Celebration of War Veterans Day Azerbaijan
Liberation Day Guernsey Jersey
Memorial Day of Victims of World War II Latvia
Mother’s Day Belarus
National Heroes Day Moldova
VE Day Bosnia-Herzegovina
Victory & Peace Day Armenia
Victory Day Belarus Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Montenegro Russia Tajikistan Turkmenistan Ukraine
Day of Memory and Honour Uzbekistan
More about May 9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_9
Climate Change
Investors worth $20 trillion call for climate change action.
Some of the world’s biggest investors have pleaded with governments of the world’s largest economies, including Australia, to stick with their commitments to tackle climate change and to introduce carbon pricing to help achieve them.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361629550
Paris 1.5°C target may be smashed by 2026
A change to a positive phase of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation could see global warming accelerate rapidly
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/uons-p1t050817.php
Macron to defend climate deal to Trump
In a call President Donald Trump has congratulated France’s President-elect Emmanuel Macron.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/trump-calls-macron-to-congratulate-him/news-story/c160b99dcf1f35d56f554eb5897871bc
National
Irreplaceable plant specimens destroyed in quarantine blunder
A review of Australia’s quarantine procedures is underway after historic and valuable plant specimens from France are destroyed by biosecurity officers.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-08/irreplaceable-plant-specimens-destroyed-by-biosecurity-officers/8504944
Why do we still print millions of pages for the budget?
Almost 8.5 million pages are estimated to be printed for this year’s federal budget, but is all that paper really necessary in the digital age?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-08/millions-of-papers-printed-ahead-of-federal-budget-2017/8499736
Plans brewing for Australian gigafactory and A-EV manufacture
New company reveals plans to mass-produce autonomous electric vehicles, and potentially build a battery gigafactory, on Australian soil by 2020.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/plans-brewing-australian-gigafactory-ev-manufacture-98197/
CEFC backs two new waste-to-fuel plants with $30m loan
CEFC taps Australia’s $2-3.3bn waste to fuel market, with $30m loan to ResourceCo to build two new Processed Engineered Fuel plants.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/cefc-backs-two-new-waste-fuel-plants-30m-loan-46901/
Origin closes wind-coal gap
Origin’s deal with China’s Goldwind sees the price of wind energy come to within a whisker of energy sourced from coal.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/origin-closes-windcoal-gap-with-stockyard-hill-wind-farm-deal/news-story/0414e9434adfec18919b7fcf5ff1955a
How coal helped save Australia’s AAA rating
http://www.theage.com.au/business/federal-budget/lower-budget-deficit-to-protect-aaa-rating-20170507-gvzrmr.html
Macquarie in renewables rush
Macquarie Group plans to ramp up its renewables investments to take advantage of the growing tide of sentiment.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/financial-services/macquarie-group-hastens-driveto-renewable-energy/news-story/44c990125b3720a5af97f34d0cac1f9f
Demands stall land-use deal
Urgent amendments to the Native Title Act needed to resolve indigenous land-use agreements have stalled again.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/indigenous-demands-stall-urgent-amendments-to-native-title-act/news-story/a931c58bc3f6955bed2854ab6f92b37c
Westpac CEO digs in on coal call
Following weeks of criticism, bank chief says revised climate policy looks at restricting lending to the “highest quality coal”
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/financial-services/westpac-chief-executive-brian-hartzer-has-defended-the-banks-decision-to-blacklist-funding-for-the-adani-coal-project/news-story/17ef24f9d7748402a4c7b67b9336707f
Australia’s natural capital reaches $6,138 billion
The total value of Australia’s environmental assets or natural capital was $6,138 billion at 30 June 2016, more than double the value of $2,953 billion in 2006, according to a report released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/mediareleasesbyCatalogue/D93FAC5FB44FBE1BCA257CAE000ED1AF?OpenDocument
Know your NEM: 5.6GW of new wind and solar under construction
David Leitch
There is now 5.6GW of new wind and solar under construction in Australia, and it may already be having an impact on electricity futures contracts.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/know-nem-5-6gw-new-wind-solar-construction-45219/
Victoria
Origin stuns industry with record low price for 530MW wind farm
Origin to buy output from 530MW Stockyard Hill wind farm at less than $60/MWh in price that will stun Australian industry. Following numerous solar deals, it expects renewables to account for more than 25% of its supply by 2020.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/origin-stuns-industry-with-record-low-price-for-530mw-wind-farm-70946/
Contract signed for new two-turbine wind farm in Victoria
Giles Parkinson Construction on the two-turbine Maroona wind farm to begin soon after contract signed and financing in place.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/contract-signed-new-two-turbine-wind-farm-victoria-62657/
Feds asked for help on gas search
Victoria has sought federal help for work to unlock more gas supplies, calling for a truce after months of dispute.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/victoria-asks-canberra-to-help-fund-expanded-state-gas-search/news-story/bb8d4f854e16468928fff4bfe72e3e41
Urban forest in the sky planned for CBD
A THREE-storey high “urban forest in the sky” will feature in the redevelopment of a Melbourne CBD landmark.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/landmark-redevelopment-three-storey-urban-forest-planned-for-melbournes-celtic-club-site/news-story/bab471d6c84338fab474f5a9eac2c77c
Regional rail waits on federal commitment
ALMOST $1.5 billion worth of rail upgrades in regional Victoria hang in the balance ahead of the federal Budget.
