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Exclusive: UN group responds to Scott Morrison’s statement that Australia won’t be ‘throwing money’ into fund

An official United Nations grouping of 47 of the world’s poorest countries has urged Australia to “honour its international commitments” after the prime minister, Scott Morrison, said the country would not be “throwing money” into a key international climate change fund.

Australia has previously pledged $200m to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), set up through the UN’s climate convention to help developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change and cut their own greenhouse gas emissions.

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Networks have gone from raising the drawbridge to lowering it, inviting new technologies and ideas on to their platform. Soon they'll be competing for the consumer.

The post Ausgrid looks to community batteries, getting “closer” to consumers appeared first on RenewEconomy.

As energy minister Angus Taylor continues his campaign for "fair dinkum" power, AEMO boss Audrey Zibelman points to the 6.5 solar panels being installed every minute and the falling cost of renewables, and says Australia has no choice but to embrace the future.

The post Two visions of Australia’s energy future – flexible vs fair dinkum appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Coalition's energy policy looks stupid, and the election can't come quick enough. But there are some important things happening in grid investments and regulatory tests.

The post Know your NEM: Coalition looks stupid to anyone with an education appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Spanish government agrees to scrap much-reviled tax on solar self-consumption, brings in new rules removing all costs and barriers to self-consumed power.

The post Spain scraps “sun tax,” moves to boost solar self-consumption appeared first on RenewEconomy.

1MW plant signals new beginning for Chernobyl, where as much as 100MW of PV generation is expected to be built at the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster.

The post Solar brings new energy to Chernobyl nuclear disaster zone appeared first on RenewEconomy.

‘This is not good news,’ Bureau of Meteorology says, warning drought conditions could get worse

Heatwaves and bushfires are predicted in southern Australia thanks to a 70% chance of El Niño weather conditions, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned. Although cyclones may ease up in the north by the end of the year, the outlook for drought-hit areas is not good, according to the bureau.

“Between the [above average] temperature and the lack of rainfall, this is not good news,” climatologist Robyn Duell said. “This outlook on the back of such little rainfall and dry conditions makes it such a worry for people.”

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Seattle residents had hoped to use ‘necessity defense’ in Minnesota court, arguing threat to planet was so great they had no choice

A Minnesota judge abruptly dismissed charges against three climate change activists during their trial on Tuesday, saying prosecutors had failed to prove that the protesters’ attempt to shut down two Enbridge Energy oil pipelines caused any damage.

The Clearwater county district judge Robert Tiffany threw the case out after prosecutors rested their case and before the protesters could use their defense: that the threat of climate change from using crude oil drilled from Canadian tar sands was so imminent that the activists’ actions were not only morally right, but necessary.

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Could targeting profits linked to the illegal wildlife trade help protect threatened species?

Tesla's "mass market" EV given top billing by US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for lowest and second lowest probability of injury rating of all cars tested.

The post Tesla’s Model 3 billed as safest car ever tested appeared first on RenewEconomy.

How do scientists in the Antarctic minimise the waste generated by their research stations?

Research in Taiwan has show a link between very high levels of air pollution and oral cancer

High levels of air pollution are linked to an increased risk of mouth cancer, new research has revealed.

Scientists have previously linked high air pollution to a host of health problems, from an increased risk of dementia to asthma and even changes in the structure of the heart, with recent research suggesting there is no “safe level” of air pollution.

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New rules will increase cost of installing car chargers, and could cause major headaches for strata managers unless combined with ‘demand management’ software.

The post New rules to increase cost of EV charger installs in Australia/NZ appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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

California Carbon Offsets (CCOs) were held in Ontario-registered accounts when the government opted to cancel the province's carbon market and freeze all trading, an Ontario government official confirmed on Tuesday.

Study of consumers who intend to purchase a new car in next three years found two out of three considering going electric.

The post One-third of Australian drivers looking to buy EV: Nissan appeared first on RenewEconomy.

EU carbon prices fell by more than a euro amid declining energy prices and technical selling on Tuesday, continuing the previous session’s slide back from a two-week high.

After the warmest month on record, it looks like Australia will have an El Niño event – which means the drought is likely to continue. Skie Tobin, Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Catherine Ganter, Senior Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Robyn Duell, Senior Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Climate policy featured as one of the contentious topics during California’s lone gubernatorial debate on Monday as the leading candidate suggested he would use increased measures to curb fossil fuel use in the state if elected next month.

It look two hours to free the new-born humpback whale, off Australia's Gold Coast.