Daily Links May 2

Plan to regrow receding Swiss glacier by blowing artificial snow
An ambitious plan to save a melting glacier in the Swiss Alps with showers of artificial snow will be tested this summer
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2129413-plan-to-regrow-receding-swiss-glacier-by-blowing-artificial-snow/

Solar PV could provide 30% of power needs by 2030, ARENA says
ARENA says solar PV could account for 30% of Australia’s power needs by 2030, as it unveils its new investment priorities – storage and reliability, solar innovation, energy productivity and renewable energy exports. Also, expect an announcement on solar thermal soon.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/solar-pv-could-provide-30-of-power-needs-by-2030-arena-says-38670/

Why every Australian town should have its own wind or solar farm
Imagining an Australia where every town is running off its own renewable energy projects is becoming a reality. Victoria is on the case.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/why-every-australian-town-should-have-its-own-wind-or-solar-farm-92636/

The solar panel and battery revolution: how will your state measure up?
Paul Graham, CSIRO
A new report predicts a boom in household solar and batteries as Australia’s electricity networks move to a more sustainable footing, with some states poised for a 500% boost in rooftop solar.
http://theconversation.com/the-solar-panel-and-battery-revolution-how-will-your-state-measure-up-76866

How big are the public health benefits of riding to work?
Alan Davies
Those who cycle to work have better health prospects than those who commute by car or transit but it’s unlikely all the public health benefits would scale up if a lot more of us cycled
https://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2017/05/01/big-public-health-benefits-riding-work/

Nothing natural in great divide
Peter Boyer
Peter Boyer says preserving the environment transcends ideology
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/talking-point-nothing-natural-in-great-divide/news-story/633952049da8f6303e67028d52895d4d

Revenue sharing will ignite gas production
Mark S. Lawson
Handing farmers a slice of the royalties on gas extracted from underneath their land, may transform the present blame shifting of the debate.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=18997

There’s a better return on higher education than a coal mine
Andrew P Street
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/comment/view-from-the-street/theres-a-better-return-on-higher-education-than-a-coal-mine-20170501-gvw6wq.html

Charging to the future – but are our governments keeping up with electric cars?
Anna Nadolny, Andrew Blakers
Electric vehicles offer plenty of public benefits but, without coordinated policy and infrastructure, Australia will lag the world.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/public-service/charging-to-the-future–but-are-our-governments-keeping-up-with-electric-cars-20170430-gvvq6a.html

What we already know about this year’s Victorian budget
More police, regional rail upgrades, the North-East Link road and all-night weekend public transport in Melbourne are among the spending measures promised by the Victorian Government ahead of this year’s state budget.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-01/what-we-already-know-about-the-victorian-budget/8485244

New $300m bypass for outer Melbourne
A new $300 million bypass will be built to tackle congestion on Melbourne’s southeastern edge.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/new-300m-bypass-for-outer-melbourne/news-story/fdb999811339d59d1c19ffbcfbc037a9

Push to review possum protection
PRESSURE is mounting on the federal government to review the protection of Victoria’s leadbeater’s possum amid a campaign to save thousands of jobs in the timber industry.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/pressure-mounting-on-federal-government-to-review-leadbeaters-possum-protection/news-story/ac57d3ad1a95f1380b21af6007af29ae

Federal funds needed for rail plan
STATE Treasurer Tim Pallas has revealed the $1.45 billion regional rail project will not go ahead without federal agreement.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/victorian-state-budget-2017-federal-funding-needed-for-145bn-regional-rail-project/news-story/ff733baa35b68babc5b6f641f44d6666

Why $1.45b for regional rail is a good bet
Peter Martin
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/why-145-billion-for-victorian-regional-rail-is-a-good-bet-20170501-gvw9r4.html

NSW rooftop solar export tariffs could double from July
Recommended feed in tariff for NSW solar households more than doubles to range of 11.6c/kWh to 14.6c/kWh, reflecting jump in wholesale prices that will affect
http://reneweconomy.com.au/nsw-rooftop-solar-export-tariffs-could-double-from-july-93428/

The good news for solar customers that’s bad for everyone else
http://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/solar-feedin-tariff-benchmark-could-double-by-july-1-20170501-gvw8d6.html

Forecasting trial delay in the NSW District Criminal Court: an update
NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research
This study finds that changes in the number of pending trial cases can be used to forecast changes in the time taken to finalise criminal cases in the NSW District Criminal Court.
http://apo.org.au/node/76159

Full steam ahead on light rail stage 2
Canberra Times editorial
True to its election promise, the Barr government is now throwing everything at light rail stage 2.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/ct-editorial/full-steam-ahead-on-light-rail-stage-2-in-canberra-20170501-gvw4ot.html

Construction set to begin on 148MW Ross River Solar Farm
Construction is set to begin on one of the largest solar projects in Australia’s development pipeline, after the 148MW Ross River Solar Farm this week achieved financial close.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/construction-set-to-begin-on-148mw-ross-river-solar-farm-83293/

Shell CSG reserves under cloud
Shell has written off the $390m in gas exploration assets associated with the Queensland Curtis LNG plant.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/shells-390m-asset-writeoff-casts-doubt-on-csg-reserves/news-story/acffbde24931dd974b2dd9bd892a4a3d

Origin sells solar farm stake
The energy group has sold its Darling Downs solar farm, while securing output to maintain its renewable mix.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/origin-sells-darling-downs-solar-farm-to-apa-for-200m/news-story/cfb2c80439f89c4b5e1cb361a6c9bdf9

Just when we thought it was safe…
QUEENSLAND’S record for fatality-free beachgoing could be under threat from new moves on shark protection, it is feared.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/travel/australia/queensland/queensland-shark-controls-government-lifesavers-warn-against-tampering/news-story/d5912691d2ca30eb2452872dd9efad32

