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UK Conservatives reintroduce an energy and climate-focused department after a seven-year hiatus – but it doesn't guarantee a better policy approach?

The post UK forms Department for Energy Security and Net Zero – what does it mean for climate? appeared first on RenewEconomy.

California granted the fewest number of compliance offsets since July over the past two weeks, with only a tiny portion of these accruing direct environmental benefits (DEBs) to the state, according to data from regulator ARB published Wednesday.

The first phase of what will become a nearly 1GW renewable energy hub has been contracted to power a nearby coal mine in South Africa.

The post South Africa’s largest wind farm will power a coal mine appeared first on RenewEconomy.

A startup has raised €11 million for its biochar carbon removals venture, the company said on Wednesday, attracting three major French firms to be part of what is claimed as Europe’s largest Series A round in climate tech.

The EU's recently agreed Fit for 55 climate package will expand the scope of the bloc's emissions trading scheme (ETS) in both ambition and across new sectors such as shipping, but will continue to exclude polluting yachts that are estimated to emit over a million tonnes of CO2 a year and rising.

Even as renewables boom like never before, our reliance on fossil fuels remains stubbornly high. One problem? The rebound effect Hao Tan, Associate Professor, Newcastle Business School, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A rating agency has downgraded three Verra-credited hydropower projects in Brazil to a low likelihood of achieving stated carbon avoidance claims, and continued to keep the projects on watch for further review.

South Pole is exploring additional ways to support the Kariba REDD+ project in case it receives low revenue through the carbon market going forward, the company told Carbon Pulse.

England’s chief medical officer and colleagues call for push to understand health impacts of indoor pollutants

Offices, schools, supermarkets and hospitals should be monitored for indoor air pollutants, according to England’s chief medical officer, amid concerns that dirty air in buildings may contribute to nearly as many deaths as outdoor air pollution.

Prof Chris Whitty said monitoring indoor air quality should become standard practice in public spaces and called for urgent investment to help establish records of pollutants that accumulate in homes, offices and public buildings.

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Assessment shows 20% global loss since 1700 – far less than thought – but Europe, US and China bear the brunt

Half the wetlands in Europe, continental US and China have been destroyed in the past 300 years, with some areas – including the UK, Ireland and Germany – losing more than 75%, new research shows. Globally, an area the size of India has disappeared.

Until now, it wasn’t known how many wetlands were left – previous estimates suggested between 28% and 87% had been destroyed since 1700. For the first time, researchers combined global historical records with maps of today’s wetlands to create a more accurate global picture, and found an estimated 20% of all wetlands destroyed. Europe, however, was the worst affected area, with Ireland losing more than 90% of its wetlands, Germany, Lithuania and Hungary more than 80% and the UK, the Netherlands and Italy more than 75%.

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Five members of group convicted of criminal damage and fined after gluing themselves to painting in London

Five climate crisis activists who glued themselves to the frame of a copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper in London have said they believe the painter would “100% agree” with their actions, after they were convicted today of criminal damage.

The members of the Just Stop Oil group were each ordered to pay £486 by a judge who described the case as an unusual one in that the evidence of every witness was credible and said he recognised the defendants “believe entirely” in their cause.

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The Forestry Carbon Analyst will be working to provide technical expertise and will be involved in developing project registration for different projects across different methodologies (both voluntary and compliance).

Critics say former Australian PM’s membership of Global Warming Policy Foundation thinktank could affect trade deals

The UK government is being urged to sack one of its trade advisers after he joined a thinktank that has denied the scale of the climate crisis and campaigned against net zero.

Tony Abbott, a former Australian prime minister, announced this week that he had joined the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF).

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Planning guidance from mayor sets air pollution limits that would not be met with solid fuel burners installed

Wood burners have been in effect banned in new and refurbished buildings in London. New planning guidance announced by the mayor sets air pollution limits for home and office developments that would not be met if burners for wood or other solid fuels were installed.

Wood burning in towns and cities is a major contributor of toxic air pollution particles, which have been linked to a wide range of health problems, including heart and lung disease, dementia and mental illness in children. Dirty air causes thousands of early deaths a year in London alone, and 26,000 to 38,000 in England.

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Nine global banks invested $45 million in a new carbon credit transaction network on Wednesday, providing details on plans to expand the platform beyond pilot deals to help scale the voluntary carbon market and make it easier for their customers to participate.

Workers at Environment Agency who monitor warning systems among those striking for second time in month

England’s flood warning systems have been placed on autopilot for the second time in a month as staff at the Environment Agency stage their latest strike over pay and conditions.

Thousands of workers at the government agency, who have key roles in controlling pollution and protecting communities from weather disasters, began striking at 7am on Wednesday.

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European carbon prices were slightly higher on Wednesday morning amid very light volume attributed to the fortnightly EUA auction pause ahead of the afternoon's UKA sale, while energy prices declined for a fourth day as coal values have declined, lowering the switching levels for cleaner power generation.

A strong majority of EU nations on Wednesday signalled their approval of the provisional deal on ETS reforms, while the Parliament's lead lawmaker on the issue expects similar levels of backing from MEPs.

Agreement to restrict use of aggregating apparatus in the Indian Ocean is hailed as a ‘giant step forward’ for species conservation

Coastal nations and conservation groups have described an agreement to restrict fishing vessels from using devices that contribute to overfishing as a “huge win” for tuna populations and marine life.

The adoption by fishing nations of tough proposals to restrict “fish aggregating devices” (FADs) in the Indian Ocean, follows warnings to EU officials from retailers, including Marks & Spencer, environmentalists and coastal nations that the tools are one of the main contributors to overfishing of Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna, because they catch high numbers of juveniles.

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Carbon traders have expressed a lack of surprise at Verra’s suspension of the UN rice farming methodology and back whistleblower concerns, but say the issue will have limited repercussions for the wider voluntary carbon market and instead primarily adds to woes in the Chinese market.