Daily Links Nov 28

It’s not just Brisbane suburbs going green, ‘Just call me Dan’ will have a big problem next November in the Victorian election. Just how smart is the ALP?

Top Post
NSW coal mines in the pipeline are ‘bigger than Adani’
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/nsw-coal-mines-in-the-pipeline-are-bigger-than-adani-lock-the-gate-says-20171126-gztbpw.html

Today’s Celebration
Independence Day   Albania   Mauritania   Palau
Independence day (from Spain)  Panama
Republic Day  Burundi   Chad
Separation from Spain  Palau
Ascension of Abdul-Baha  Baha’i
Giving Tuesday       https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/giving-tuesday/
More about Nov 28       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_28

Climate Change
A cop out at COP23?
Despite a few victories, the UN’s annual climate change conference ended without achieving its goals or injecting a sense of much needed urgency.
http://www.ipsnews.net/2017/11/a-cop-out-at-cop23/

Carbon Capture is Helped by Oil Revenue, But it May Not Be Enough
The oil industry incentivises the development of carbon-capturing tech, but researchers say this will not reduce emissions to low enough levels.
http://www.enn.com/business/article/53280

Why climate change is creating a new generation of child brides
As global warming exacerbates drought and floods, farmers’ incomes plunge – and girls as young as 13 are given away to stave off poverty
http://www.ehn.org/why-climate-change-is-creating-a-new-generation-of-child-brides-society-the-guardian-2512785687.html

American leaders should read their official climate science report
John Abraham
The United States Global Change Research Program report paints a bleak picture of the consequences of climate denial
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2017/nov/27/american-leaders-should-read-their-official-climate-science-report

Paying to save the planet
Graham Lloyd
Markets rather than subsidies will be key in curbing emissions.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/markets-rather-than-subsidies-will-save-the-planet/news-story/38ab83c3f04cefcff8e80036d40f3742

National
Grim future facing Sydney and Melbourne
This picture highlights a huge problem currently facing China and there is a very strong likelihood that Sydney and Melbourne could face the same fate.
http://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/motoring/on-the-road/bicycle-graveyard-filled-with-gsp-tracked-rental-bikes-highlights-failing-business-model/news-story/549b80359c40e0066d4ecd44cf9815c2

ARENA still has $700m to spend, to bring down cost of storage
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has tipped 2018 to be the year of large-scale energy storage, as it focuses its efforts and remaining funds on integrating large-scale solar and wind into the national grid.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/arena-still-700m-spend-bring-cost-storage-43652/

Mining industry body retreats from hardline stance on charities
Minerals Council pulls previous support for policies limiting advocacy by environmental charities
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/nov/28/mining-industry-body-retreats-hardline-stance-charities

NSW, Qld ‘failing’ Murray-Darling Basin
NSW and Queensland are failing the Murray-Darling Basin Plan but South Australian isn’t, a review has found.
http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/national/nsw-and-queensland-fail-to-make-irrigators-comply-with-murraydarling-basin-plan-review-finds/news-story/c82cbbb69c67795d35b366c7abee4c1c

The shocking whaling footage the government wanted to hide
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/5084932/the-shocking-whaling-footage-the-government-wanted-to-hide/?cs=7

Australia has enough power for summer: AEMO
http://www.theage.com.au/business/energy/australia-has-enough-power-for-summer-aemo-20171127-gztzfn.html

Renewable energy to reach cost parity with coal by 2020
http://www.theage.com.au/business/energy/renewable-energy-to-reach-cost-parity-with-coal-by-2020-20171126-gztbyh.html

Rebates power retailers
It’s costing nearly $100m in revenue, but the market thinks a round of rebates is good news for energy retailers.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/electricity-rebates-power-retailers/news-story/655dc28f56c7645faa862666dedff808

Call for clarity on battery storage plans
Global energy storage group AES says clearer direction is needed on how battery solutions can be integrated into the national electricity network under plans such as the federal government’s National Energy Guarantee (NEG).
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/breaking-news/call-for-clarity-on-battery-storage-plans/news-story/a85fb9e30d99d9161929fdc6f5364a6a

Land Management and Farming in Australia, 2015-16
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4627.0?OpenDocument

The net cost of using renewables to hit Australia’s climate target? Nothing
Andrew Blakers Bin Lu and Matthew Stocks
Our modelling shows renewable energy can help hit Australia’s emissions reduction target of 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2030 effectively for free.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/net-cost-using-renewables-hit-australias-climate-target-nothing-35793/

