A summary of today’s top climate and clean energy stories.
Email the team on [email protected] or get in touch via Twitter.
Tony Abbott has been accused of turning his back on climate change. (Pic: David Jackmanson)
Australia: Kevin Rudd has accused Tony Abbott of “walking away” from Australia’s international commitments on climate change after the Coalition leader said he would not increase funding for his Direct Action plan even if failed to deliver Australia’s promised greenhouse gas reductions. (Guardian)
US: A new Energy Department study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) indicates that by 2025 wind and solar power electricity generation could become cost-competitive without federal subsidies, if new renewable energy development occurs in the most productive locations. (NREL)
Climate science: Rajendra Pachauri, head of the UN climate science body the IPCC says humanity has pushed the world’s climate system to the brink, leaving itself only scant time to act. He says ‘reining in’ greenhouse-gas emissions is still possible if countries, including in the developing world, rethink their approach to economic growth. (Naharnet)
Japan: The crisis at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant “has not ended”, the country’s nuclear watchdog has warned, saying the situation there is “unstable”. (BBC)
US: For the first time, Texas is connecting most of its wind farms to its largest cities. The supply uses new transmission cables being stretched about 3,600 miles (5,800 kilometers) across the state in a $6.8 billion project set to be fully built by December. (Renewable Energy World)
UK: The share of the UK’s electricity mix provided by low-carbon power has jumped again, climbing from 28.4% during the first quarter of 2012 to 30.4% during the first quarter of this year. Official government figures released yesterday credited higher levels of renewable energy and nuclear generation for the strong performance, which also saw the share of power provided by coal and gas fall slightly. (Business Green)
Research: Climate change will have a devastating effect on coral reefs such as the Great Barrier Reef, a study has found. Research by The University of Queensland published on Tuesday found coral dissolved rapidly when exposed to warmer and more acidic water caused by rising carbon dioxide levels. (Herald Sun)
Africa: Bawku West, Talensi and Nabdam Districts in Upper East Region, are to benefit from a sustainable land management and adaptation to climate project, to improve food security, fight poverty and desertification. The five-year project estimated at €300,000 and being funded by the European Union would create technical, political and strategic conditions on sustainable management and adaptation to reduce the vulnerability of the populations of West Africa to climate change. (Business Ghana)
Marshall Islands: The EU has pledged €150,000 ($198,285) to help the Marshall Islands recover from extreme flooding and drought. The announcement came at the start 2013 Pacific Islands Forum, a meeting billed as a last chance for smaller island states to raise awareness of their risks to climate change before the world will attempt to agree on binding targets in 2015. (RTCC)
Australia: A device called CETO will be the first wave powered desalination plant in the world. The 2MW pilot project will be built by Carnegie Wave Energy near the Perth Wave Energy demo site. (Tree Hugger)
Caribbean: Climate change experts from across the Caribbean begin a three-day meeting today to discuss ways of reducing the impact of climate change on the region’s agriculture and tourism sectors. The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Secretariat will host its third climate change seminar from 3 September that will also focus on “strategies and innovations in tourism and agriculture”. (Jamaica Observer)