Daily Links Oct 23

Geostorm is a very silly movie that raises some very serious questions.
Jane A. Flegal, Andrew Maynard Popular Science
Let’s talk about hacking the climate.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-6303715699622894689

Back the wind and we’ll be ruined
Ian Plimer
Humans don’t change the climate much — just the laws.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/misguided-renewable-energy-policies-will-ruin-the-nation/news-story/1f0ad93fa98a37fbf6ddd6c8eb425231

Call for vehicle testing overhaul as Australia’s emissions fight moves to roads
AAA says motorists are being misled by lab tests of emissions and fuel efficiency but green groups accuse it of delaying tactic
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/23/call-for-vehicle-testing-overhaul-as-australias-emissions-fight-moves-to-roads

Turnbull, Frydenberg and Abbott’s electorates back 50% renewables target
ReachTel poll finds majority in three Liberal-held seats support carbon pricing, and more ambitious renewable policy
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/22/turnbull-frydenberg-and-abbotts-electorates-back-50-renewables-target

Frydenberg ‘absolutely confident’ energy prices will fall but gives no guarantee
Energy minister says he believes Labor and Coalition can agree on reliability obligations but differ on emissions targets
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/22/frydenberg-absolutely-confident-energy-prices-will-fall-but-gives-no-guarantee

Rudd upped power bills $7.5bn
Consumers face an extra $7.5bn in power bills thanks ­to the Rudd government.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/rudd-renewables-extension-upped-power-bills-75bn/news-story/a595b5570863ffed1bee440e72956325

Oil’s not well: $4.5bn loss
Australia’s oil and gas industry logged a combined 2015-16 underlying net loss of $4.5 billion, a survey shows.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/45bn-loss-for-oil-and-gas-industry/news-story/b7f41ccf2b5071a8f3ed58255c15d663

‘Destroying’ the plan to save Australia’s most important rivers
A $13 billion plan to rescue Australia’s most important rivers is being “actively destroyed” by the NSW and Victorian governments, which refuse to ensure water flows high enough to keep floodplains and forests alive, leading scientists say.
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/state-governments-destroying-plan-to-save-australias-most-important-rivers-20171020-gz4x0s.html

Capture carbon or miss Paris target
Matthew Stevens
The roll-out of carbon capture projects is miles behind where the Paris Agreement suggests it should be.
http://www.afr.com/business/capture-carbon-or-miss-paris-climate-agreement-target-report-20171022-gz5uge

High court proves we have free speech against environmental wreckers
Bob Brown
Adani and the loggers should watch out – we have a right to peaceful protest to protect our environment
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2017/oct/22/high-court-proves-we-have-free-speech-against-environmental-wreckers

Business solar projects pay for themselves from day one
Nathan Henkes
Right now, you’re paying more money than you need to be for energy. Why? Because of the widely-held misconception that traditional energy is still cheaper than solar. It’s not!
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/4999405/business-solar-projects-pay-for-themselves-from-day-one/?cs=97

Climate numbers don’t add up
Maurice Newman
The Bureau of Meteorology’s defenders won’t like it, but we need some answers.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/make-the-bureau-of-meteorology-accountable-for-climate-numbers/news-story/cc2f60972ae973abff41de281f1ad8a1

Finally, an energy lever for market
Chris Mitchell
The Prime Minister’s National Energy Guarantee is a return to market disciplines.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/opinion/at-last-an-energy-policy-for-the-market-not-the-carbon-doomsayers/news-story/eeb94e0c7b30d8348f1e35e057726412

Malcolm Turnbull’s power plan will cost him election
Andrew Bolt
It’s the kiss of death. Labor is now hinting it could back Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s new scheme to — allegedly — cut your power bills.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/andrew-bolt/malcolm-turnbulls-power-plan-will-cost-him-election/news-story/6a1b046b8025659e9a3eb73483cda90a

