Feed aggregator

US scientist Thomas Lovejoy says the rainforest’s rich biodiversity has been undervalued compared to economic activities such as farming and mining

The Amazon will be transformed into a “highly degraded nightmare” unless a sustainable biodiversity-based economy develops which properly values ecosystem services and products produced by the rainforest, a leading scientist has warned.

Prof Thomas Lovejoy, the “godfather of biodiversity”, said if agro-industrial economic developments such as cattle farming, palm oil production and mining continue, the rainforest’s hydrological cycle will be “in tatters”, with global weather systems severely disrupted.

Continue reading...

President has vowed to rejoin Paris agreement, cut fossil fuel reliance, and invest in low-carbon growth

Joe Biden’s pledges of strong action on the climate crisis have buoyed international hopes that 2021 can be a breakthrough year, resetting the world on a greener path to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate experts cheered the inauguration of the new US president, who has vowed to rejoin the Paris agreement, rethink US reliance on fossil fuels, and devote hundreds of billions of dollars in stimulus spending to low-carbon economic growth.

Continue reading...

Australia's largest ever energy class action, brought against two Queensland government owned power companies, starts Federal Court action.

The post 46,000 join class action against Queensland coal plants appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The first Threatened Species Strategy fizzled out last year without making a big difference to conservation. With the next strategy due to roll out this year, let's look at what needs to change. Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Ayesha Tulloch, DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University Megan C Evans, Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, UNSW Tim Doherty, ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Danish offshore wind giant Ørsted makes final investment decision to proceed with development of a renewable hydrogen demonstration project powered by two offshore turbines.

The post Ørsted offshore wind-powered hydrogen project secures funding appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The ACT government outlines a $307 million, five-year spend on new clean energy measures, including batteries, rooftop solar and electric vehicles.

The post Solar, batteries and “EV revolution” targeted in ACT budget appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A “virtual storage" contract between Hydro Tasmania and two buyers – Macquarie Group and Shell-owned ERM Power – heralds the arrival of game-changing digital energy market tools.

The post Game-changing “virtual storage” deal struck between Macquarie, Shell and Hydro Tas appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Soil Carbon Program Manager will work within the Select Carbon team to lead the development and delivery of carbon farming projects under different methodologies, with a focus on landscapes and land-use systems suitable for increasing the carbon stocks in soil.

Despite big wins for Democrats, the most conservative within the party have the power to hold back action. Just like Australia's opposition.

The post Biden’s big climate plans face a big problem: conservative roadblocks from within appeared first on RenewEconomy.

One of Biden's first acts as president was to see the US re-join the Paris Agreement, causing pressure on Morrison to do more on climate to ramp up another few notches.

The post Biden hits reset on US climate action – and turns up the heat on Morrison appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Satellite imagery is being used to count elephants in a breakthrough that could aid conservation.

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

New data suggest a mind-boggling installation rate for wind power in China in 2020, but must be maintained for many more years to cut coal.

The post China delivers a surprise 2020 renewable boom, but it may not last appeared first on RenewEconomy.

UAE-owned Etihad Airways is expanding its offset purchasing programme beyond a single African project after striking a deal with oil major Shell.

Biden administration rolls out a flurry of executive orders aimed at tackling climate crisis

Joe Biden has moved to reinstate the US to the Paris climate agreement just hours after being sworn in as president, as his administration rolls out a cavalcade of executive orders aimed at tackling the climate crisis.

Biden’s executive action, signed in the White House on Wednesday, will see the US rejoin the international effort curb the dangerous heating of the planet, following a 30-day notice period. The world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases was withdrawn from the Paris deal under Donald Trump.

Continue reading...

Re-joining the Paris climate pact is a symbolic and practical first step for the Biden White House.

Three key takeaways from new key facts and stats on Australia's biggest grid in 2020.

The post December 2020 was the highest NEM wind and solar month on record appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Federal government tips $11m CopperString 2.0 transmission network upgrade, that will open up new regions of northern Queensland for renewable energy investment.

The post Morrison government confirms $11m injection to fast-track CopperString 2.0 appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A Texas-based commodity shop filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Wednesday after a growing number of lawsuits alleged it failed to deliver biofuel credits (RINs) in fulfilment of its contractual obligations.

Linking the UK’s recently established carbon market with the EU ETS will take time, with post-Brexit politics rather than technical or design issues likely to stand in the way, an environmental economics professor has told Carbon Pulse.