The 2015 Federal Budget could not have been more different to its predecessor, with the environment and sustainability sector barely rating a mention. [ + ]

The Bureau of Meteorology's El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) tracker has confirmed that El Niño thresholds have been reached in the tropical Pacific for the first time since March 2010. [ + ]

Sydney Airport has invited expressions of interest from manufacturers in Australia and overseas to take part in an open tender for the supply of electric buses, to be used as part of the airport's parking and ground transport operations. [ + ]

Infrastructure and environmental services provider Citywide has unveiled Australia's first street-sweeping recycling plant. Located in central Melbourne, the facility will compile up to 80% of collected street-sweeping material - previously sent to landfill - for re-use and recycling. [ + ]

Australian private water utility TRILITY has achieved completion on purchase for the bulk of an acquisition from Water Infrastructure Group, a subsidiary of Pentair. [ + ]

Regional Australia experienced 453% year-over-year growth in installed solar units in 2014, outpacing metropolitan growth at 440% for the same period. [ + ]

The first of around 650,000 panels has been installed at AGL Energy's $150 million Broken Hill solar photovoltaic (PV) plant - part of the $440 million AGL Solar Project. [ + ]

Applications for the 2015 Community Project Grants, provided by Darwin-based charity the Ethos Global Foundation (EGF), will close on 15 May. [ + ]

The Australasian Bioplastics Association has announced DIN CERTCO of Germany as the technical auditing partner for the certification of conformance to the Australian Standard AS 4736-2006 under the ABA verification program, covering biodegradable plastics suitable for industrial composting. [ + ]

Curtin University and Chongqing University (CQU) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) outlining their intention to collaborate in the field of sustainable and smart cities of the future. [ + ]

CSIRO has developed a tool that identifies ways to reduce the time and distance it takes to transport cattle around Australia, thus cutting the fuel costs, wear and tear and stress involved in the journey of this valuable commodity. [ + ]

Ten Western Sydney councils are taking a regional approach to waste management with the formation of the Western Sydney Regional Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy. [ + ]

The Australian Academy of Science has responded to the government's consultation on Australia's post-2020 carbon emissions target, recommending that Australia should aim to reduce its carbon emissions significantly over the next 15 years. [ + ]

The adage "out of sight, out of mind" applies to electricity use, according to new research from Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy. [ + ]

Carbon Trade Exchange has announced its platinum sponsorship of the Sustainable Innovation Forum 2015 - the largest business-focused side event to be held during the annual Conference of Parties. [ + ]