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Gas generation declined again in first half of 2021, including in NSW where renewables now supply 17 times more electricity.

The post Gas generation slumps in first half of 2021, as wind and solar continue to shine appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The European Commission is considering broadening the scope of product benchmarks under the EU’s carbon market rules for industry to include clean production methods - a measure that could grant free allowances for green hydrogen or clean steel production, a senior EU official said.

Exclusive: Diplomatic email suggests whirlwind lobbying trip by Sussan Ley has won over at least nine of 21 members on World Heritage Committee

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Australia’s global lobbying offensive to keep the Great Barrier Reef off the world heritage “in danger” list has secured support from at least nine of the 21-member committee that will make the decision, according to a diplomatic email seen by Guardian Australia.

Australia’s Paris-based ambassador to Unesco, Megan Anderson, said in the email she believed the government had won enough support to delay the decision on the “in danger” listing until at least 2023.

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Monitoring suggests toxic smoke in Yakutsk is one of world’s worst ever air pollution events

• ‘Everything is on fire’: Siberia hit by unprecedented burning

A heatwave in one of the world’s coldest regions has sparked forest fires and threatened the Siberian city of Yakutsk with an “airpocalypse” of thick toxic smoke, atmospheric monitoring services have reported.

High levels of particulate matter and possibly also chemicals including ozone, benzene and hydrogen cyanide are thought likely to make this one of the world’s worst ever air pollution events.

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The US climate envoy, appointed by Joe Biden to spearhead the country’s international efforts to tackle the climate emergency, urged all large economies to come forward with new plans to cut emissions before the Cop26 UN climate talks in Glasgow this November.

‘While it may be unfolding in slow motion to some,’ he said, ‘this test is as acute and as existential as any previous one. Time is running out.’

• John Kerry: world leaders must step up to avoid worst impacts of climate crisis

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US climate envoy John Kerry says help from China is needed to avoid a dangerous rise in heat.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that current government spending on post-COVID recovery measures isn’t targeting sufficiently clean energy investment, and that carbon emissions may climb to record levels by 2023 as a result.

Reporting on the pandemic and global heating is an immense responsibility. More than ever we have to look to the possibility of positive change

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This time last year Victoria was enduring its long winter of Covid isolation. Other states were cautiously loosening restrictions. Most Australians were clinging to the assumption that the pandemic would end, sometime. Vaccines would be developed and, once we’d all got them, the threat would be over. We just had to hang in there until it was done.

Now the idea of a neat end point is far less certain because mutated versions of the virus keep slipping through our defences and closing down our lives again, just as we dare to make even the most modest of plans.

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US envoy uses landmark speech in London to make impassioned plea for unified global effort

The world still has a chance of staving off the worst impacts of climate breakdown but only if governments step up in the next few months with stronger commitments on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the US envoy for climate change has said.

John Kerry, appointed by Joe Biden to spearhead the US’s international efforts to tackle the crisis, urged all large economies to come forward with new plans to cut emissions before the Cop26 UN climate talks in Glasgow this November.

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China’s environment ministry on Tuesday reprimanded the Shanxi provincial government for failing to control coal consumption and not dealing with regulation breaches by corporations.

European carbon prices fell to the lower end of their recent range on Tuesday following a very weak auction result, and as energy markets and wider macro sentiment remained bearish.

Strong interest from speculative and voluntary buyers on Tuesday pushed the Australian offset price to a record high for the fourth consecutive trading session, while delivered credits to the government’s Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) is now within touching distance of the 70-million mark.

Joe Manchin owns millions of dollars in coal stock, founded an energy firm and Exxon lobbyists brag about their access to him. Republicans fundraise on his behalf

As “thousand-year” heat waves caused by the climate crisis rock the west coast and biblical floods engulf major cities, Senate Democrats are negotiating a $3.5tn budget package that could include an attempt to slow the use of fossil fuels over the next decade.

One prominent senator is very concerned about proposals to scale back oil, gas and coal usage. He recently argued that those who want to “get rid of” fossil fuels are wrong. Eliminating fossil fuels won’t help fight global heating, he claimed, against all evidence. “If anything, it would be worse.”

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Support for coal, oil and gas remains high despite pledges to tackle climate crisis

The G20 countries have provided more than $3.3tn (£2.4tn) in subsidies for fossil fuels since the Paris climate agreement was sealed in 2015, a report shows, despite many committing to tackle the crisis.

This backing for coal, oil and gas is “​​reckless” in the face of the escalating climate emergency, according to the report’s authors, and urgent action is needed to phase out the support. The $3.3tn could have built solar plants equivalent to three times the US electricity grid, the report says.

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Retailer Flow Power has begun construction at two small solar farms in South Australia, the first it owns and operates directly.

The post Flow Power starts production at its first two solar farms in South Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Record wind output on Australia's main grid on Tuesday afternoon, with a big boost from South Australia.

The post Australian wind output record smashed after big boost from South Australia appeared first on RenewEconomy.

CEO of Copperstring 2.0 in north Queensland says largest geographic expansion of the NEM has been projected to unlock $60bn in new energy investment, alone.

The post Copperstring 2.0 promises $60 billion in new investment – and that’s just in energy appeared first on RenewEconomy.

This summer’s group photography exhibition at Bildhalle, Zurich, explores the theme of oceans, taken from the perspective of viewers standing on the shore

• Ocean runs at Bildhalle, Zurich, 15 July to 25 September

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Exclusive: Stars, activists, conservationists and Prince Albert of Monaco unite in support of Unesco’s recommendation to world heritage committee

An international line-up of actors, conservationists and scientists, including Joanna Lumley and Hollywood star Jason Momoa, has backed calls for the Great Barrier Reef to be placed on a list of world heritage sites in danger.

“The scientific evidence is beyond doubt: the Great Barrier Reef is in danger and it is time to act,” the group said in a global statement released to Guardian Australia.

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The Palaszczuk Government has taken another important step towards establishing Queensland’s credentials as a leading generator of renewable energy jobs.

The post World-leading certification guarantees ‘renewable’ hydrogen in Queensland appeared first on RenewEconomy.