Yesterday
Union backs Boral in emissions bunfight
The AWU warns against investment funds “hounding” companies on emissions targets to the point where industry is at risk.
- Simon Evans
This Month
As timber buildings go up, emissions come down
The growing use of engineered wood products allows for less embodied carbon in buildings, but that alone won’t make construction clean.
- Michael Bleby
- Opinion
- Carbon challenge
No matter who collects EV revenue, we have to charge smartly
EVs are clean, cheap to run, and could encourage more driving. That will be a test for state governments, which can no longer set road user charges.
- Marion Terrill
- Opinion
- Energy transition
How an Australian coal tax can help save the world
This country’s grip on world coking coal supplies means we are well-placed to force up prices and discourage coal use.
- Adrian Blundell-Wignall
‘The capital is there.’ So what’s stalling the energy transition?
Problems around new transmission means Australia may fall short of its 2030 targets, but political will, capital and renewable resources remain strong drivers for the transition.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith and Mark Ludlow
‘Cottage industry’: Gurus say nuclear no match for solar energy
Australia’s much-garlanded ‘fathers of photovoltaics’, Martin Green and Andrew Blakers, say solar’s growth is about to sweep aside all its energy rivals.
- Hans van Leeuwen
Andrew Forrest, motorsports mogul, revs up his British business
The Fortescue boss is using the intense competition of motor-racing to drive technical innovation at his mines. Just don’t expect to see him trackside.
- Hans van Leeuwen
NSW vows to slash emissions by 50pc by 2030
Energy Minister Penny Sharpe insists the state will hit its targets even if it strikes a deal to keep the Eraring power station open.
- Samantha Hutchinson
Unibail recruits Aussie tech firm to get mall tenants to net zero
The owner of Westfield’s malls in the northern hemisphere has unveiled an ambitious blueprint to save energy and cut emissions.
- Hans van Leeuwen
‘Get your candles’: energy experts are ‘terrified’ about this summer
A summer of blackouts has emerged as a real risk from Australia’s creaking power system, increasing the likelihood of extra government intervention.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Energy Summit confirms stuttering transition is not on track
The scale and complexity of the task requires all hands on deck, rather than ruling out any feasible transition pathway on political grounds.
- The AFR View
Hydrogen still in slow-burn phase ahead of take-off
The low-carbon hydrogen market remains tiny, and few expect much growth any time soon, but it’s still seen as vital to transition to net-zero.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
Santos to provide assumptions for net zero in greenwashing case
The oil and gas producer has been asked to provide sworn statements by November 24 on the assumptions behind its emissions targets as part of a greenwashing case.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
Hit more polluters with emission cuts, OECD urges Labor
The OECD is urging Labor to broaden its flagship emissions reduction policy as it warns Australia is not on track to meet its net zero emissions target.
- Michael Read
Why this Australian seaweed farmer is setting his sights on Europe
The intense pressure on British and European farmers to cut methane emissions has opened up a major market opportunity for Tasmanian start-up Sea Forest.
- Hans van Leeuwen
September
Aussie hydrogen exports to Europe could be a pipedream, report warns
The Clean Air Task Force says Europe’s best bet is to get hydrogen by pipeline from nearby, or as ammonia from Qatar. But Australia might still get a look-in.
- Hans van Leeuwen
- Updated
- Carbon challenge
The $7trn a year challenge to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees
Power grids need to expand by about 2 million kilometres each year through to 2030 as electricity becomes the “new oil”, the International Energy Agency says.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
Super giant’s net-zero promise raises pressure on companies
Australian Retirement Trust’s Nicole Bradford says the $240 billion fund cannot turn on a dime to meet climate goals, as its promise to cut emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 adds pressure on the sector to adopt interim targets.
- Hannah Wootton
UK climate backdown sparks business backlash
PM Rishi Sunak’s moves have sparked business concern and raised fears that such political climb downs will spread to the European continent as elections loom.
- Updated
- Hans van Leeuwen
Super funds failing to disclose climate-related financial risk
Just two funds are progressing to meeting international climate disclosure standards, Treasury has been told, while BT, MLC, Colonial First State and Hostplus are the biggest laggards.
- Hannah Wootton
