VEN – Good News on Climate Action – Blog

in Pearls and Irritations By Mark Beeson Jun 14, 2024 As the climate crisis accelerates and intensifies, it’s easy to despair about the possibility of any country taking the lead in ‘saving the planet’. And yet Xi Jinping at least says encouraging things. Should we take China seriously? A decade or so ago I wrote…

Russia’s war with Ukraine accelerating global climate emergency, report shows Most comprehensive analysis ever of conflict-driven climate impacts shows emissions greater than those generated by 175 countries in a year Nina Lakhani Climate justice reporter Thu 13 Jun 2024 in The Guardian The climate cost of the first two years of Russia’s war on Ukraine…

Environmental groups apply to take Tanya Plibersek to high court over coalmine approvals Minister should have assessed climate damage that would be caused by two large developments, advocates say Lisa Cox in The Guardian Fri 14 Jun 2024 01.00 AEST Conservationists will ask the high court to examine whether the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, should…

Swiss lawmakers reject climate ruling in favour of female climate elders Co-president of the KlimaSeniorinnen says declaration is betrayal of older women Ajit Niranjan Thu 13 Jun 2024 in the Guardian Switzerland Swiss politicians have rejected a landmark climate ruling from the European court of human rights, raising fears that other polluting countries may follow…

Exclusive: After months of speculation the fundraising giant has identified more electorates where independent campaigns meet its criteria for support Amy Remeikis Mon 17 Jun 2024 in The Guardian Climate 200, the fundraising giant that bankrolled the teal independent wave at the last election, has thrown its support behind independent campaigns in nine more Coalition-held…

Lenore Taylor, Guardian Australia editor Peter Dutton’s climate policy is slowly emerging as another sham; the latest and most blatant instalment in the Coalition’s decades-long climate policy pretence. For much of our recent political history, the Liberal and National parties have claimed to have a policy to address global heating while actually having a policy…

Plunging solar module prices drive massive boom in off-grid renewable projects in Renew Economy by Rachel Williamson The off-grid renewable energy market is booming, particularly for large mining operations, as customers look to switch out of expensive fossil fuels and tap into the falling costs of solar modules. David Griffin, the CEO of Australian solar…

Coming to grips with a climate paradox: Less air pollution spurs more wildfires Getting rid of aerosols, such as sulfur dioxide, could let more sunlight reach boreal forests, helping turn them into tinderboxes. But the solution clearly isn’t more pollution. By Warren Cornwall in Anthropocene June 5, 2024 It’s hard to fathom that there’s an…

RHS fears non-native fungi could alter microbiology of soil when grown in gardens or disposed of in compost heaps Helena HortonEnvironment reporter in The Guardian Fri 31 May 2024   A boom in the popularity of mushroom-growing at home could lead to a biodiversity disaster, UK garden experts have warned. There has been a rise…

Oh what a feeling! Toyota petrol cars end of the road By Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson Updated June 5 2024 in The Canberra Times Toyota says its petrol vehicles will be retired in favour of hybrid models due to demand (Supplied by Toyota Australia/AAP PHOTOS) Nine popular vehicles will no longer be sold as petrol cars in…

The ultimate path to zero-emission cement may be recycled cement By linking the recycling of two carbon-intensive materials—cement and steel—researchers have hit upon a breakthrough that dramatically cuts the climate impact of both. By Sarah DeWeerdt June 4, 2024 In Anthropocene A newly developed method to recycle cement could yield a billion metric tons yearly…

06/06/2024 Ajit Niranjan in The Guardian Voters may deal Green parties a blow that costs them up to one-third of their seats, if polls before this week’s European elections prove correct, in a shift that could lead to a rollback of climate policies with the effects rippling far beyond the continent. At first glance, the…

‘The industry is rapidly strangling our planet,’ says Andrew Wilkie, who joins Allegra Spender, Sophie Scamps, Zali Steggall and Monique Ryan in call for ban Adam Morton and Graham Readfearn Thu 6 Jun 2024 in The Guardian At least nine independent MPs and the Greens have backed the UN secretary general’s call for the Australian…

What drives consumers to more sustainable meat? Ironically, it isn’t telling them it’s sustainable. A new large scale European survey found that animal welfare credentials were consistently more persuasive than environmental credentials. By Emma Bryce in Anthropocene May 31, 2024 The emotive power of animal welfare is more likely to make people eat sustainably, than…

Q. Which is the greener building material, fungus or concrete? A. It depends on the electricity source. There’s always more to a new material than meets the eye. By Anthropocene Team May 30, 2024 Buildings account for 40 percent of global energy demand and a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions today. There is…

‘It’s all we have’: young climate activists on the state of politics around the world With elections affecting half the world’s population this year, campaigners offer their views on the chances of real change. Damian Carrington and Damien Gayle Sun 2 Jun 2024 in the Guardian This year elections are taking place across the globe,…

And she called for the money to be sent directly to the world’s most climate-vulnerable people. ARIELLE SAMUELSON APR 24, 2024 in Heated For the first time, the world’s most powerful countries are considering a proposal that would tax the super rich and send the money directly to the people on the front lines of…