Feed aggregator

South Korea has signed its first government contract to buy Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) carbon credits from a landfill gas project in Uzbekistan.

Andrew Forrest says "world leading" WAE could turn into a multi-billion dollar battery technology business, expects to seal five big green energy deals this year.

The post Forrest plans multi-billion dollar battery business, hopes to land five big green energy deals appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Lithium analyst Rodney Hooper on supply and demand for key battery metal. Plus: Solar has killed coal, but can it kill gas?

The post Energy Insiders Podcast: Do we have enough lithium? appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Government told to focus on boosting uptake of electric vehicles, public transport, cycling and walking rather than offset ‘gimmick’

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates

• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Drivers in New South Wales will be offered the chance to buy carbon offsets when they renew their car registration in a step critics have described as a “gimmick” that could undermine efforts to cut transport emissions.

The NSW treasurer and energy minister, Matt Kean, announced the scheme on Friday saying it would give people “looking for practical ways to take action on climate change” more ways to cut their emissions.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Origin releases dramatically higher earnings guidance amid speculation over the commitment of suitors Brookfield and EIG.

The post Gas prices boost Origin’s profit, as “green” takeover bidder seeks partners appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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

A non-profit Canadian conservation group along with federal and provincial governments, First Nations, and several private and individual donors announced Thursday an agreement to establish a conservancy in the Incomappleux Valley of south-eastern British Columbia.

RSPB shares results as Britons encouraged to spend an hour counting birds in annual Big Garden Birdwatch

Watching birds and hearing birdsong have a positive impact on wellbeing for more than nine in 10 people, according to a survey to mark the largest garden wildlife count in the world.

People are being urged to boost their mental health and help scientists by spending an hour this weekend counting the birds in their garden or local park for the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.

Continue reading...

California Carbon Allowance (CCA) prices retraced this week to continue a relatively weak first month of the new year, while Washington carbon market participants await further clarity on price developments from next month's auction and as more entities register for the programme.

NSW shortlists 4.3GW of wind, solar and storage projects in first auction in its plan to replace coal with renewables.

The post NSW shortlists 4.3GW of wind, solar and storage projects in first renewables auction appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The co-founder of a carbon credit ratings agency on Thursday urged the UN to ensure that the "lessons of the voluntary carbon market" are applied to the issuance of credits under the Paris Agreement's Article 6, referring to recent media allegations of over-crediting in REDD+ projects.

US-based green hydrogen leader pulls Plug on joint venture with Andrew Forrest, saying the economics did not make the project worthwhile.

The post “We could do better:” Green hydrogen leader pulls Plug on Forrest’s electrolyser factory appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Pilot trading in Russia's domestic carbon market has begun on the gas-rich island of Sakhalin after two projects have been issued with credits, economy minister Maxim Reshetnikov was reported as saying. 

Fires, land conversion, logging and water shortages have weakened resilience of 2.5m sq km of forest, says study

Human activity and drought may have degraded more than a third of the Amazon rainforest, double the previous estimate, according to a study that heightens concerns that the globally important ecosystem is slipping towards a point of no return.

Fires, land conversion, logging and water shortages, have weakened the resilience of up to 2.5m sq km of the forest, an area 10 times the size of the UK. This area is now drier, more flammable and more vulnerable than before, prompting the authors to warn of “megafires” in the future.

Continue reading...

Protecting nature requires financial incentives. Serious problems uncovered in carbon markets must be fixed

The strong reaction to the Guardian’s joint investigation into carbon offsetting shows how much is at stake when the effectiveness of market mechanisms in combating global heating is challenged. Already, in Australia, politicians and scientists have renewed their criticism of public entities using international carbon credit schemes to offset local emissions. Verra, the Washington-based non-profit at the centre of the story, is the world’s leading carbon standard, certifying the credits that companies use to make claims about their environmental impact. It is a blow to anyone committed to the idea that emissions trading can help the world to reach net zero, to learn that 90% of the rainforest credits analysed are unlikely to represent genuine carbon reductions.

The problem, which was uncovered by journalists working alongside experts using satellite images, is the methodology used by Verra to certify its credits. While Verra disputes the findings, and is due to publish its own assessment, the researchers found that the evidence used to calculate offsets was flawed. Predictions of what would have happened in the absence of credits were unreliable, and benefits were overstated.

Continue reading...

Take up of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is lagging behind schedule

The Canadian affiliate of oil major ExxonMobil on Thursday announced a C$720 mln ($539 mln) investment in a renewable diesel facility that will lower emissions under both provincial and federal low-carbon fuel standards.

Concerns about over-crediting of REDD+ forest conservation projects have rekindled debate on whether carbon removals are preferable to carbon avoidance, though the differences are not always clear.

They say it is "perfectly understandable" that people are upset that wild camping was restricted.

Scientists identify parts of ocean suitable for seaweed cultivation and suggest it could constitute 10% of human diet to reduce impact of agriculture

An area of ocean almost the size of Australia could support commercial seaweed farming around the world, providing food for humans, feed supplements for cattle, and alternative fuels, according to new research.

Seaweed farming is a nascent industry globally but the research says if it could grow to constitute 10% of human diets by 2050 it could reduce the amount of land needed for food by 110m hectares (272 acres) – an area twice the size of France.

Continue reading...