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EU ETS emissions fell by 4% in 2018 to resume their annual downtrend, according to preliminary like-for-like data released by the European Commission on Monday.

From financial struggles to arguing with vegans, Sally Urwin’s new book lifts the lid on farming

Spring in the countryside near Hadrian’s Wall is a scenic season for visitors, all grassy meadows and lambs gambolling in the sunshine. But it’s hard labour for Sally Urwin. The small, cheerful Northumbrian farmer is lambing from 6am to 9pm every day (her husband, Steve, takes the night shift). Her first book, a diary of a year on their 80-hectare (200-acre) farm, has been published, meaning Urwin must also take a bottle-fed lamb to various “scary” literary festivals. Then, looming over every family farm like a particularly black rain cloud, is Brexit.

Farmers have a reputation for looking on the gloomy side of life, but Urwin, 44, is a naturally upbeat person. A Farmer’s Diary combines humour and the stark reality of modern farming, often in the same anecdote, such as the moment the “knacker van”, filled with a pungent pile of dead ewes, drives into their yard just as guests assemble for a wedding party.

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Labor's ambitious plans to reduce transport emissions will be dead in the water without regulatory CO2 emission standards and real financial and non-financial incentives for buyers. Anna Mortimore, Lecturer, Griffith Business School, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Romeo, known as the world's loneliest frog, had spent 10 years living in isolation at an aquarium.

New Zealand carbon allowances moved higher again in Monday trade amid healthy demand from emitters looking to hedge against the risk of the NZ$25 fixed price option changes.

Party says allowing heavy polluters to use international permits to meet emissions reduction targets allows companies to ‘keep polluting at home’

The Greens are positioning to torpedo a key element of Labor’s new climate policy in the event Bill Shorten wins the federal election in May, telegraphing strong opposition to heavy polluters using international permits to meet their emissions reduction targets.

The thumbs-down from the Greens, who will likely be the critical Senate bloc post-election in the event of a Labor victory, comes as the politically influential motoring lobby has also signalled it will push back on Labor’s proposal to introduce vehicle efficiency standards for light vehicles that would bring Australia broadly into line with carbon pollutions standards for cars in the US.

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Will any of these policies have a real impact on the bigger project of reducing the effects of climate change?

The plan includes a cap on emissions for the nation's 250 biggest polluters, emissions standards for the transport industry and an electric car target.

Scientists found the song Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites led to mosquitoes attacking hosts less often.

Japan’s sakura (cherry blossom) season has officially begun, with crowds flocking to parks to photograph the early blooms

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Ausgrid and Reposit launch trial 1MW virtual power plant linking the rooftop solar and battery storage of 233 customers across 170 suburbs.

The post Ausgrid and Reposit unveil 1MW virtual power plant appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Audi adds another all-electric vehicle to its belt, this time an A4-sized sedan, and makes plans to launch electric Q2 in China.

The post Audi says electric sedan on its way, electric Q2 coming soon appeared first on RenewEconomy.

AEMO is warning of a potential gas shortage, but is basing that call on information from the industry - which wants to drill, frack and extract.

The post AEMO says we’re running out of gas – again appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Hyundai Kona is described as a “game-changer” for electric vehicles in Australia, delivering a long range option at a cheaper price than before. So how does it rate?

The post The Driven Podcast: Test driving the long range electric Kona appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Where rapid structural change happens due to closures of large coal plants in regional areas, it is important to have measures in place to ease the transition.

The post Bad news. Closing coal-fired power stations costs jobs. We need to prepare appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Australia’s opposition Labor party will introduce a baseline-and-crediting scheme building on the Safeguard Mechanism with tougher CO2 targets and access to international offsets if it wins next month’s election, it said Monday.

Former innovation minister Matt Kean appointed minister for the newly combined energy and environment portfolio in the re-elected Berejiklian government.

The post NSW merges energy and environment portfolios, puts Matt Kean in charge appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Draft Recovery Plan for the Greater Bilby has been released for a three month public consultation period, closing 12 July 2019.

The Draft Recovery Plan for the Greater Bilby has been released for a three month public consultation period, closing 12 July 2019.

The ALP's “Climate Change Action Plan” proposes to introduce a more robust ‘baseline and credit’ scheme under the government’s safeguard mechanism framework.

The post Labor climate policy: Implications for the Safeguard 2.0 market appeared first on RenewEconomy.