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Met Service issues red warning amid deepening low pressure as Europe sees above average temperatures

Strong winds and flooding spread across New Zealand last week, with a state of emergency declared in Christchurch, as the country was battered by a destructive area of low pressure this week. A red warning, the highest warning level, was issued by the MetService (the national meteorological service). The area of low pressure quickly deepened in the Tasman Sea off the west coast of New Zealand and then travelled eastwards across the country, with the centre of the low pressure moving across the northern island and creating very strong winds, particularly through the Cook Strait, the body of water that separates the two islands. This was because the wind direction was a south-easterly to southerly which caused the winds to strengthen as they were funnelled between the island.

The capital of New Zealand, Wellington, recorded some of the strongest winds, with gusts exceeding 90mph. Flooding was also an issue, especially for the southern island as the winds brought in moist air from the sea, which rapidly rose over the Southern Alps mountain range producing heavy rain. More than 100mm of rain fell in under 12 hours across some eastern areas and the local government called a state of emergency in Christchurch, the largest city in the southern island, as rivers burst their banks and roads closed. Across mountainous areas snow warnings were also issued, with some parts seeing over 50cm of snow in just 24 hours. Large swell was produced by the area of low pressure, with waves of almost 6 metres through the Cook strait.

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I saw the world’s tallest moss and camped beneath a 500-year-old myrtle tree

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The New Zealand government has confirmed its farm-to-forestry conversion ban will take effect as of December last year, as an agriculture lobby group has attempted to narrow exemptions to the restrictions.

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

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The Driven's Sam Parkinson, Tanya Shukla, and Tim Eden discuss Gen Z's take on electric vehicles, what the refreshed Model Y has to offer, and the news of the week.

The post The Driven Podcast: Gen Z, EVs and the new Model Y appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A ‘wetter farming’ project explores rehydrating peatland to help grow crops in boggier conditions while cutting CO2 emissions

“I really don’t like the word ‘paludiculture’ – most people have no idea what it means,” Sarah Johnson says. “I prefer the term ‘wetter farming’.”

The word might be baffling, but the concept is simple: paludiculture is the use of wet peatlands for agriculture, a practice that goes back centuries in the UK, including growing reeds for thatching roofs.

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Whatever happens on election day, it’s certain that the Coalition’s promotion of nuclear power will cost it votes. It will probably cost the Coalition seats and may cost them the election. 

The post Nuclear power is shaping up as an election loser, and the Murdoch media is not happy appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Battery storage hits new record output in evening peak, reaching 5.1 pct of total grid supply for first time and helped along by two newly commissioned battery projects.

The post Newly commissioned projects push batteries to output record, and a 5 pct share of the evening peak appeared first on RenewEconomy.

In what’s being called an Australian first, network company safely completes the transfer of an energised 500kV powerline in southwestern Victoria.

The post “Hot sticks” and “bare handing”: Australia’s first live transfer of a high voltage powerline completed appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Electrification could be a significant opportunity for a workforce looking for a future-proof career. But we risk being left in the dark on how to prepare.

The post Electrification workforce could dwarf number needed for renewables – but will they be ready?  appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Transmission company shocks renewable and storage developers with a 50 per cent hike in the cost of connection queries and applications.

The post Transmission company jacks up cost of connection queries and applications by 50 per cent appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Depending on where things end up after Saturday, the biggest climate push may come from the crossbench

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If further confirmation was needed that the Peter Dutton-led Coalition would take Australia aggressively backwards on dealing with the climate crisis, his final election costings released on Thursday tell the story in black and white.

The Liberal and National parties plan to gut programs designed to cut emissions and help create green industries to give the country an industrial future as demand for fossil fuels falls. They also plan to ignore advice that Australian nature is in poor and deteriorating health and strip back already limited funding for environment programs.

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Australian head of Spanish renewables giant says western NSW and Queensland could host wind projects at an "offshore scale," but for a much lower "onshore price."

The post Wind can deliver “offshore scale” projects for “onshore price” in inland Australia, Spanish giant says appeared first on RenewEconomy.

In a Queensland river where natural gas seeps up through the water, many living creatures have come to depend on it for their carbon. Paul McInerney, Senior Research Scientist in Ecosystem Ecology, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Green group says Bowen Basin coal mine expansion would overwhelm the state’s emissions reduction efforts and make it "almost impossible" to meet climate targets.

The post Environment group mounts legal challenge to stop massive expansion of Queensland coal mine appeared first on RenewEconomy.

South Australia scraps its Hydrogen Power office after cancelling its proposed green hydrogen power plant and redirecting funds for the rescue of the Whyalla steelworks.

The post South Australia disbands Hydrogen Power office as Whyalla project officially cancelled appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Washington Department of Ecology (ECY) on Thursday released the first round of its draft report on no-cost allocations for Emissions Intensive, Trade Exposed Industries (EITEs), detailing initial considerations regarding best practices for avoiding leakage and methods to develop GHG benchmarks.

A legal expert noted several avenues of action that the US Attorney General could take against California’s carbon market, but described them as “quite weak”, in a meeting with the state’s carbon market watchdog Thursday.

Nash Core was travelling through the coastal town of Ardrossan in South Australia with his wife and sons when he came across three men trying to rescue a great white shark stranded in shallow water. Core used his drone to shoot video of the writhing shark before he and son Parker, 11, decided to help the trio who were struggling to move the shark into deeper water

• ‘My heart’s pounding’: Australians wade into ocean to save great white shark stranded in shallow water

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Analysis has shown key sectors of Australia’s economy are getting behind the government’s climate policies, specifically its Future Made in Australia (FMIA) initiative.