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For the past two and a half million years, Earth has experienced regular ice ages, but with carbon dioxide levels now over 400 parts per million, the next ice age is postponed for a very long time. James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

What can we do to meet the demands of our increasingly technology-dependent lives?

You love your dog and want it to have a happy life, so often buy it treats to eat and toys to play with. But how can you make sure you’re not causing damage to the planet? And are different types of dogs better suited to particular environments?

Australian energy major AGL launches plan for electric vehicle drivers to earn credits towards bills reducing household costs and offsetting higher purchase price of EVs.

The post AGL upgrades EV charging plan in bid to engage electric drivers appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A new report injects hope into the climate fight with a list of 10 measures – using current technologies – that can keep global warming to well below 2°C. But not at the current rate of progress, and not without the support of good policy.

The post 10 ways technology can meet the Paris climate targets appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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

Your downloadable guide to the UK's energy system and why it must change to meet climate pledges.

Cities have a bad reputation for pollution but - in terms of climate change - that might be unfair.

The Swedish environmentalist was one of several who spoke at a Senate climate crisis task force

At a meeting of the Senate climate crisis task force on Tuesday, lawmakers praised a group of young activists for their leadership, their gumption and their display of wisdom far beyond their years. They then asked the teens for advice on how Congress might combat one of the most urgent and politically contentious threats confronting world leaders: climate change.

Related: UN hosts drive to suck back carbon and reverse climate change

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Ahead of the UN climate summit, we take stock of the world's best and worst performers on climate action - including some surprise success stories. Bill Hare, Director, Climate Analytics, Adjunct Professor, Murdoch University (Perth), Visiting scientist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Climate change is a super-wicked problem. With a growing sense of urgency to act on climate change, it is vital we strike a balance between encouraging action and limiting pushback. David Hall, Senior Researcher in Politics, Auckland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) jurisdictions in the Northeast US have discussed a voluntary phase for the proposed carbon market, while stakeholders continue to urge the programme to shift compliance obligations to the wholesale rack, regulatory sources said.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) signed an executive order Tuesday setting out the decarbonisation of the electricity sector by mid-century, a move that could impact the state’s future participation in the Northeast US RGGI ETS.

Astronomers report measurements from a presumed interstellar comet, providing clues about its chemical composition.

Brazilian meat company which has supplied McDonald’s and Burger King bought cattle from farm using deforested land earlier this year, investigation shows

The world’s biggest supplier of burgers sourced meat from a farmer in the Amazon who had been found guilty of using deforested land, say reports, even as new figures reveal the beef industry’s deforestation risks.

Marfrig, a Brazilian meat company that has supplied McDonald’s, Burger King and other fast-food chains around the world, bought cattle from a farm that had been using deforested land earlier this year, according to a joint investigation by Repórter Brasil and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

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Wild relatives of food crops, such as wheat, host an abundant array of genetic material to help the plants cope with a changing climate.

The Nova Scotia government has issued a request for proposals (RFPs) to assess the potential for incorporating compliance-based offsets in the jurisdiction's new ETS.

Research finds black carbon breathed by mothers can cross into unborn children

Air pollution particles have been found on the foetal side of placentas, indicating that unborn babies are directly exposed to the black carbon produced by motor traffic and fuel burning.

The research is the first study to show the placental barrier can be penetrated by particles breathed in by the mother. It found thousands of the tiny particles per cubic millimetre of tissue in every placenta analysed.

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UK government says it expects disease to arrive within a year as China ditches pork tariffs

South Korea is the latest country to confirm an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF), as the UK government has said it expects the disease to arrive within a year.

In the midst of what has been described as the “largest ever animal disease outbreak”, China announced this week that it was ditching its pork tariffs. China, the largest pork consuming and producing country in the world, has been hit particularly hard by ASF, a disease that is fatal for pigs and extremely contagious.

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The Colombian region of Boyaca will launch Latin America's first emissions trading scheme next month.