Daily Links Jun 1

Scientists are testing a “vaccine” against climate change denial.
Two recent, preliminary studies show that it may be possible to metaphorically “inoculate” people against misinformation about climate change, and by doing so give the facts a boost
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-4426583696647300843

High release of strong greenhouse gas nitrous oxide found from northern peatlands at permafrost thaw
A recent study led by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland reveals that permafrost thaw may greatly increase emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) from northern permafrost peatlands.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/uoef-hro053117.php

Why Trump is pulling out of the Paris climate deal.
The people urging him to withdraw were louder, more influential and more relevant to Trump than the people urging him to stay in, even though there were more of the latter than the former.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-4426583696647300833

Musk threat to quit Trump on climate
With Trump poised to quit Paris climate deal, Elon Musk threatens to leave President’s councils after visiting Sydney.
http://www.afr.com/news/politics/world/elon-musk-threat-to-quit-donald-trump-on-paris-climate-change-withdrawal-20170531-gwhoqg

China and EU strengthen commitment to Paris deal with US poised to step away
Beijing and Brussels to set up new alliance to reduce global carbon emissions
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/31/china-eu-climate-lead-paris-agreement

Another deadly consequence of climate change: The spread of dangerous diseases.
Brian Deese, Ronald A. Klain Washington Post
Both climate change and disease are intrinsically global threats. They cannot be wished away by ignoring science or building walls.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-4426583696647301826

Fears for global climate action as Trump eyes Paris exit
Peter Hannam
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/fears-for-global-climate-action-as-trump-expected-to-exit-paris-agreement-20170531-gwhmyi.html

Global stocktake shows the 43 greenhouse gases driving global warming
Pep Canadell et al
http://theconversation.com/global-stocktake-shows-the-43-greenhouse-gases-driving-global-warming-77796

Josh Frydenberg predicts ‘big battles’ within Coalition after Finkel review
Energy minister says market needs signal to kickstart new investment in thermal generation to help stabilise the grid
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/may/31/josh-frydenberg-predicts-big-battles-within-coalition-after-finkel-review

Does best CCS power station in world provide model for Australia?
Simon Holmes à Court
Josh Frydenberg over-egged the success of a CCS plant he visited in US, and now he’s done the same in Australia with new CEFC mandate.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/does-best-ccs-power-station-in-world-provide-model-for-australia-72476/

Power to the people who need a fairer deal
Josh Frydenberg
MORE than seven million people in NSW and the ACT could see their electricity bills increase by more than $100 a year as the result of an obscure process called Limited Merits Review
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/josh-frydenberg-power-to-the-people-who-need-a-fairer-deal/news-story/4ce4dd38c2a247da31f51878bce64f73

Fancy government financing could still cost the taxpayer
Marion Terrill, Grattan Institute
The federal government keeps coming up with new ways to finance infrastructure, but it isn’t clear they will shift the cost or risk away from government.
http://theconversation.com/fancy-government-financing-could-still-cost-the-taxpayer-78612

Companies should take charge of the potential toxins in common products
Dana Cordell, University of Technology Sydney; Dena Fam, University of Technology Sydney, and Nick Florin, University of Technology Sydney
Regulation can’t keep up with the thousands of harmful chemicals that wash down our drains. Rather, companies should take responsibility for their products – before they hit the market.
http://theconversation.com/companies-should-take-charge-of-the-potential-toxins-in-common-products-78174

Seven crazy things that are going to happen as sea levels rise
John Hawthorne
There is no doubt sea levels are rising but how are we preparing to deal with the devastating consequences?
https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/7-crazy-things-that-are-going-to-happen-as-sea-levels-rise,10351

Cash for green roofs to beat heat
INNER Melbourne could be transformed into a cooling oasis under a council plan to use green roofs and walls to protect the CBD from extreme heat.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/city-of-melbourne-encouraging-more-green-spaces-through-new-fund-to-deal-with-extreme-heat/news-story/b5fe0f132f83b9a58a0e64314cbe7ef8

Rental bikes ready to roam Melbourne
A NEW dockless bike sharing system — dubbed Uber for bikes — is set to hit Melbourne.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/cycling-in-melbourne-dockless-bike-sharing-system-ready-to-roam/news-story/6a3c1c22d189dc79260ea3481be6637c