http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/regional-rail-waits-on-federal-commitment/news-story/f495a8e3bada0eaa636340a4721e0dae
New South Wales
‘We’ve pleaded guilty as charged’: Coal mine CEO
A mining wastewater dam collapse that sent an “avalanche” of coal reject and slurry into Blue Mountains National Park was a “disaster waiting to happen”, the environment court hears.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-08/blue-mountains-coal-mining-waste-dam-collapse-in-court/8506572
Building Badgerys Creek is a no-brainer
Bruce Teague
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/comment/building-badgerys-creek-is-a-nobrainer-20170508-gw00rg.html
Queensland
Deal signed for 42.5MW Collinsville solar farm to replace old coal plant
Transformation of former coal plant to 42MW solar farm in north Queensland set to begin with $60m from CEFC taking it to financial close.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/deal-signed-for-42-5mw-collinsville-solar-farm-to-replace-old-coal-plant-38340/
Cross River Rail will drive opportunity
Jackie Trad
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/comment/cross-river-rail-will-drive-opportunity-20170503-gvy87p.html
South Australia
Pollution scare at Adelaide’s Christies Beach ends
One of Adelaide’s main beaches reopens after a pollution scare caused by the release of unchlorinated water from a wastewater treatment plant.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-08/christies-beach-open-again-after-pollution-scare/8507578
South Australia’s Anzac renewables bonanza
South Australia enjoyed a bumper harvest from its wind and solar plants last week. Such days will become more common as more projects are built.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/graph-day-south-australias-anzac-renewables-bonanza-22144/
South Australia: Big no to higher FiT, big yes to batteries, big yes to EVs
Koutsantonis rejects calls for higher solar feed in tariff, saying the emphasis needs to switch to battery storage and electric vehicles.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/south-australia-big-no-to-higher-fit-big-yes-to-batteries-big-yes-to-evs-68924/
Tasmania
Fish farm’s new hurdle
TASSAL’S Okehampton Bay salmon farming development may need federal approval before it can go ahead, because of nearby endangered giant kelp forests.
http://www.themercury.com.au/business/tassals-okehampton-bay-salmon-farm-proposal-may-need-federal-approval-because-of-endangered-kelp-forests/news-story/1e24cc00744ac7f8b73083c5d525e371
Mountain of opportunity
Mercury editorial
While much focus on any future development on Mt Wellington has been on the merits or otherwise of a potential cable car, another project has been quietly bubbling away behind the scenes.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/mountain-of-opportunity/news-story/c638f92ff0dbfc6658794e6c6e655f01
Northern Territory
The NT must keep the door firmly closed to fracking
Rosalie Schultz
People may think of fracking as an environmental or industrial issue, but ultimately fracking is an issue of health and wellbeing.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=19021
Western Australia
Wesfarmers’ energy retailing unit signs up for W.A.’s biggest solar farm
Wesfarmers unit signs 10 year deal for 30MW solar farm, which will be the largest in WA and first in Australia to be built in
http://reneweconomy.com.au/wesfarmers-energy-retailing-unit-signs-w-s-biggest-solar-farm-45040/
Gas price war erupts with discount offer
WA’s biggest gas retailer is offering some people up to a quarter off their bills in a bid to win them back as a price war with Wesfarmers-owned Kleenheat intensifies.
https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/gas-price-war-erupts-with-discount-offer-ng-b88468341z
Dumping rubbish in forest costs man $3000
Covert cameras have put another small dent in the masses of rubbish marring a stretch of State forest in the northern suburbs.
https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/dumping-rubbish-in-forest-costs-man-3000-ng-b88469148z
Sustainability
ClientEarth targets European governments – and wins.
