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Experts found 60% of the EU’s agricultural soils had been degraded, with about 40% similarly damaged in the UK

More than 60% of the EU’s agricultural soils are degraded due to intensive agriculture, with similar damage to about 40% of British soils, a report has found.

Experts from the Save Soil initiative said nourishing and restoring agricultural soils could reduce the impact of the climate crisis and provide protection against the worsening extremes of weather, as well as the food shortages and price rises likely to accompany them.

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Data from Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator (CER) showed a small uptick in Kyoto-era carbon credits being cancelled in Australia’s national accounts last month, as businesses hope the new government sticks with its voluntary Climate Active scheme.

Giles and David unpack the key takeaways, from rising project costs to policy challenges, and what it all means for Australia’s energy transition.

The post Video: Rising costs, vanishing moderates, and the race to net zero appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world

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NSW launches new tender for long duration storage, seeking at least 1 GW of capacity by 2034 - ahead of the planned closure of the last of its coal generators.

The post NSW launches new tender for 1 GW of long duration storage, with longer timelines for pumped hydro appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Tilt Renewables boss says battery costs are falling rapidly, but he is by shocked the rising cost of civil construction, like concrete slabs. It's a major problem for the energy transition.

The post Renewables boss shocked by plunging price of battery storage, and soaring cost of a concrete slab appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has accredited four validation and verification bodies (VVBs) to operate within its long-delayed regulated carbon market, and is seeing interest from domestic developers, though the details of the fledgling scheme remain hazy.

Tilt Renewables CEO Anthony Fowler on plans for first giga-scale wind project in NSW, and its first battery projects. Plus: Election washup and NSW grid access rights.

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Tilt hones in on wind and batteries appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Residents say litter near their homes is "heart-breaking" as survey finds worst situation on record.

About 270,000 people died in Liberia’s timber trade-fuelled civil war. I helped to rebuild and protect its forests. Now Europe is threatening to undermine all our hard work

It is sad when a ruthless military dictator funds his government by destroying ecologically important rainforest, logging tropical trees and displacing and robbing the people who live in and depend on the forests for their livelihoods and culture.

This happened in my country, Liberia.

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The commissioning of a 63 MW solar farm marks the arrival on the grid biggest PV project yet for Aotearoa NZ. But four much bigger projects are hot on its heels.

The post Major milestone as Aotearoa switches on its largest solar farm, but bigger things are on the horizon appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Plans for what will be one of the biggest batteries in Victoria have been given the green light for development through the state government's fast-track program.

The post Contested battery, and one of state’s biggest, wins fast-tracked government approval appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Why is it so warm across southern Australia this autumn? Where’s the rain? ‘Blocking’ high pressure systems are to blame, but the real culprit is climate change. Andrew King, Associate Professor in Climate Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Plans to build a nearly 500MW project in a region renowned for its wind resource have been waved through federal environmental approvals process, clearing the way for development.

The post New 500 MW wind project gets federal environmental tick in one of Australia’s richest wind regions appeared first on RenewEconomy.

It's time to consider a party of independents, free from dogma, and committed to fairness, integrity and evidenced-base policy.

The post It’s time to build a party that will electrify the nation in more ways than one appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Transaction activity in California Carbon Allowances (CCA) cooled through the week as programme reauthorisation discussions were a rave absent guidance on rulemaking timelines or lawmakers’ legislative priorities for cap-and-trade post 2030.

Voters have spoken with clarity. We want a renewable-powered future

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A shift toward nuclear power and a significant expansion of gas electricity would have stalled renewable energy investment at the worst possible time, potentially derailing Australia’s transition to a clean, modern energy system. This election was not just a political moment, it was a turning point.

This result might offer a much-needed shot in the arm for the clean energy sector, but this is no time for self-congratulation or complacency. Australia’s energy transformation is happening in country towns and centres right around the nation with windfarms, solar projects, battery installations and the transmission lines that connect them being built in regional and rural communities. These communities have legitimate concerns. While the benefits from the jobs, investment, upgraded roads and bridges will come, they also bear the brunt of change. It is our responsibility as an industry to do better by them.

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New report from the IEA reveals that Australia's methane emissions are wildly underreported. The bubble's going to pop - so why not shift to honest reporting.

The post What happens when Australia’s methane bubble pops? appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Less than half of the world’s restorable forestland in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) offer conditions favourable to private investment in forest restoration, a recently published study showed.

The Oregon Department of Energy (DOE) shared modelling of energy demand during a public meeting on Thursday to express the need for early adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), which could provide a net benefit to the grid.