How taxpayers cough up for NSW shooters
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/government-accused-of-spending-big-to-keep-nsw-shooters-on-side-20171022-gz5sqy.html

Lucy Turnbull unveils plan for three Sydneys
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/lucy-turnbull-unveils-plan-for-three-sydneys-20171022-gz5un4.html

Bradfield Oration: Density is fine but where is the infrastructure
Luke Foley
Our city has got so much going for it, but we need to protect what makes it so good.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/projectsydney/luke-foley-density-is-fine-but-where-is-the-infrastructure/news-story/851b4854fca61db05f181604cf81efd2

Lucky shot confirms mouse’s presence
A mangrove mouse with the remarkable ability to keep its fur free of mud has been found for the first time in Cairns, 500km away from the nearest population of the native species.
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/mangrove-mouse-discovered-for-first-time-in-cairns/news-story/332a700085729aae9ba216fa9e90c410

Queensland’s Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro expands
http://www.theage.com.au/business/energy/queenslands-snowy-20-pumped-hydro-expands-20171020-gz56nq.html

Greens stuck in the same old sit-in-uation
Tim Blair
If you ever doubt that Greens see the world in very different terms to normal people, just remember this: they believe the party’s relative success under Bob Brown was due to his irresistibly captivating charisma.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/tim-blair-greens-stuck-in-the-same-old-sitinuation/news-story/b4bbd2d6a3e65a74ab78450ee0b53034

USA fire nightmare will happen here, eventually
Rex Jory 
The tragedy of Santa Rosa will one day be repeated in the Adelaide Hills because of greed and stupidity
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/rex-jory-tragedy-of-santa-rosa-will-be-repeated-in-the-adelaide-hills-because-of-greed-and-stupidity/news-story/f8b16a7d384a5632ade8ddf42de7c5b6

Clock ticking for lobsters ‘as big as a small dog’
Known as the Lobster Man, Todd Walsh grew up hunting the animals for his dinner. But he and others have since turned their attention to preservation and are worried the species is in deep trouble.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-22/tas-giant-freshwater-lobster-fears-for-iconic-species/9072950

Sword project finds a mixed bag
Tasmanian researcher Sean Tracey will continue his broadbill swordfish tagging project in Victoria during the New Year, with a report expected on the program this month.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/swordfish-researcher-sean-tracey-moves-tasmania-project-to-victoria-in-bid-to-understand-the-species-movements/news-story/fbef8e2800f55036db6152ac0fdfdcb7

Fuel cell vehicle visits Tasmania
A hydrogen-powered car — the first of its kind to visit Tasmania — has been tipped to revolutionise green vehicle technology across Australia over the coming years.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/hydrogenpowered-car-is-the-first-of-its-kind-to-visit-tasmania/news-story/1bc917e055c875e17a6766b26e522773

Going back to the beginning
THE return to the Aboriginal community of hundreds of hectares in the state’s North-West is a small yet momentous step.
http://www.themercury.com.au/lifestyle/tasweekend-going-back-to-the-beginning/news-story/685e50568f29634eee7b43f9b8d5316a

Victory for freedom of speech
Greg Barns
When the Hodgman Government introduced its anti-protest laws shortly after the 2014 election it must surely have known the constitutionality of parts of the laws was in doubt.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/decision-on-antiprotest-laws-a-victory-for-freedom-of-speech/news-story/279f8437b391c200dc032cb800ed4997

The eco guide to new mindful activism
Placard-bearing angry activists have their place, but their are other, gentler ways to make a difference
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/22/the-eco-guide-to-the-new-mindful-activism

Biochar, the once and future agricultural mainstay.
Could an anaerobic charcoal offer a way to reduce fertiliser use and bump up carbon capture?
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-6303715699622894378

The E.P.A.’s top 10 toxic threats, and industry’s pushback.
The Environmental Protection Agency has published a list of 10 toxic threats it will evaluate first under a law passed last year intended to crack down on hazardous chemicals.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-6303715699622894692