Environmental lawyers led by a Wall Street-trained Buddhist defeat the British government on air pollution.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361629542
Indiana professor warns about danger of guns — and it’s not what you think.
A new study shows that guns, even when fired as safely as possible, releases a high level of lead-filled dust that coats the shooter.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361629044
Polluted environment linked to higher cancer rates.
Study is first to measure the effect of cumulative environmental exposures on cancer rates
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361629217
Greenpeace warns about Chinese projects.
Environmental group forecasts that coal-to-chemicals plants will account for a significant portion of CO2 emissions by 2020.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361628065
UK coal industry gets hundreds of millions in subsidies each year, report finds.
The UK has given an average €434.5 million in subsidies to the coal industry each year between 2005 and 2016 new research by the Overseas Development Institute has found.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-995200128361629047
Lubing up industry, the natural way
Sesame oil, opening the door to sustainable lubricants
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/ip-lui050817.php
Installing solar to combat national security risks in the power grid
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/mtu-ist050517.php
New research could transform how we filter water
Water filtration with CO2 uses 1,000 times less energy than conventional methods
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/uol-nrc050817.php
People don’t trust scientific research when companies are involved.
John Besley, Aaron M. McCright, Joseph D. Martin, Kevin Elliott, Nagwan Zahry
Scientists need funding to do their work. But a new study finds turning to industry partners taints perceptions of university research, and including other kinds of partners doesn’t really help.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361629041
Big Oil betting on electric vehicles
Jon LeSage
Electric cars only make up about 1 percent of global vehicle sales, so making it to 30 percent in the short-term future would be a huge leap.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=19015
Are you ready for the global pandemic? No you are not you will probably die
First Dog on the Moon
The collapse of all health services, martial law being declared … the end of civilisation is imminent! You need First Dog on the Moon’s guide to surviving the apocalypse
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/may/08/are-you-ready-for-the-global-pandemic-no-you-are-not-you-will-probably-die
Nature Conservation
Major illegal logging operation prompts demand for crackdown on imports
Investigators say logs from national parks in Cambodia are being smuggled across the border to Vietnam in the “largest operation we have seen for years” —and Australians could be buying the timber, with the nation a major market for the Vietnamese industry.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-08/illegal-logging-prompts-calls-for-australian-import-checks/8507852
Bay health gained slightly in 2016, assessment finds.
The Chesapeake Bay’s ecological health improved slightly last year, according to a new assessment, with three of the estuary’s key fish populations in their best shape in decades.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361628047
Pasture management and riparian buffers reduce erosion
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/asoa-pma050817.php
New technology generates power from polluted air
Researchers from the University of Antwerp and KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Belgium, have succeeded in developing a process that purifies air and, at the same time, generates power. The device must only be exposed to light in order to function
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/kl-ntg050517.php
Tillage Farming Damaging Earthworm Populations
The digging, stirring and overturning of soil by conventional ploughing in tillage farming is severely damaging earthworm populations around the world, say scientists.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170508095152.htm
India urbanization demands see hills sacrificed to whims of mining, industry lobbies.
The towering Western Ghats, one of the world’s largest natural areas of biodiversity, and providing magnificent green cover over south India, is under threat.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361629038
Mysterious terraformed island offers new clues to life’s survival.
A 150-year-old experiment on the remote Ascension Island may help us green Mars. Can it also help us save Earth?
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-995200128361628055
Scottish badgers highlight the complexity of species responses to environmental change
In a new study researchers have found that although warmer weather should benefit badger populations, the predicted human population increase in the Scottish highlands is likely to disturb badgers and counteract that effect
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/uu-sbh050817.php
Forest rangers tortured and killed by illegal settlers in Liberia rainforest
Two forest patrollers have been killed and four hospitalised in what is believed to be retaliatory action from illegal settlers in Sapo National Park
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/08/forest-rangers-tortured-and-killed-by-illegal-settlers-in-liberia-rainforest
Global warming kills gut bacteria in lizards
Climate change could threaten reptiles by reducing the number of bacteria living in their guts, new research suggests.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/uoe-gwk050517.php
Policy Quarterly issue in focus: Marine governance
Institute for Governance and Policy Studies (VUW)
This special issue of Policy Quarterly explores the governance of the least governed reaches of our planet, the open ocean.
http://apo.org.au/node/76330
Maelor Himbury