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Inventory shows Australia has burned through 27% of emissions budget under Paris climate accord in 25% of allotted time

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Australia’s carbon emissions edged lower in 2022 with reductions from the electricity sector partly countered by increases in pollution from transport and agriculture.

The country’s emissions last year totalled 463.9m tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent (Mt CO2-e), down 0.4% or 2m tonnes from the previous year. Preliminary estimates for the year to 31 March 2023 indicated emissions totalled 464Mt CO2-e, or 0.2% lower on a rolling 12-month tally, the national greenhouse gas inventory shows.

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A startup carbon project and data tech developer is back making a profit after scaling back activity and furloughing or laying off large swathes of staff, Carbon Pulse has learned, however the process reflects issues about how companies in the voluntary carbon market are funded and promote themselves to the broader community.

A climate disclosure non-profit has added several large financial institutions to its campaign to request over 1,600 high-impact corporates to begin disclosing their emissions output and footprint on the environment.

Analysis from an Indonesian think-tank has found that nine of the country’s proposed coal-fired power stations could be cancelled with minimal repercussions for supply or grid stability and affordability, while avoiding nearly 300 MtCO2e of greenhouse gas emissions.

The proposed legislation would require changes to farming methods in Europe to tackle the climate crisis and restore nature, ensuring affordable food for all

For 10,000 years, human civilisation has grown and thrived because of Earth’s remarkable regenerative capacity that sustains climate stability and rich biological diversity. Now human activity has severely undermined this resilience.

Our patterns of economic growth, development, production and consumption are pushing the planet’s life-support systems beyond their natural boundaries. Last week, members of the European parliament’s agriculture and fisheries committees voted to continue this destruction, rejecting European Commission proposals for a nature restoration law. The vote flies in the face of science, and the claims by some MEPs to be defending farmers and food security are flawed.

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A Japanese shipping giant has announced the establishment of a new subsidiary in the US to expand its investment in venture capital funds and startups developing decarbonising technologies in the energy sector.

A Swedish bank has acquired a batch of biodiversity credits generated through a domestic forestry project, the first time such units have been created and transacted in Europe.

The rising incidence of wildfires means many Californians can no longer insure their property. It’s a sign of what’s ahead for the whole housing market

Insurance company documents aren’t exactly renowned for being riveting reading. This week, however, State Farm, the largest insurance firm in the US by premium volume, came out with an eyeball-grabbing update: it has stopped accepting new homeowner insurance applications in California.

In a statement, the company said the decision was based on the heightened risk of natural disasters, such as wildfires, along with historic increases in construction costs.

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One of Australia’s largest carbon project developers says nature repair certificates should initially be barred from being used as offsets, as part of a wide-ranging list of recommendations and concerns it raised on the government’s nature repair market bill.

The state Greens want to ban all coal activities by 2030 – including brown hydrogen production – and enshrine the prohibition in the constitution.

The post Victoria brown hydrogen project in Greens’ sights in push for coal ban appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Solar Victoria’s Stan Krpan on the new incentives for rooftop solar and battery storage. Plus: Should landlords be required to install rooftop solar?

The post Solar Insiders Podcast: Solar, batteries and landlords appeared first on RenewEconomy.

ElectraNet says it is swamped with applications to connect to the state's "low-cost, low emissions" network from a booming green industry.

The post South Australia sees “doubling in demand” for its low cost green electricity appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Our largest cities, home to 80% of the population, are central to achieving sustainability in a time of climate change. The federal government has begun to act on the need for coherent urban policies. Robert Freestone, Professor of Planning, School of Built Environment, UNSW Sydney Bill Randolph, Professor, City Futures Research Centre, Faculty of the Built Environment, UNSW Sydney Wendy Steele, Interim Director, Urban Futures Enabling Impact Platform, and Professor in Sustainability and Urban Policy, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Balmy weather and growing renewable energy capacity has led to multiple days of negative wholesale power prices across the continent.

The post “This is nuts:” European power prices go negative as springtime renewables soar appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The wind industry is rapidly approaching a big rubbish problem, but solutions are in motion to reduce the landfill pile.

The post Compostable turbine blades made from mushroom roots could solve waste problem appeared first on RenewEconomy.

An Australian blue economy industry-academia partnership has been permitted to deploy marine infrastructure to further research into growing commercial-scale offshore kelp to achieve positive environmental outcomes.

Quinbrook may start off Sun Cable small, with a focus on local market and may add wind. Cannon-Brookes is to focus on the cable proposal to Singapore.

The post Giant Sun Cable solar project to start off with domestic focus, may add wind appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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The end may be nigh for fossil fuel companies using sports and the arts as advertising vehicles.

The post New code of conduct calls for end to “absurd” fossil fuel sponsorships appeared first on RenewEconomy.

"A reliable, cheaper, greener form of energy for NSW." Acen wins approval to build Australia's biggest battery next to massive New England solar farm.

The post Acen wins approval to build Australia’s biggest battery – next to biggest solar farm appeared first on RenewEconomy.