Daily Links May 30

What if US quits climate deal? Doesn’t look good for Earth.
Earth is likely to reach more dangerous levels of warming even sooner if the U.S. retreats from its pledge to cut carbon dioxide pollution, scientists said. That’s because America contributes so much to rising temperatures
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-4426583696647304788

Sky-high carbon tax needed to avoid climate catastrophe, say experts
Economists, including Joseph Stiglitz and Nicholas Stern, say taxes of $100 per metric tonne could be needed by 2030
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/29/sky-high-carbon-tax-needed-to-avoid-catastrophic-global-warming-say-experts

Hotspots Show That Vegetation Alters Climate by Up to 30 Percent
A new study that analyzes global satellite observations shows that vegetation alters climate and weather patterns by as much as 30 percent. The researchers used a new approach and found feedbacks …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170529133705.htm

Arctic peatlands may release potent greenhouse gas as permafrost thaws
Arctic peatlands may become a substantial source of a greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide when they thaw, a new study suggests.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2017-05-30/arctic-peatland-could-release-greenhouse-gas-as-permafrost-thaws/8569010

Wedge-tailed eagles and drones competing for airspace in the workplace
A professional drone surveyor says 90 per cent of problems in unmanned aerial vehicle use are caused by eagle attacks.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2017-05-29/wedge-tailed-eagles-and-drones-competing-for-airspace/8566912

Solar supplied 3.2% of Australia demand in 2016, heading to 30%
Solar accounted for 3.2% of total generation in Australia last year, and its big rise will continue to 30% by 2030 and more than 50% …
http://reneweconomy.com.au/solar-supplied-3-2-australia-demand-2016-heading-30-33321/

Australians say climate change is catastrophic risk, even as government turns blind eye
Three in four Australians understand that climate warming poses a “catastrophic risk,” even as the Australian government turns a blind eye.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/australians-say-climate-change-catastrophic-risk-even-government-turns-blind-eye-23556/

Food-rescue groups to get $1.2m funding boost
Organisations that rescue wasted food to feed the needy are being given hundreds of thousands of dollars in Federal Government funding to reduce their energy costs and increase their storage capacity.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-30/war-on-waste-funding-boost-for-food-rescue-groups-energy-costs/8568758

US group funds anti-coal activists
The US-based Tides Foundation has donated millions of dollars to Australian green groups.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/green-activists-intent-on-killing-coal-accept-funding-from-us-foundation/news-story/0931ba74250825611827c3294c3a8c00

Renewables grow to 17% of electricity mix as sector calls for certainty
Clean Energy Council report says while Australia is on track to deliver the 2020 renewable energy target, ‘clear policy direction and support is required beyond 2020’
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/may/30/renewables-grow-to-17-of-electricity-mix-as-sector-calls-for-certainty

Know your NEM: Renewable energy certificates in free-fall
David Leitch
Renewable energy futures prices are in free-fall, reflecting the general view that the 2020 target can be met, and may even be exceeded.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/know-nem-renewable-energy-certificates-free-fall-51497/

Finkel report won’t stop energy policy bickering
Jennifer Hewett
http://www.afr.com/opinion/columnists/finkels-report-wont-stop-the-bickering-over-energy-policy-20170528-gwf6o5

Truckies cop more fees in tunnel plan
THE impacts of the $5.5 billion West Gate Tunnel have been revealed, with truck drivers the hardest hit by the changes.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/impacts-of-west-gate-tunnel-project-on-commuters-revealed/news-story/594476d6374405dccb20327199d2c558

Jetsetting pollies enjoy green trips
QUESTIONS are being asked about why Melbourne City Council needed to send two staff members — including a Greens Party politician — to Mexico City for climate change meetings.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/melbourne-pollie-sent-to-mexican-talkfest-days-after-being-elected-greens-mayor-of-darebin-council/news-story/e5dab95dd882e4267c47da2fe1a5e3fd

Toxic State: What lies beneath
http://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2017/toxic-state/site

