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Prosecution seen as key test of Queensland’s ability to hold mining companies to account

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The failed Queensland energy company Linc Energy has been slapped with one of the state’s largest environmental fines and ordered to pay $4.5m for contaminating farmland in the state’s western downs.

Judge Michael Shanahan said the company’s actions amounted to “ecological vandalism”.

But questions remain about whether the company’s liquidators, who pleaded not guilty but chose not to mount a defence in the Brisbane district court, can be forced to pay the fine and an estimated $72m cleanup bill.

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Both ExxonMobil and Chevron seem to bet against the world achieving the Paris Climate Agreement goal of keeping global temperature increase well below 2°C over pre-industrial times—and striving to limit warming to 1.5°C.

The Assistant Minister has approved the inclusion of 41 species, transfer of 6 species, removal of 3 species on the list of threatened species under the EPBC Act.

Frydenberg says NEG offers "best chance" for coal, says rapid decarbonisation would cause "lights to go out", and resumes attack on AGL and Labor's renewables target.

Developing nations want to ban fossil fuel interests from participating in, and sponsoring, UN climate talks - much to the chagrin of countries like US and Australia.

Tesla big battery accounts for just 2% of capacity in South Australia's ancillary services market, but in just four months it has grabbed a 55% market share and slashed prices by 90%.

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A deadly fungus that has devastated amphibian populations worldwide probably originated in East Asia, new research suggests.

Carbon prices on both North American coasts stalled this week as participants found little incentive to trade ahead of the next round of quarterly auctions.

Historically, small landowners have had a difficult time accessing carbon markets in which to sell their forest-based offsets.

Glowing blue algae have transformed California's coast.

Rapidly dropping temperatures, rain and wind are hitting south-eastern Australia, due to a perfect combination of warm seas and low-pressure systems. Adam Morgan, Senior Meteorologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Cutting Nasa's research jeopardises the ability to measure climate change progress, a journal reveals.

Scientists tested nine different masks bought from Beijing, with variable results

We are all familiar with images of Beijing citizens wearing masks, but do they work? Scientists from Edinburgh’s Institute for Occupational Medicine tested nine different masks bought from Beijing shops. Generally, the filter in each mask worked well, the best stopped over 99% of the particle pollution and the worst stopped 70% to 80%. Next, volunteers wore the masks in a test chamber filled with diesel exhaust. Pollution inside the mask was measured as they walked, nodded and talked. One mask stopped 90% of the particle pollution while others offered almost no protection. The tightness of fit was crucial. Facial hair prevents a good seal and the fit also depends on the shape of the user’s face. If it fits well then breathing through a mask is not easy. Wearing a mask could therefore pose problems for people who already have breathing or heart difficulties. So, face masks are not the answer to our problems. Walking alongside quiet instead of busy roads can help, and generally you will experience less pollution if you walk or cycle rather than sit in a car, but the best route to clean air is not masks. We need reduce the pollution in our cities.

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Development could transform how one of the world’s most common materials is made

Technology has been unveiled that could drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions from aluminium production, in a development that could transform the way one of the world’s most common materials is made.

Aluminium is used to make cars, construction materials, industrial machinery, electrical products, drinks cans, foil packaging and much more. But its production relies on processes that have changed little since the 1880s when the first smelting processes were pioneered.

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Scientists have isolated the gene responsible for temperature-controlled sex determination in turtles.

Governments have agreed to hold an extra week of negotiations on international emissions trade and other rules under the 2015 Paris Agreement, as two weeks of UN climate talks in Bonn ended Thursday yielding little progress.

Removing too much trackside vegetation harms the environment, wildlife charities say.

A bill to expand Connecticut’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and revise the state’s energy plan passed a final floor vote in the House on Wednesday, but not before some legislators unsuccessfully tried to put forth an amendment amidst backlash from environmental groups.

Green group The Nature Conservancy and insurance company XL Catlin have teamed up to develop ‘Blue Carbon Resilience Credits’ for marketing the benefits of ecosystems that combine carbon sequestration and climate change resiliency.