– A round-up of the day’s top climate change stories
– Tweet @RTCCnewswire and use #RTCCLive hashtag
– Contact the team at [email protected]
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia has published its renewable energy roadmap with plans to install 54.1GW of solar panels by 2032. The BP World Energy 2012 report estimates that there was 69.4GW installed globally in 2011. (Reuters)
Saudi Arabia has pinned its renewable energy hopes on a massive twenty-year solar investment plan (Source: BrightSource)
USA: The Californian carbon market beat expectations after emission allowances in its latest auction sold for $13.62 per metric tonne of CO2. The programme applies to 350 of the largest emitting companies in the state. (Reuters)
UK: A planning bill currently running through the House of Lords could see shale gas developments considered as being “of national significance”, a move that would take planning powers away from local communities and speed up the development of the industry. (The Daily Telegraph)
Australia: The opposition coalition, which plans to abolish the country’s carbon tax should it win September’s election, has said it will not compensate businesses after all. Shadow minister Joe Hockey had said businesses that had made investments based on the carbon tax would receive reparations but has now changed his made. (The Age)
Aviation: Industry leaders meeting in Melbourne have claimed that the aviation sector has some of the most ambitious climate change targets of any industry. “All parts of the industry are responding with collaborative actions and many governments are stepping up to the challenge too” said Paul Steele, executive director of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG).
UK: French state-owned utility firm EDF is under increasing pressure to drop a £5m law suit against protesters that closed down one of the firm’s UK power stations for a week. Around 8000 people have signed a petition against the company, which is seeking compensation for extra security, lost earnings, damage to the site and carbon credits that lapsed during the station’s shutdown. (The Guardian)