Victoria
Friendly sharks? You can count on it
Australia’s friendliest shark is just one of the marine creatures being monitored as part of the Great Victorian Fish Count.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-27/friendly-sharks-among-the-targets-of-great-victorian-fish-count/9188568

Grazing land swallowed up
Victorian agriculture has lost an area the size of greater metropolitan Melbourne to other land uses over the past decade, according to the State Government’s latest Catchment Condition and Management report.
http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/national/agriculture-land-loss-grazing-land-swallowed-up-in-victoria/news-story/c3f7c419d7f5f453cc759f947e81354a

Government approves West Gate Tunnel from Yarraville to West Melbourne
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/west-gate-tunnel-planning-minister-richard-wynne-approves-road-for-transurban-20171126-gztc1t.html

Matthew Guy signals road block to West Gate toll scheme
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/matthew-guy-signals-road-block-to-west-gate-toll-scheme-20171127-gztvqf.html

Energy sparked by Vic reprieve
Energy utilities have received a positive charge in morning trade on hopes the sector will avoid full re-regulation in Victoria.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/energy-stocks-surge-on-victorian-regulation-reprieve/news-story/b453c0116d5d843622183fe8999cdee7

Electricity Victoria: Power reserve to safeguard homes, businesses from summer blackouts in extreme heatwaves
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/power-reserve-to-safeguard-victoria-from-summer-blackouts-in-extreme-heatwaves/news-story/132a351024360e434b7325a247727ecc

New South Wales
Frydenberg condemns Lord Howe Island to fossil fuel future. It’s just not acceptable
Lord Howe Island wanted renewables to lessen its reliance on imported fossil fuel, but the idea has been killed by environment and energy minister Josh Frydenberg. This is why he has made the wrong decision.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/frydenberg-condemns-lord-howe-island-to-fossil-fuel-future-its-just-not-acceptable-17914/

Company allowed to keep water for extra year after Darling buyback
Commonwealth did not value extra 22GL of water, which was then transferred to other NSW properties owned by the company
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/nov/28/company-allowed-to-keep-water-for-extra-year-after-darling-buyback

NSW land clearing code challenged in court
NSW laws allowing private landowners to clear large areas of native vegetation without approval are being challenged in court.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/nsw-land-clearing-code-challenged-in-court/news-story/51e9613ad51c6a5a5cc5fe1203651f85

‘Extreme caution’ warning for NSW land clearers
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/farmers-warned-to-use-extreme-caution-when-clearing-land-amid-legal-challenge-20171126-gztbq0.html

NSW coal mines in the pipeline are ‘bigger than Adani’
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/nsw-coal-mines-in-the-pipeline-are-bigger-than-adani-lock-the-gate-says-20171126-gztbpw.html

Push for new coal-fired station
NSW Nationals will push Premier Gladys Berejiklian to build a coal-fired power station in the Hunter region.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/nsw-nationals-push-for-new-coalfired-power-station/news-story/97fe04ec20618f0d8a069804f2d0b95d

ACT
One man’s trash is another’s treasure for Buy Nothing community
Neighbourhood gift economy groups connected via social media are taking off as part of the Buy Nothing movement. Do you have one in your area?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-27/junk-or-treasure-the-thriving-community-buy-nothing-movement/9189296

Queensland
Queensland election results: The seats too close to call
http://www.smh.com.au/queensland/queensland-election-results-the-seats-too-close-to-call-20171127-p4yx8z.html

Adani mine ‘a financial house of cards’ as coal meets its Kodak moment
The woman who led the world to a global climate change agreement has a message for Australia: “You really do have to see that we are at the Kodak moment for coal.”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-27/the-kodak-moment-for-coal,-and-why-adani-could-be-a-disaster/9197134

Adani mining jobs: Company starts search for workers
Adani says protest groups have failed to stop the development of the central Queensland megamine.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/adani-mining-jobs-company-starts-search-for-workers/news-story/e9aae565033098337cc1f265875c54b8

Queensland chooses sunshine over coal, to relief of solar industry
Large-scale solar industry breathes sigh of relief after Queensland poll shows likely return of Palaszczuk government, and the retention of the state’s 50 per cent renewables target.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/queensland-chooses-sunshine-over-coal-to-relief-of-solar-industry-62201/

Kidston solar project set to start sending power to the grid
The first stage of huge solar and “water battery” storage project in an old gold mine in Queensland about to start exporting to grid.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/kidston-solar-project-set-to-start-sending-power-to-the-grid-96114/

The Brisbane suburbs going Green
Analysis of election booths has revealed where the Greens voters are – half of Brisbane’s electorates had a booth where one in four people voted green.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland-election-2017/the-brisbane-suburbs-going-green-20171127-p4yx99.html

