~theguardian-world | Bookmarks (14)

World’s fossil-fuel producers on track to nearly quadruple output from newly approved projects by decade’s end, report findsThe world’s fossil-fuel producers are on track to nearly quadruple the amount of extracted oil and gas from newly approved projects by the end of this decade, with the US leading the way in a surge of activity that threatens to blow apart agreed climate goals, a...

First Nations activists call legislation ‘a betrayal’ while Greens leader tells parliament Labor are ‘climate con artists’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government and the Coalition have voted to cut short debate on Labor’s offshore gas bill, which the crossbench and environment groups have labelled “window dressing” that...

China’s Longi looks to slash costs as renewable energy sector faces tough headwinds from inflationThe world’s largest solar manufacturer has slashed nearly a third of its workforce after a cost-cutting drive that included telling staff to only print in black and white fell short and as a chill ripples through the renewable energy sector.China’s Longi is to cut as much as 30% of its...

Independent senator shares Tiwi Islanders’ concern over changes they argue would allow companies to ‘ignore’ their viewsGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe independent senator David Pocock has expressed “grave concerns” Labor is seeking to work around a court decision requiring more consultation with First Nations people on offshore gas developments.Pocock made the comments at a Senate inquiry...

Michael Gove said UK needed coal to make steel, but business department papers drafted around same time say it will notPreviously unseen documents have emerged that appear to contradict the government’s case for a new coalmine in Cumbria.When Michael Gove, the levelling up secretary, approved plans to build the Woodhouse Colliery near Whitehaven in December 2022, he said the UK would need the coal...

Decision by premier Danielle Smith further pits Canadian province against environmental groups pushing green energyAlberta will block renewable energy projects on “prime” agricultural land and limit the placement of wind turbines to preserve “pristine viewscapes”, a decision that increasingly pits the western Canadian province against environmental groups pushing green energy – and the companies investing in it.The decision, announced by the premier, Danielle Smith,...

Tory government has ‘ducked’ difficult decisions, leading to higher bills, says shadow energy secretaryBusiness live – latest updatesLabour has claimed a “culture of inertia and stasis” has blocked renewable energy projects under the Conservatives and says the party will overturn a de facto onshore wind ban “at the stroke of a pen” if it wins the general election.The shadow energy secretary, Ed Miliband, told...

Dueling petitions raise concerns over interior department’s five-year plans to offer drilling leases in Gulf of MexicoOil and gas companies and environmental groups on Monday filed dueling legal challenges to the Biden administration’s five-year plan to offer drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico.The petitions to a US appeals court come four months after the interior department unveiled a congressionally-mandated plan for offshore leasing...

Housebuilders and campaigners warn of cold, damp homes and UK missing legally binding targetsLabour’s slashing of proposed spending on home insulation will leave millions of people on low incomes in cold, damp homes and could prevent the UK meeting its legally binding carbon targets, campaigners and housebuilders have warned.The Federation of Master Builders criticised the drastic scaling back of Labour’s low-carbon policies, announced by...

Call for companies to ‘clean up their mess’ as Athabasca oil sands emissions vastly exceed industry-reported levelsToxic emissions from the Canadian tar sands – already one of the dirtiest fossil fuels – have been dramatically underestimated, according to a study.Research published in the journal Science found that air pollution from the vast Athabasca oil sands in Canada exceed industry-reported emissions across the studied facilities...

Industry data shows almost 190,000 installed last year as well as record number of heat pump installationsThe number of households and businesses installing rooftop solar panels has reached its highest level in 12 years, while heat pump installations climbed to record highs in 2023, according to the industry’s official standards body.The figures showed almost 190,000 rooftop solar installations were carried out last year, the...

French energy company to invest a further £1.3bn in its British nuclear fleet up to 2026EDF Energy is planning to extend the life of four nuclear power stations in the UK and step up investment in its British nuclear fleet.The French energy company said it would make a decision on whether to extend the life of the four UK plants with advanced gas-cooled reactors...

Data shows 2023 had second-highest record of rooftop solar installations as small-scale solar continues to growQuarterly installations of new solar panels reached a record at the end of 2023, with Australian households more than three times as likely to have a photovoltaic system as a back yard swimming pool.Households and businesses added 921 megawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity in the December quarter, according to...

Map shows 350 coal tips close to communities as UK government unwilling to take on costsEdmund Richards, who worked for 40 years as a miner, shakes his head sadly as he gazes at one of the many disused coal tips at the head of the Rhondda Fawr valley in south Wales. “They’re on the move,” he says. “No doubt. From time to time, inspectors...