‘Liveable’ Sydney has clear winners and losers
Roberta Ryan, University of Technology Sydney and Yvette Selim, University of Technology Sydney
Justifying Sydney’s ranking as a liveable city requires greater recognition of the inequality of Sydneysiders’ access to jobs, wealth, transport and housing.
http://theconversation.com/liveable-sydney-has-clear-winners-and-losers-78030

Canberrans can soon cash in their cans
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberrans-can-soon-cash-in-their-cans-with-container-deposit-scheme-on-the-way-20170529-gwf8ty.html

Boston Energy consortium advances plans for Queensland battery gigafactory
Australian consortium ready to choose site in Townsville for first Australian battery “gigafactory”, signs deal to do same in New York.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/boston-energy-consortium-advances-plans-for-queensland-battery-gigafactory-63187/

Glencore threat over power costs
Glencore hands Queensland government a fresh election-year headache by threatening to wind up its copper operations in the state’s north.
http://www.afr.com/news/politics/now-glencore-threatens-to-leave-pressure-on-qld-and-turnbull-governments-20170529-gwfs34

Greens under fire over offensive mural
LABOR has complained to the Greens about a violent mural depicting Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pointing a gun at a fish and labelling her a “reef killer”.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/greens-under-fire-over-offensive-palaszczuk-mural/news-story/e15c0401b782a917287dfc0268294ce4

Black lung inquiry finds ‘catastrophic failure’ in handling of suspected cases
A parliamentary committee into black lung disease finds “catastrophic failings” in public administration in Queensland, and warns more cases are likely to be diagnosed in the future.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-29/black-lung-report-catastrophic-failure-qld-public-administration/8568000

Fact v fiction: Adani’s Carmichael coalmine
Video
https://www.theguardian.com/business/video/2017/may/30/fact-v-fiction-adanis-carmichael-coalmine-video-explainer

Black lung, white lies
Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis Select Committee (QLD)
http://apo.org.au/node/91476

Light at the end of the tunnel is a (late) train
Coiurier Mail editorial
QUEENSLAND Rail is rapidly becoming a soap opera rather than a transport provider.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/editorial-sun-yet-to-shine-in-queensland-rails-new-dawn/news-story/9c8bdc5fec921caf193ebcb14f517fd8

The myth that Adani coal is boom or bust for Queensland economy
Giles Parkinson
Adani Power’s latest big loss underlines the fact that its Carmichael coal project makes no sense. One myth is that the local economy would be devastated if the mine doesn’t go ahead. But it’s simply not true, given the huge pipeline of solar, wind, storage, biofuel and battery
http://reneweconomy.com.au/the-myth-that-adani-coal-is-boom-or-bust-for-queensland-economy-39757/

Why Gold Coast light rail was worth it and it’s about more than patronage
Matthew Burke
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/why-gold-coast-light-rail-was-worth-it-and-its-about-more-than-patronage-20170529-gwfxki.html

Black lung: The proof we have failed our coal miners
John Birmingham
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/comment/blunt-instrument/black-lung-the-proof-we-have-failed-our-coal-miners-20170529-gwfvhj.html

How to fix our shameful asbestos legacy
Kevin Purse 
THE coverage in Saturday’s Advertiser of the plight of two men now dying from mesothelioma provides yet another stark reminder of the lethal consequences of exposure to asbestos
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/kevin-purse-educating-schoolleavers-on-asbestos-dangers-is-one-way-to-reduce-rate-of-deadly-exposures/news-story/9e8628b9f38c4b3aa6151b1a231c8be0

Derwent harbours ideal solution to traffic
Lisa Singh
Lisa Singh says we ought to get aboard Clifford’s bold ferry plan for our capital.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/talking-point-derwent-harbours-ideal-solution-to-traffic-woes/news-story/23b0f1ccb7c219dce32db189e859b6b1

UK’s biggest solar company takes shine to global projects with deals worth £3bn.
Britain’s biggest solar power company has shrugged off the cloud of drastic UK subsidy cuts by reinventing itself as an international firm with more than £3bn of projects planned.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-4426583696647304800

Coal country’s power plants are turning away from coal.
Coal is on the defensive in America’s power industry. Even in coal country.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-4426583696647304785

‘Heat Island’ Effect Could Double Climate Change Costs for World’s Cities
Overheated cities face climate change costs at least twice as big as the rest of the world because of the ‘urban heat island’ effect, new research …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170529133714.htm

