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Andriy Kobolyev calls for more weapons after Russia destroys one of Ukraine’s largest power plantsA dramatic rise in European energy prices is inevitable if the Russian destruction of Ukrainian energy infrastructure continues unabated, the former chief executive of Ukraine’s state-owned oil company has warned.Andriy Kobolyev, a former head of Naftogaz, said in an interview with the Guardian: “Russia is trying to wage a global...

Treasurer offers more detail on forthcoming Future Made in Australia plan after concerns raised by productivity commissionerGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastTax breaks and subsidies may be offered to industry as part of the government’s yet-to-be-detailed Future Made in Australia plan – but Jim Chalmers says there will be “strict tests” on public funding for the green...

Dozens of flights cancelled at Sydney airport and drivers told to avoid non-essential travel as inland low and coastal trough combine. This blog is now closedBruce Lehrmann defamation trial live: watch and follow the latest newsBoM weather radar: track the path of the storms and latest updates and warnings for NSW and QueenslandGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news...

Services Australia is working with Ergon to return overpayments, prompting fears the issue first identified at AGL could be widespreadFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastA second Australian energy company wrongly received money from the welfare payments of former customers, prompting fears that the issue identified at AGL could be...

World’s fossil-fuel producers on track to nearly quadruple output from newly approved projects by decade’s end, report findsThe world’s fossil-fuel producers are on track to nearly quadruple the amount of extracted oil and gas from newly approved projects by the end of this decade, with the US leading the way in a surge of activity that threatens to blow apart agreed climate goals, a...

First Nations activists call legislation ‘a betrayal’ while Greens leader tells parliament Labor are ‘climate con artists’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government and the Coalition have voted to cut short debate on Labor’s offshore gas bill, which the crossbench and environment groups have labelled “window dressing” that...

China’s Longi looks to slash costs as renewable energy sector faces tough headwinds from inflationThe world’s largest solar manufacturer has slashed nearly a third of its workforce after a cost-cutting drive that included telling staff to only print in black and white fell short and as a chill ripples through the renewable energy sector.China’s Longi is to cut as much as 30% of its...

Installations must speed up 11-fold as advisers say latest changes to scheme likely to make 2028 target even harderThe public spending watchdog has criticised the slow pace of the government’s heat pump rollout just days after ministers postponed an important scheme designed to increase the rate of installations.A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has found that heat pump installations would need to...

Independent senator shares Tiwi Islanders’ concern over changes they argue would allow companies to ‘ignore’ their viewsGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe independent senator David Pocock has expressed “grave concerns” Labor is seeking to work around a court decision requiring more consultation with First Nations people on offshore gas developments.Pocock made the comments at a Senate inquiry...

Rowan Ramsey says overturning ban on nuclear first is the ‘most logical thing’ to do as opposition leader prepares to nominate up to six locationsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe Liberal MP Rowan Ramsey has said any talk of where nuclear power plants would be built or waste would...

Michael Gove said UK needed coal to make steel, but business department papers drafted around same time say it will notPreviously unseen documents have emerged that appear to contradict the government’s case for a new coalmine in Cumbria.When Michael Gove, the levelling up secretary, approved plans to build the Woodhouse Colliery near Whitehaven in December 2022, he said the UK would need the coal...

Decision by premier Danielle Smith further pits Canadian province against environmental groups pushing green energyAlberta will block renewable energy projects on “prime” agricultural land and limit the placement of wind turbines to preserve “pristine viewscapes”, a decision that increasingly pits the western Canadian province against environmental groups pushing green energy – and the companies investing in it.The decision, announced by the premier, Danielle Smith,...

Tory government has ‘ducked’ difficult decisions, leading to higher bills, says shadow energy secretaryBusiness live – latest updatesLabour has claimed a “culture of inertia and stasis” has blocked renewable energy projects under the Conservatives and says the party will overturn a de facto onshore wind ban “at the stroke of a pen” if it wins the general election.The shadow energy secretary, Ed Miliband, told...

Lisa Wilkinson took Ten to court over its refusal to pay more than $700,000 in legal costs. This blog is now closedWatch the Bruce Lehrmann case live stream on YouTube hereGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastBureau of Meteorology’s first look ruled out tornadoes in VictoriaReports of 120km/hour gusts in Victoria gave an indication of the ferocity of...

Authorities working to ‘get Victorians back online as quickly as possible’, state’s energy minister says Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastHalf a million households in Victoria are without electricity and trains have been suspended across metropolitan Melbourne after a power station went down during storms. Continue reading...

Dueling petitions raise concerns over interior department’s five-year plans to offer drilling leases in Gulf of MexicoOil and gas companies and environmental groups on Monday filed dueling legal challenges to the Biden administration’s five-year plan to offer drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico.The petitions to a US appeals court come four months after the interior department unveiled a congressionally-mandated plan for offshore leasing...

Housebuilders and campaigners warn of cold, damp homes and UK missing legally binding targetsLabour’s slashing of proposed spending on home insulation will leave millions of people on low incomes in cold, damp homes and could prevent the UK meeting its legally binding carbon targets, campaigners and housebuilders have warned.The Federation of Master Builders criticised the drastic scaling back of Labour’s low-carbon policies, announced by...

Labour MP Barry Gardiner, former shadow climate change minister, criticised Starmer’s plan to scale back the £28bn plan Good morning. It will come as no surprise to anyone who has been following Westminster news in recent weeks, particularly if they have been reading the Guardian, to learn that Labour is no longer committed to spending £28bn a year on its green investment plan. The...

The company’s CEO says he’s ‘acutely aware of the cost of living pressures both our customers and the broader community is under’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastElectricity and gas company AGL Energy has posted a return to profit but rejected accusations the sector is price gouging cash-strapped households.“We are...

Oil and gas company criticised by campaigners as it plans more share buybacks to return cash to investorsBusiness live – latest coverageProfits at the energy company BP halved last year to nearly $14bn (£11bn), but were better than expected after weaker oil and gas market prices caused revenues to slump across the industry.BP said it would return more cash to investors with $3.5bn of...

Regional mayor Dan Norris launches project to explore potential for former mines to produce low-carbon heat When Bryn Hawkins worked in coalmines through the 1960s and early 1970s he says few understood the impact the burning of fossil fuels would have on the planet.Now, public officials are hoping disused mines that provided millions of tonnes of fossil fuels could be used as a potential...

Call for companies to ‘clean up their mess’ as Athabasca oil sands emissions vastly exceed industry-reported levelsToxic emissions from the Canadian tar sands – already one of the dirtiest fossil fuels – have been dramatically underestimated, according to a study.Research published in the journal Science found that air pollution from the vast Athabasca oil sands in Canada exceed industry-reported emissions across the studied facilities...

This blog is now closed. Check the path of the storm towards Townsville with the BoM radar and forecast tracker mapTropical Cyclone Kirrily upgraded to ‘severe’ category three storm as it approaches Queensland coastPeter Dutton calls for election over ‘very significant change’ to stage-three tax cutsGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastAs we flagged just earlier, wind gusts...

This blog is now closed.Albanese fuels cost-of-living relief expectations as MPs debate sticking with stage-three tax cutsGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast‘No plans to change’ Australia Day, minister saysSpeaking on the Today show, Amanda Rishworth is asked about a decision by Cricket Australia to scrap the term Australia Day at the Brisbane Test match this Friday.We have...