protect conservation sites
Conservation activists are suing the UK government over the release of millions of game birds on to land which is home to rare and threatened species.
The campaign group Wild Justice accuses ministers of breaching their legal duties to protect sites of high conservation value in England by failing to control the use of large areas of countryside to shoot pheasant and red-legged partridge for sport.
Continue reading...CN Markets: Pilot market data for week ending Sep. 18, 2020
Top economist says South Australia should join California ETS
Carbon neutral LNG faces uphill battle in China, gas distributor says
Delays to clean air zones in English cities 'put wellbeing at risk'
Councils have put off plans for zones in Birmingham, Leeds and elsewhere owing to Covid
Health experts have warned that delays to proposed clean air zones in cities including Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds pose a risk to the nation’s wellbeing.
Clean air zones (CAZs) are areas in which drivers of polluting vehicles are charged to enter city centres in an effort to improve air quality. With air pollution at illegal levels in many locations for the past decade, causing thousands of deaths a year, local authorities nationwide had announced plans to introduce the zones.
Continue reading...Australia's stinging trees: if the snakes and spiders don't get you, the plants might | Irina Vetter, Edward Kalani Gilding and Thomas Durek
Noxious nettles with venom similar to that of scorpions are helping scientists understand pain and how to control it
Australia is home to some of the world’s most dangerous wildlife. Anyone who spends time outdoors in eastern Australia is wise to keep an eye out for snakes, spiders, swooping birds, crocodiles, deadly cone snails and tiny toxic jellyfish.
But what not everybody knows is that even some of the trees will get you.
Continue reading...Cleaning volunteers asked to record plastic PPE found on UK beaches
Beach clean organiser wants to assess amount of masks and gloves discarded during coronavirus crisis
Volunteers in this year’s Great British Beach Clean are being asked to record the personal protective equipment (PPE) they find, to get a clearer picture of the volume of plastic masks and gloves discarded during the coronavirus pandemic and their impact on the environment.
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS), which organises the annual September event, is urging people to organise their own surveys with smaller groups of friends, family and “bubbles”, in line with government guidance.
Continue reading...JinkoSolar is Number 1 on Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition’s Latest Scorecard
JinkoSolar is the top manufacturer in Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition’s (“SVTC”) latest Solar Scorecard.
The post JinkoSolar is Number 1 on Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition’s Latest Scorecard appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Too much regulation could limit innovation in rooftop solar and battery storage
Rather than putting our focus on regulation which looks at safety, reliability and market mechanisms, we need to turn our attention towards innovation as our solution.
The post Too much regulation could limit innovation in rooftop solar and battery storage appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Snowy 2.0 rapidly turning into “$10 billion white elephant,” experts say
Open letter to the PM warns that Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project will blow out to roughly double original cost estimates to around $10 billion.
The post Snowy 2.0 rapidly turning into “$10 billion white elephant,” experts say appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Three little PV pigs: UNSW PhD candidate’s winning tale of solar cell efficiency
University of NSW delivers reminder of its world-leading role in solar research and development - using three pigs, three home solar systems, and just 180 seconds.
The post Three little PV pigs: UNSW PhD candidate’s winning tale of solar cell efficiency appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Energy Insiders Podcast: Coalition’s gas plans, changing ARENA into ACCSA, and Battery Day
The Coalition’s energy week begins with big gas plans and finishes with more support for carbon capture and storage. And we talk to lithium market expert Rod Hooper ahead of Tesla’s Battery Day.
The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Coalition’s gas plans, changing ARENA into ACCSA, and Battery Day appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Bob Brown report questions viability of Tasmania’s Battery of the Nation plan
Report commissioned by Bob Brown Foundation questions viability of Marinus Link and Battery of Nation project, saying battery storage may be cheaper and smarter plan.
The post Bob Brown report questions viability of Tasmania’s Battery of the Nation plan appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Does Scott Morrison have any idea what a big battery can actually do?
It appears that Scott Morrison and his advisors know more about the Big Banana and the Kardashians than they do about big batteries. And that's a problem.
The post Does Scott Morrison have any idea what a big battery can actually do? appeared first on RenewEconomy.
“First of its kind” solar panel upcycling plant on cards after federal grant win
Melbourne-based company wins grant to set up first of its kind solar panel "upcycling plant," to transform solar panel waste into value-added materials.
The post “First of its kind” solar panel upcycling plant on cards after federal grant win appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Volumes rise at Australia ERF auction, but prices see slight drop
Competition Tribunal rejects restrictions to “buy now pay later” for rooftop solar
Australian Competition Tribunal rejects rule changes aimed at restricting access to buy-now-pay-later rooftop solar finance, arguing they would do more harm than good to consumers.
The post Competition Tribunal rejects restrictions to “buy now pay later” for rooftop solar appeared first on RenewEconomy.