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The smell, the noise the dust: my neighbour, the factory farm | Tom Levitt

The Guardian - Wed, 2019-07-24 21:09

Industrial farms are spreading across Europe. Greenpeace campaigners went to talk to the people who live close by

Warning: readers may find one of the images below upsetting

What is life like for people living next door to an industrial-scale livestock farm, and how does it affect their daily lives? Greenpeace campaigners visited animal farms and their surrounding communities in France, Denmark, Spain and Italy between December 2018 and March 2019 to find out.

There are more than 330m cows, sheep and pigs in the EU, with a further several billion chickens reared and slaughtered every year. The growth of Europe’s animal farming sector has seen it exceed what scientists have claimed are safe bounds for greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient flows and biodiversity loss. This has lead to calls from campaign groups for a halving of meat and dairy production by 2050.

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Australia opens ninth ERF auction amid low expectations

Carbon Pulse - Wed, 2019-07-24 18:08
The ninth auction of Australia’s Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) opened Wednesday, but experts expect the round to produce low volumes at subdued prices.
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‘It carried our dog away’: are the UK’s seagulls getting more aggressive?

The Guardian - Wed, 2019-07-24 16:00
A chihuahua in Devon was recently taken by a swooping bird – and there have been countless other accounts of seagull attacks. Has there been a sudden change in the birds’ behaviour?

A slight ripple in the wind behind me, the briefest graze of my hair and, within a split second, the ice-cream cone had been snatched from my hand. One second I was holding a mint choc chip, the next I wasn’t. It was so fast, and the raid so precise, I didn’t really see it happen – just a vision of the gull’s tail feathers as it took to the sky.

I share my south-coast town with the gulls and you learn to be wary of them. Once, one landed on our table outside a fish and chip shop and made off with half our dinner. They nest noisily on our roof and like to wake us up at 5am every morning; they rip open the rubbish sacks people leave on the streets and creep close on the beach, looking for snacks.

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Fecal bacteria found at more than half of US beaches last year, report says

The Guardian - Wed, 2019-07-24 16:00

Beaches were deemed unsafe on at least a quarter of days tested and climate crisis will likely increase the pollution

Before diving into the waves this summer, beachgoers in the US might like to do some homework on what they will be diving into, according to a new report.

The Environment America Research and Policy Center (EARPC) found that more than half of American beaches were home to potentially dangerous levels of fecal bacteria at some point last year.

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CER sees renewables momentum growing in post-RET energy market

RenewEconomy - Wed, 2019-07-24 15:49

low cost Closeup Shot of Solar Panel - optimisedClean Energy Regulator estimates large-scale renewable generation will increase from 2018 levels of 22,000 gigawatt-hours to around 40,000GWh in 2020.

The post CER sees renewables momentum growing in post-RET energy market appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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UN boss asks all countries, including Australia, to plan for zero emissions

RenewEconomy - Wed, 2019-07-24 14:28

antonio guterres un secretary general speech climate change united nations - optimisedUN Secretary General has calls on global leaders, including Scott Morrison, to come to the Climate Action Summit with concrete plans to lift climate action.

The post UN boss asks all countries, including Australia, to plan for zero emissions appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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GE Renewables unveils components for world’s biggest wind turbine

RenewEconomy - Wed, 2019-07-24 13:38

GE haliadeGE Renewables unveils first components for its world-leading 12 MW Haliade-X offshore wind turbine.

The post GE Renewables unveils components for world’s biggest wind turbine appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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South Korea unveils plans for 2.1GW floating solar plant

RenewEconomy - Wed, 2019-07-24 13:36

South Korea will develop a 2.1 GW floating solar power plant which, upon completion, will be 14-times larger than the world’s largest floating project.

The post South Korea unveils plans for 2.1GW floating solar plant appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Berkeley became first US city to ban natural gas. Here's what that may mean for the future

The Guardian - Wed, 2019-07-24 13:34

The California city on Tuesday voted to ban natural gas hook-ups in new buildings, in a historic move

Berkeley this week became the first city in the United States to ban natural, fossil gas hook-ups in new buildings.

The landmark ordinance was passed into law on Tuesday, after being approved unanimously by the city council the previous week amid resounding public support.

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Historic Shipwreck looted off Vic coast

Department of the Environment - Wed, 2019-07-24 13:22
The iron steamer SS Alert has been reported as looted by divers . Wrecked in 1893, and located within a protected zone declared under the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018. The site sits at a depth of 80 meters, well beyond the capacity of...
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New legislation for Australia to protect Underwater Cultural Heritage

Department of the Environment - Wed, 2019-07-24 13:19
On 1 July 2019 Australia repealed the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 and commenced the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018. The new Act broadens protection to aircraft and other underwater cultural heritage in Commonwealth waters, recognises human...
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New legislation for Australia to protect Underwater Cultural Heritage

Department of the Environment - Wed, 2019-07-24 13:19
On 1 July 2019 Australia repealed the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 and commenced the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018. The new Act broadens protection to aircraft and other underwater cultural heritage in Commonwealth waters, recognises human...
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Kellogg’s signs with solar farm to take NSW operations 100% renewable

RenewEconomy - Wed, 2019-07-24 13:13

Kellogg’s Australia to become the latest corporate entity to commit to sourcing the equivalent of 100 per cent of its electricity needs from renewables.

The post Kellogg’s signs with solar farm to take NSW operations 100% renewable appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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BHP casts doubt on renewables as it commits $US400m to cut emissions

RenewEconomy - Wed, 2019-07-24 10:21

BHP coal mining climate change announcement nuclear renewables CCSBHP voices concerns about land use of renewables in establishing $US400m fund to reduce emissions across its entire value chain.

The post BHP casts doubt on renewables as it commits $US400m to cut emissions appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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New demand-response energy rules sound good, but the devil is in the (hugely complicated) details

The Conversation - Wed, 2019-07-24 10:07
Proposed rules for managing energy demand could potentially lower prices and reduce blackout risk, but there are reasons to be skeptical. Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
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Stopping child marriage with solar lanterns

BBC - Wed, 2019-07-24 09:19
Girls in Ethiopia are being given solar lamps to help stop child marriage and keep them in school.
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The horrific consequences of rubber's toxic past

BBC - Wed, 2019-07-24 09:10
The appalling treatment of Congo's rubber workers led to the world's first photographic human rights campaign.
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Extinction Rebellion protesters confront politicians at US Capitol

The Guardian - Wed, 2019-07-24 08:57

Climate crisis group members gluing themselves to doorways to block members of Congress from attending evening vote

Protesters from the climate crisis group Extinction Rebellion are causing disruption at the US Capitol in Washington, confronting politicians and glueing themselves to doorways in order to block them.

Six protesters blocked two doorways connecting the Cannon building to the US Capitol in an attempt to stop members of Congress from attending an evening vote.

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Queensland shortlists 10 big renewable and storage projects for CleanCo contracts

RenewEconomy - Wed, 2019-07-24 08:18

acciona solar farm panels queensland-2Queensland announces 10 wind, solar and battery storage projects that will compete for contracts with newly formed CleanCo.

The post Queensland shortlists 10 big renewable and storage projects for CleanCo contracts appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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CP Daily: Tuesday July 23, 2019

Carbon Pulse - Wed, 2019-07-24 08:10
A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.
Categories: Around The Web

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