Squeezing Every Drop of Fresh Water from Waste Brine
A new way to recover almost 100 percent of the water from highly concentrated salt solutions has now been developed by researchers. The system will alleviate water shortages …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170529133659.htm

The French experiment – and the shift from nuclear to renewables
Macron has appointed his cabinet, but the direction of the country’s energy transition remains unclear. The energy portfolio is now known as “ecology and solidarity”.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/french-experiment-shift-nuclear-renewables-75521/

Engines fire without smoke
By observing the soot particles formed in a simple flame, researchers at KAUST have developed a computational model capable of simulating soot production inside the latest gasoline automobile engines.
http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/51382

Urban Emissions Could Be Cut by Seventy Per Cent
A researcher has developed a mathematical model that determines the optimal conditions for sustainable urban distribution. The model can reduce logistical pressure in cities and make goods transport …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170529090010.htm

Carnegie completes plans for Mauritius wave, solar + storage microgrid
Carnegie Clean Enegry completes design of a wave energy integrated hybrid power station for the Mauritian island of Rodrigues.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/carnegie-completes-plans-mauritius-wave-solar-storage-microgrid-38611/

German solar PV production peaks at 42% of demand
Sophie Vorrath Solar PV production in Germany averaged at 30GW-plus for an hour on Sunday, amounting to 42% of total power demand.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/graph-of-the-day-german-solar-pv-production-peaks-at-42-of-demand-81415/

UK sets new solar power record of 24.3% of demand on May 26
UK broke a solar power record for the second time this month last Friday.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/uk-sets-new-solar-power-record-24-3-demand-may-26-74408/

Zero emission cars, powered by 100-proof subsidies.
Globe and Mail editorial
If you want to get a close look at a bit of technology that is highly inefficient and largely ill-suited to its main purpose, go take a gander at the car parked in your driveway.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-4426583696647304791

How to play the world’s water shortage
Jessica Sier
Investors can follow the lead from Dr Michael Burray, the GFC-predicting protagonist from Michael Lewis’ The Big Short, and invest in one of the world’s most urgent themes: water.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/how-to-play-the-worlds-water-shortage-20170528-gwf6cn.html

Melting ice and satellites: how to measure the Earth’s ‘wiggle’
Anna Riddell, University of Tasmania and Matt King, University of Tasmania
Driverless cars and drones will require pinpoint location accuracy, which means our methods for measuring the Earth’s centre need an overhaul.
http://theconversation.com/melting-ice-and-satellites-how-to-measure-the-earths-wiggle-77799

Sustainable shopping: for eco-friendly jeans, stop washing them so often
Alice Payne, Queensland University of Technology and Susannah Kate Devitt, Queensland University of Technology
Our clothes are cheaper, flimsier and shorter-lived than ever. But jeans, a staple of the modern wardrobe, are actually designed to be long-lasting – provided you take proper care of them.
http://theconversation.com/sustainable-shopping-for-eco-friendly-jeans-stop-washing-them-so-often-75781

Climate change is killing New England’s moose. Are hunters the answer?
Ticks that flourish as temperatures rise are decimating the once-thriving population. Some experts think reducing moose numbers is the best way to save them
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-4426583696647303979

Wild Amazon faces destruction as Brazil’s farmers and loggers target national park.
To understand why the Brazilian government is deliberately losing the battle against deforestation, you need only retrace the bootmarks of the Edwardian explorer Percy Fawcett along the Amazonian border with Bolivia.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-4426583696647304798

Nation’s Beekeepers Lost 33 Percent of Bees in 2016-17
Beekeepers across the United States lost 33 percent of their honey bee colonies during the year spanning April 2016 to April 2017, according to the latest preliminary results of an annual nationwide survey. Rates of both winter loss and summer loss—and consequently, total annual losses—improved compared with last year.
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/51384

The awful truth of our mastery over nature
Peter Boyer
Peter Boyer asks whether mankind has blithely pushed into a new epoch.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/talking-point-the-awful-truth-of-our-mastery-over-nature/news-story/10880a358c08c1049f0409cc7bb6f9ee