Adani opens new fronts in Carmichael campaign
Matthew Stevens
Adani is hunting coal supply contracts as it seeks to secure funding for its controversial Queensland mine.
http://www.afr.com/business/adani-opens-new-fronts-in-carmichael-campaign-20170501-gvwj48

Jury’s call is no nuclear death knell
Vanessa Guthrie 
DESPITE best efforts by anti-nuclear campaigners, discussion around South Australia’s opportunities in the nuclear fuel cycle simply will not go away
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/vanessa-guthrie-sa-still-has-a-nuclear-future-despite-the-outcome-of-citizens-jury/news-story/36f742929d9325f0f3b40f0a2415df58

Energy loans scheme open
THE State Government has continued its focus on power prices, opening up the long-awaited energy efficiency loan scheme
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/tasmanian-households-and-small-businesses-can-increase-their-energy-efficiency-through-a-new-nointerest-loan-scheme/news-story/65f512a7d8bd287c1d3c5da400db0564

Loopholes for ‘rogue’ miners to escape clean-up must close: Minister
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/loopholes-for-rogue-miners-to-escape-cleanup-must-close-minister-20170501-gvwias.html

Environmentalists, coal companies rally around technology to clean up coal.
The industry has been in decline for years, partly because burning coal creates CO2 and warms the atmosphere. But there’s a way to capture it — which has drawn praise from traditional enemies.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361644413

World’s hottest market: Air conditioners for India and hundreds of new electric plants to power them.
The country is likewise poised to avoid the costs of such an explosion—including billions of tons of carbon pollution—by deploying units that are super efficient, with climate-friendly refrigerants and powered by renewable energy.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361643930

Global pension funds warm to India’s solar power ambitions.
Some of the world’s biggest pension funds, seeking long-term returns on green investments, are scouting for deals in India’s solar power sector, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is targeting $100 billion in investment in the next five years.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361646659

India to make every single car electric by 2030 in bid to tackle pollution that kills millions.
Every car sold in India will be powered by electricity by the year 2030, according to plans unveiled by the country’s energy minister.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361643930

It’s the end of the world and we know it: Scientists in many disciplines see apocalypse, soon.
Stephen Hawking is one of many scientists who see the possible near-term demise of our species.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361644732

Cities Provide Paths from Poverty to Sustainability
Understanding how cities develop at the neighborhood level is key to promoting equitable, sustainable …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170501150748.htm

Climate change could drive coastal food webs to collapse.
New research shows that although species such as algae will receive a boost, the positive effects are likely to be cancelled out by the increased stress to species further up the food chain such as predatory fish.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361644245

Musk talks about Tesla semi, more gigafactories, & electric roller skates
Elon Musk talks of upcoming Tesla truck, more Gigafactories, and how cars in future could navigate through subterranean tunnels on electric roller skates.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/musk-talks-tesla-semi-gigafactories-electric-roller-skates-41834/

New wind farm danger revealed
A German study reveals how continued exposure to wind farm noise affects the brain, causing other health problems.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/brain-can-hear-wind-farm-noise-study-finds/news-story/5304c539c2c291a739a4af4e82b71c90

Caribbean scientists work to limit climate impact on marine environment.
Caribbean scientists say fishermen are already seeing the effects of climate change, so for a dozen or so years they’ve been designing systems and strategies to reduce the impacts on the industry.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361645540

Lakes worldwide feel the heat from climate change.
Warming waters are disrupting freshwater fishing and recreation
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361643931

China’s appetite pushes fisheries to the brink.
Overfishing is depleting oceans across the globe, but China’s enormous appetite and massive fleet of deep-sea fishing vessels is having an outsize impact
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361645526

Climate change will alter flow of River Nile.
The 400 million people who depend on the predictability of the River Nile face an uncertain future as global warming delivers more extreme weather.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361643757

Africa rejects Europe’s ‘dirty diesel.’
Ghana and Nigeria are the first countries to respond to reports of European companies exploiting weak fuel standards in Africa. Stricter limits on the sulfur content of diesel will come into force on July 1.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361644727

Peru’s plans to cut air quality rules would smooth sale of top polluter
Proposals to raise legal limits of sulfur dioxide by more than 12 times linked directly to sale of US-owned smelter in the Andes
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/andes-to-the-amazon/2017/may/01/perus-plans-cut-air-quality-rules-smooth-sale-major-polluter

Court suspends litigation on climate rule in win for Trump.
A federal court’s decision this morning to pause litigation over the Clean Power Plan is a win for the Trump administration, making it unlikely that judges will issue a ruling on its legality as U.S. EPA reviews the controversial program.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361645562

New Coral Bleaching Database to Help Predict Fate of Global Reefs
A research team has developed a new global coral bleaching database that could help scientists predict future bleaching events. The new database contains 79 percent more reports than previous, widely …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170501141623.htm

Protection of forests ‘fundamental to security of humanity’s place on this planet,’ UN Forum told
Kick-starting action on the recently-adopted Global Forest Goals to protect, sustainably manage and increase world’s forest area will be a key focus for delegations gathered in New York for the twelfth session of the UN Forum on Forests, which opened today at United Nations Headquarters.
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/51144

Mr. Trump should not undo the protection of precious public land.
Washington Post editorial
Mr. Trump should not undo the protection of precious public land Presidents have used the Antiquities Act to preserve vast swaths of our national treasures.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361644733

The bark side: domestic dogs threaten endangered species worldwide
Tim Doher et al
Cats have a bad reputation as wildlife killers (deservedly so). But dogs aren’t off the hook: new research shows domestic dogs have contributed to the extinction of at least 11 species.
http://theconversation.com/the-bark-side-domestic-dogs-threaten-endangered-species-worldwide-76782