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Virgin Orbit's shutdown follows a major launch failure and most of staff have been laid off.

Science-Based Targets Network says new schema will ‘get nature into the boardroom’ in the same way as climate footprints

Businesses can now assess their impacts on nature loss using science-based targets as part of a move to “get nature into the boardroom”.

Research shows that the biodiversity crisis is as serious as the climate crisis, yet there is less information about how companies drive nature loss, because this data is not being disclosed. The Science-Based Targets Network (SBTN) is providing the first framework for companies to report their impacts on nature as part a new frontier of corporate environmental reporting.

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Campaigners call for rigorous testing of waterways to protect species after analysis reveals scale of problem

Chemical cocktails that are harmful to wildlife have been found in 81% of river and lake sites tested in England, a study has found.

Wildlife organisations are calling on the government for more rigorous testing of waterways for chemical cocktails, and new legal protections against dangerous mixtures, including requiring assessments of potential hazardous chemical mixture impacts before any new chemical is allowed on the market.

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To reach 80 pct renewables by 2030, we need 20GW of wind and solar committed in four years, and six years for transmission to be built. That’s a doubling of the historic pace.

The post Australia needs 20GW renewables in four years to meet 2030 target appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Solar Victoria announces raft of rule changes and recommendations to make solar homes "future ready," including for a shift to all-electric appliances.

The post Victoria falls in line on dynamic rooftop solar exports, to make homes ready for electrification appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The enhanced partnership could accelerate Australia’s transition from fossil fuel exporter to clean energy powerhouse. But success is far from assured. Wesley Morgan, Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

CSIRO-backed hydrogen hopeful Endua has raised another $11.8 million from existing and new investors to develop its 100 kW hydrogen energy storage unit.

The post Australian start-up raises $11.8m for small scale hydrogen ‘battery’ appeared first on RenewEconomy.

NSW energy minister Penny Sharpe says the Energy Security Corp will help address the spiralling costs of pumped hydro which lost out to battery storage in a recent tender.

The post NSW Energy Security Corp to address “spiralling costs” of pumped hydro projects appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Campaign group says plastics are incompatible with circular economy as countries prepare for treaty talks

Recycling plastic can make it more toxic and should not be considered a solution to the pollution crisis, Greenpeace has warned before the latest round of negotiations for an international plastics treaty.

“Plastics are inherently incompatible with a circular economy,” the global environmental network said in a report that brings together research showing recycled plastics are more toxic than their virgin constituents.

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The G20 should act to catalyse funding for the blue economy transition through targeted financial instruments like debt-for-nature swaps, blue bonds, and outcome-based payments, according to an engagement group set up under India’s G20 presidency.

Tech firm founded by Australians Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar says net zero must be achieved by cutting emissions by 90% and only offsetting the remainder

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As corporate reports go, the title of Aussie tech firm Atlassian’s guide for other companies to cut their greenhouse gas emissions is as direct and flavoursome as they come: “Don’t F&*! The Planet.”

The firm, founded by Australians Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, says it is already running its operations on 100% renewable electricity and has a “science-based target” to reach net zero emissions no later than 2040.

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Australia could split biodiversity certificates into separate offsetting and non-offsetting methodologies in its nature repair market (NRM), to give buyers and landholders broader choice and confidence in how they engage with the scheme, according to a government official.

The state’s native forest industry will stop by the end of the year – six years ahead of schedule

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By the end of the year, Victoria’s trouble-plagued native forest industry will end – six years ahead of schedule. The state’s iconic mountain ash forests and endangered wildlife will at last be safe from chainsaws. And there will be no shortage of wood – there’s more than enough plantation timber to fill the gap.

Yesterday’s announcement by Premier Daniel Andrews is excellent news for forests, the state’s economy and its threatened species. We congratulate the Victorian government for this decision.

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David Lindenmayer is a professor at Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University. Chris Taylor is a research fellow at Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University. This article was originally published in The Conversation

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Floating wind turbines are emerging as a promising solution – but turbines are also getting bigger at a rapid rate. So how do these colossal structures remain in place?

The post How we stop floating wind turbines the size of skyscrapers from drifting away appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Budget 2023’s investment in public transport will have far-reaching benefits for the climate and for overall wellbeing. But our study shows young people want much more. Kate Prendergast, Post-Doctoral Fellow in Political Science, University of Canterbury Bronwyn Hayward, Professor of Politics, University of Canterbury Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The footprint of eight of the most developed existing biodiversity crediting schemes covers more than 800,000 hectares with $8 million in funding so far pledged toward investment in the creation of the resulting units, a report has estimated, also assessing each mechanism's credentials across various criteria, such as additionality and scalability.

Carbon market exchange operator Xpansiv on Tuesday announced it is launching the first California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) spot contract this summer, as the clean transportation market continues to grow in relevance.

Stakeholders urged California regulator ARB to separate an increased stringency rulemaking from other Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) programme design changes also under consideration, in the event the regulator encountered delays in rollout of its forthcoming amendment package, a webinar heard Tuesday.