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Events that inject smoke and gas into high atmosphere help to cool planet but are no solution to climate crisis, says study

Explosive volcanic eruptions and wildfires have offset global heating by around a fifth over the last eight years, a study shows. In particular the eruption of Calbuco in southern Chile in 2015 and the 2019-20 Australian wildfires injected vast amounts of smoke and gas into the high atmosphere, which helped to cool the planet by absorbing heat leaving the Earth and reflecting sunlight back to space.

Pengfei Yu from Jinan University in China and his colleagues used data gathered by high altitude balloons over the Tibetan plateau and the US to model the cooling impact of stratospheric volcanic eruptions – those that inject ash into the high atmosphere – and wildfires.

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Results are in from the two-year study of ClearVue's demonstration solar greenhouse in Perth, revealing a “significant offset" of energy consumption and remarkably consistent generation.

The post Solar glass cuts greenhouse energy use almost in half, Australian study shows appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A tax on investments rather than consumption would do more to force wealthy people to act on emissions - if only to protect their own portfolio income from stranded assets.

The post Carbon tax on the rich: Why world’s wealthiest should pay for their emissions appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Solar and China lead the way as global investments in renewable energy surge in first half, but remain short of net zero targets.

The post Solar and China lead way as global renewable investments hit record $A557 billion appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Building the federal government's promised 1.2 million homes climate-friendly would transform construction in Australia, to make housing part of the climate solution.

The post Better than net zero? Building new homes climate-friendly appeared first on RenewEconomy.

India is attempting to make history by landing Chandrayaan-3 near the Moon's little-explored south pole.

It’s not always “worth it for the ‘gram”. People risk life, limb, and the environment for a selfie – and land managers can’t keep up. Samuel Cornell, PhD Candidate, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Amy Peden, NHMRC Research Fellow, School of Population Health & co-founder UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The charge for the most polluting vehicles will be expanded to all London boroughs next week.

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APA pays $1.7 billion for Alinta energy assets in the Pilbara, which includes a $3 billion pipeline of wind, solar and battery projects to decarbonise mining operations of iron ore giants.

The post Gas giant APA makes huge $3 billion renewables and battery play in Pilbara appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Emitters in the power sector RGGI carbon market added to their allowance positions in the time between the June auction and end of the second quarter, while traded volumes overall declined during the spring period, according to a report published Tuesday.

Energy analysts call for a cap on the size of offshore wind turbines in an effort to ease supply chain pressures at a time when demand is booming.

The post Size limits urged to stop “wind turbine arms race” as factories struggle to keep up appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Language from Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's draft emissions trading system proposal was incorporated into an already-existing carbon trading bill in the Senate on Monday, with experts noting some potential tailwinds and challenges for the legislation’s passage.

Public money still flowing into industry despite agreement to phase out ‘inefficient’ subsidies, thinktank says

The G20 poured record levels of public money into fossil fuels last year despite having promised to reduce some of it, a report has found.

The amount of public money flowing into coal, oil and gas in 20 of the world’s biggest economies reached a record $1.4tn(£1.1tn) in 2022, according to the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) thinktank, even though world leaders agreed to phase out “inefficient” fossil fuel subsidies at the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow two years ago.

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California electricity sector CO2 output continued to hold at 10-year lows through July as the share of renewables and hydroelectricity increased and imports fell compared to 2022 levels, according to data published Tuesday.

US President Joe Biden's administration on Tuesday announced it will allocate $150 mln in grants to organisations that assist underserved and small acreage landowners in accessing revenue from the sale of carbon credits.

We can construct buildings that reduce atmospheric CO₂ by more than their lifetime emissions. They now don’t cost much more – and a project involving 1.2 million homes would drive costs down further. Jason Alexandra, Senior research fellow, Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Kate Lawrence, Climate Program Manager, Institute of Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Mark Howden, Director, ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Bolivian biochar producer Exomad Green aims to remove 200,000 tonnes of CO2 a year from next year after gaining certification under the Puro.earth carbon crediting standard, the certifier said on Tuesday.

Both major parties are promising major road projects this election. Meanwhile, the potential for passenger and freight rail to help meet the country’s climate goals seems stuck at the station. Philip Laird, Honorary Principal Fellow, University of Wollongong Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Germany's plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions is likely to fail short of the nation's climate targets, an independent panel warned on Tuesday, in a release that could pile pressure on Berlin to ramp up its mitigation policies.