RSPCA under fire from duck hunters
THE RSPCA should be stripped of funding and powers after a “false” campaign against duck hunting, the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia has told a parliamentary inquiry.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/rspca-victoria-inquiry-egg-farmer-allegedly-threatened-with-boycott-over-caged-eggs-campaign/news-story/00a093558e890551e38390d2f9f1352c

Japan spruiks coal-fired power plants to fix Australia’s energy crisis
Australia is being encouraged to consider high-efficiency, low-emissions coal-fired power plants as an “efficient” and more environmentally friendly solution to the country’s energy crisis, but environmental groups say the business case “doesn’t stack up”.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-01/japan-spruiks-coal-fired-power-plants-to-australia/8577464

No rise, but Victorian bills still high
VICTORIANS have avoided some of the steepest surges in household power prices across the country, but still face some of the highest power bills in the developed
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/energy-bills-victorians-spared-from-rise-in-power-prices/news-story/c697178bd1226aa58da04efb933982d3

VicRoads campaign to slow cyclists on paths shared with pedestrians
A VicRoads review of the road rules found many people were unaware of the rule that cyclists must give way to pedestrians on shared paths.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/outer-east/vicroads-campaign-to-slow-cyclists-on-paths-shared-with-pedestrians/news-story/9d3cc997ca3eef0825a428c99820752f

Housing fix still years away for prime 127-hectare Maribyrnong site: Defence
More than 100 hectares of prime Melbourne land that Treasurer Scott Morrison touted in the federal budget as an affordable housing solution will not be released for sale for years.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/housing-fix-still-years-away-for-prime-127hectare-maribyrnong-site-defence-20170531-gwh2b1.html

Yarra spends big on hot air
Herald Sun editorial
THE City of Yarra is at it again. This wayward council is building a gold-standard reputation for greed, waste and crazy ideas.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/yarra-spends-big-on-hot-air/news-story/406c70bb2e08803e83e68871d63ffd6b

More national parks won’t help tourism to grow
Olly Oleszek
THE push for more state and national parks in central Victoria and the proposal to list thousands of square kilometres as World Heritage to “promote tourism” ignores the negative effects of parks on existing local ­industries and recreational tourism, which heavily depend on continued access to public land.
http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/opinion/more-national-parks-wont-help-tourism-to-grow/news-story/b3d8fe872dbded0b845be501782a9341

‘I was shocked’: weekend train overcrowding tackled
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/extra-trains-put-on-blue-mountains-line-to-ease-crowding-and-ensure-tourists-visit-20170531-gwgvyh.html

Most polluted suburb records $1m sale as buyer demand grows
http://domain.com.au/news/brooklyn-its-taken-a-long-time-but-things-seem-to-be-on-the-up-20170531-gwh5tx/

Study highlights formation of beachrock in resisting climate-induced sea level rises
Microorganisms play a crucial role in forming beachrock, a type of rock that forms on the beach and protects low-lying reef islands from erosion, a new study involving University of Queensland research has revealed.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/uoq-shf053117.php

Telstra signs deal for 70MW solar farm to cap energy costs
It is yet another sign that the corporate PPA market for wind and solar is finally taking off in Australia, and is the first move of the new Telstra Energy division.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/telstra-signs-deal-for-70mw-solar-farm-to-cap-energy-costs-78281/

State in deep for water grid debt
SOUTHEAST Queenslanders will either need to start using more water or pay extra for it to meet the debt repayments for the region’s multibillion-dollar water grid.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/state-in-deep-for-grid-debt-say-do-be-wally-with-water/news-story/c8d086050e3efd72d7ea2deb812d29d9

Power bills to soar by $50
SOME Queenslanders will pay an average of $50 a year more for their electricity bills after the State Government subsidised a higher planned price hike.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/power-bills-to-increase-by-50-for-regional-queenslanders/news-story/91f7d9aefdc13d3aee449a45e0a7ed07

Adani royalties deal could apply to mines throughout Queensland
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/new-royalties-framework-could-apply-to-existing-operators-20170531-gwh3lf.html

Mine games. Why Adani is banking on the unbankable
Peter Martin
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/comment/mine-games-why-adani-is-banking-on-the-unbankable-20170531-gwgzvb.html

Push to reopen 4WD tracks sparks fears for Aboriginal heritage sites
Indigenous groups say a proposal to re-open four-wheel-drive tracks in Tasmania’s north-west with threaten “relatively untouched” Aboriginal heritage sites.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-31/push-to-reopen-4wd-tracks-threaten-aboriginal-heritage/8571558

