We are last generation that can stop climate change' – UN summit

The UN climate change summit begins on Monday with a warning that today’s generation is the last that can prevent catastrophic global warming, as well as the first to be suffering its impacts.

 Scientists recommend that warming is limited to 1.5C. 

Almost 200 nations were set to meet in Poland for two weeks, aiming to hammer out a vital agreement to turn the carbon-cutting vision set in Paris in 2015 into reality. Moves to rapidly ramp up action would be another key goal, with current pledges leaving the world on track for a disastrous 3C of warming.

Read the story from The Guardian by Damian Carrington- “‘We are last generation that can stop climate change' – UN summit.”

Browned off: $90m 'clean coal' program ends as final project collapses

The last of a long list of government-backed "clean coal" projects has fallen over, with the Andrews government reluctantly confirming the end of a $90 million program announced amid much fanfare six years ago.

Latrobe Valley brown coal.

After days of pressing by The Age, Treasurer Tim Pallas’ department issued a statement announcing the conclusion of the joint federal and state Advanced Lignite Demonstration Program (ALDP) after the collapse of the program’s remaining scheme – a plan to turn Gippsland coal into char and oil by a company called Coal Energy Australia.

Mr Pallas refused to answer questions, instead leaving his department to handle media requests. Two other projects supported under the program had already failed.

The latest failed project did not receive any of the $90 million in government funding as it did not succeed in turning brown coal into clean fuel. It is not clear how much of that money has gone to any project.

Read the story from The Age by Royce Millar and Ben Schneiders - “Browned off: $90m 'clean coal' program ends as final project collapses.”