Australia joins Vanuatu's bid for an international court to rule on the obligation to prevent climate harm

Good news to start this Friday, as Australia will co-sponsor Vanuatu’s historic bid for the international court of justice (ICJ) to rule on the climate crisis, including the legal consequences for causing significant environmental harm. The Pacific island country will soon put a resolution to the UN general assembly seeking an opinion on the international legal obligations that countries have to act on the climate crisis. The resolution asks the ICJ to pay particular attention to the harm experienced by small island developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis. Greenpeace Australia Pacific welcomes the commitment to the Pacific family in addressing its main existential threat.

Overconsumption by the rich must be tackled says the new acting executive secretary for the UN convention on biological diversity (CBD), David Cooper. Countries and corporations must immediately act on December's agreement in Montreal, which includes targets to protect 30% of earth.

Independent senator David Pocock has urged the Albanese government to quickly implement all recommendations from a review of Australia’s carbon credit system, given it wants to introduce a climate policy that relies heavily on offsets. Pocock’s is a key vote if the government is to introduce a planned revamp of the safeguard mechanism, a scheme that is meant to reduce carbon pollution from 215 big polluting industrial and resources sites.

Australia joins Vanuatu bid for international court to rule on obligation to prevent climate harm
Australia will join more than 100 nations and co-sponsor Vanuatu's landmark bid to have the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rule on the legal obligations that states have to deal with climate change and the damage it has caused. Vanuatu's representative to the United Nations said on Thursday that 105 states — including several European countries, Pacific island nations and a host of smaller developing countries — would join its push to get the UN General Assembly to formally seek an opinion on the international legal obligations countries have to respond to global heating.

Overconsumption by the rich must be tackled, says acting UN biodiversity chief
Governments and businesses must start implementing this decade’s deal to halt the destruction of Earth’s ecosystems as soon as possible, the acting UN biodiversity chief has said, urging rich nations to tackle overconsumption of the planet’s resources. David Cooper, the new acting executive secretary for the UN convention on biological diversity (CBD), said countries and corporations must immediately act on December’s historic agreement in Montreal, which includes targets to protect 30% of Earth, reform $500bn (£410bn) of environmentally damaging subsidies, and address and disclose the impact businesses have on biodiversity. Despite the scientific warnings, governments have never met a UN biodiversity target they have set for themselves and there is a major effort to make sure this decade is different.

David Pocock wants urgent action on carbon credit system ahead of vote on key climate policy
Independent senator David Pocock has urged the Albanese government to quickly implement all recommendations from a review of Australia’s carbon credit system, given it wants to introduce a climate policy that relies heavily on offsets. Pocock’s is a key vote if the government is to introduce a planned revamp of the safeguard mechanism, a scheme that is meant to reduce carbon pollution from 215 big polluting industrial and resources sites.

CO2 emissions may be starting to plateau, says global energy watchdog
Global carbon dioxide emissions are still rising but may at least be reaching a plateau, research from the International Energy Agency has shown. CO2 from energy – by far the biggest source of emissions – increased by less than 1% in 2022. This was despite the turmoil in energy markets caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The rise is smaller than the 6% increase in emissions from energy recorded by the IEA in 2021, a leap that came on the back of the rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic. However, a 7% reduction is needed every year to meet the goal of halving emissions this decade.

NSW government slams brakes on high-speed rail plans after spending $100m on studies
The Perrottet government has quietly abandoned its vision to build its own dedicated fast rail line between Sydney and Newcastle despite four years and roughly $100m spent on feasibility studies, abruptly halting work on a final business case just as geotechnical drilling was being planned. Confidential documents seen by Guardian Australia reveal that the NSW transport department now considers further planning and construction of a dedicated fast rail line to Newcastle to be a task for the commonwealth and its yet-to-be-operational High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA).

‘Like a little dragon’: new gecko species discovered on rugged Queensland island
A new species of gecko that “looks like a little dragon”, with a beaky face and spiny leaf-shaped tail, has been discovered on an uninhabited Queensland island. The new lizard was found on Scawfell Island, a rugged island about 50km offshore from the north Queensland city of Mackay.