Perth groundwater to be boosted with treated sewage
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/perth-groundwater-to-be-boosted-with-treated-sewage-20170531-gwh63r.html

Fashion diet: Could you live with just 6 items of clothing?
Can challenging yourself to only wear a fraction of what is in your wardrobe help you break the mindless shopping habit?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-31/war-on-waste-capsule-wardrobe-lessen-fashion-spend/8573336

Study reveals environmental cost of tobacco.
Smoking kills 7 million people a year, and it scars the planet through deforestation, pollution and littering
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-4426583696647301337

EPA halts Obama-era rule on methane pollution.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has halted an Obama administration rule to cut down on pollution of methane, a greenhouse gas produced at oil and natural gas drilling wells
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-4426583696647300828

Trump’s promises on coal turn to dust and ashes.
Candidate Trump’s promises on coal are withering as the harsh winds of economic reality blow the President’s plans for the industry off course.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-4426583696647300855

US renewable energy jobs employ 800,000+ people and rising.
Twice as many Americans now work in the wind industry as in coal mining, and solar employs many more, but the U.S. still trails the EU and is far behind China.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/2460133000468970247

Infamous Three Mile Island is latest casualty of shale boom.
Competition from cheap natural gas has claimed another U.S. nuclear power plant in a state that has balked at government aid for financially ailing reactors.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/2460133000468970250

From terrestrial and marine bioresources and wastes to value-added products
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/bsp-fta053117.php

Dutch Toxic Landfill Site Is Now Capturing and Storing Carbon
Precise carbon measurements indicate that peat is already being formed at the Volgermeerpolder near Amsterdam (NL), a toxic waste landfill site that was capped with foil with an artificial wetland on …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170531092248.htm

Nitrogen Oxides Emissions: Traffic Dramatically Underestimated as Major Polluter
Traffic contributes more to nitrogen oxide emissions in Europe than previously thought, a new study shows.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170531094838.htm

Drone Vs. Truck Deliveries: Which Creates Less Carbon Pollution?
A new study finds that drone deliveries emit less climate-warming carbon dioxide pollution than truck deliveries in some — but not all …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170530154312.htm

Cold conversion of food waste into renewable energy and fertilizer
A Concordia study shows bacteria in low-temperature environments could reduce Canada’s carbon footprint
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/cu-cco053117.php

Study shows big smart meter investment yielded ‘very small’ electricity savings
Smart meters and time-of-use electricity pricing have only modestly reduced residential energy demand during the most expensive peak periods, a new study suggests.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/uow-ssb053017.php

Argentina plans 1 gigawatt solar + storage project
Argentina reveals plans for 1GW solar plant that will provide power 24/7, meaning with battery storage.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/argentina-plans-1-gigawatt-solar-storage-project-32282/

New nuclear push digs deep into vault of alternative facts
Jim Green
In a visit to Australia this week, US nuclear power advocate Jessica Lovering brings a suitcase full of alternative facts. Let’s unpack them.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/new-nuclear-push-digs-deep-vault-alternative-facts-90295/

Survival of coral reefs requires radical rethink of what conservation means, say scientists
Reef conservation must not be an attempt to restore reefs of the past, but to identify the parts essential to their continued existence, and protect those …
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/01/survival-of-coral-reefs-requires-radical-rethink-of-what-conservation-means-say-scientists

The fairer — The greener
Researchers at universities in Freiburg, Kiel and Berlin have discovered that the economic value of nature for a society is determined by, among other things, income inequality within the society.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/uof-tfg053117.php

We’re on the brink of mass extinction — but there’s still time to pull back
Both ominous and hopeful, new report paints a picture of the value of biodiversity, the threats it faces and the window of opportunity we have to save species before it’s too late
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/mu-wot053017.php

Restored ocean will alleviate poverty, provide jobs, and improve health, finds report
A healthy ocean will benefit global sustainable development in a number of ways, finds a new report published today by the Nippon Foundation-Nereus Program.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-05/nfp-row052917.php

Ending land clearing would compete with renewables for carbon abatement, analysis finds
RepuTex says ceasing all land clearing by 2030 would save between 300m and 650m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/01/ending-land-clearing-by-2030-equivalent-to-complete-shift-to-renewables-analysis-finds