Hundreds protest outside Parliament House over Adani
Hundreds of Queenslanders have turned out to rally against the $1 billion Adani megamine loan in Brisbane this morning.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/hundreds-protest-outside-parliament-house-over-adani/news-story/3313100b94640014ba6879611f021d69

South Australia
Will SA’s royal commission into water theft achieve anything?
Despite assurances by SA Premier Jay Weatherill, there are unanswered questions about what powers a state-based royal commission into the Murray-Darling Basin will have to investigate water theft allegations.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-27/sa-murray-darling-royal-commission-questions/9196696

Attempt to overturn plan to cut 70GL of environmental water from the River Murray
Plans to strip 70 billion litres from the historic agreement on Murray Darling Basin could be blocked as South Australian senators join together to fight for the river’s health.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/attempt-to-overturn-plan-to-cut-70gl-of-environmental-water-from-the-river-murray/news-story/9eeb3d31888adb8d11d0b0baadb51004

Cable car, hotel, zip-line and treetop walk planned for huge upgrade of Cleland National Park
A billionaire Hong Kong businessman is proposing a treetop walk, zip-line and cable car in a vision for Cleland Wildlife Park that Premier Jay Weatherill says will turn it into a “world-class” tourism attraction.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/cable-car-hotel-zipline-and-treetop-walk-planned-for-huge-upgrade-of-cleland-national-park/news-story/935343bc68b9d408e6403621eaecf0d8

Amount of energy available from back-up diesel generators cut back
South Australia remains on high alert for summer blackout, as authorities reveal they have slashed the amount of power that can be relied on from the emergency diesel generators.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/amount-of-energy-available-from-backup-diesel-generators-cut-back/news-story/bbaa1a1cf89ce751ebc5493695ff407c

SA Liberals vows to abolish RecFish SA, replace with two new bodies
THE state’s peak fishing body, RecFish SA, would be replaced by two new bodies under a bold Liberal Party plan to “unite” recreational and commercial fishing sectors.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sa-election/sa-liberals-vows-to-abolish-recfish-sa-replace-with-two-new-bodies/news-story/33f48a5d08b1d1bd4548f6e2145bbf44

Onkaparinga Council urged neighbours to dob in each other over sudden tree deaths
Trees are increasingly being poisoned and destroyed by residents because they are blocking rooftop solar panels, Onkaparinga Council says.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/south/onkaparinga-council-urged-neighbours-to-dob-in-each-other-over-sudden-tree-deaths/news-story/3f29b88c9b22eddebd3de81b318b2c38

‘No surprises’ approach to East-West bikeway consultation
Businesses along the proposed East-West Bikeway have been promised a “no surprises” approach by the Adelaide City Council during consultation about the project’s design.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/city/no-surprises-approach-to-eastwest-bikeway-consultation/news-story/9778fbb4774c63176b8df70d05b2af05

Adelaide Brighton signs up for renewable power from Infigen Energy
http://www.afr.com/business/energy/adelaide-brighton-signs-up-for-renewable-power-from-infigen-energy-20171126-gztbhp#ixzz4zfMWf2Z6

High costs stump oval’s plan
A radical plan by Adelaide Oval to generate its own baseload power has been shelved because of the high price tag.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/adelaide-ovals-selfreliant-power-plan-too-expensive/news-story/51c01c6bfc1660d705249ad4281f732b

Tasmania
Pole fire causes power outages to 782 TasNetwork customers
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/5084673/pole-fire-causes-power-outages-to-782-tasnetwork-customers/?cs=95

Tassal’s King Island expansion plans debated at public meeting
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/5084315/tassals-king-island-expansion-plans-debated-at-public-meeting/?cs=95

Tourism chief pushes Cradle cable car
Tourism head Luke Martin cannot understand why the Federal Government is not “falling over itself” to help fund a Cradle Mountain transport solution
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/tourism-leaders-ask-why-federal-government-isnt-throwing-cash-at-cradle-mountain-cable-car/news-story/43d660afa221c292604fa97ce6278035

Weather blamed for Harbour fish deaths
A recent spate of farmed finfish deaths in Macquarie Harbour has been blamed on warm weather, with dissolved oxygen levels in the harbour remaining critically low.
http://www.themercury.com.au/business/spate-of-finfish-deaths-in-macquarie-harbour-after-warm-spell/news-story/1439dc6bae2c09c24d1dec29baf5dd01

Huge China deal a win for Tassie
Tasmanian resource experts plan to help China develop sustainable agricultural practices over the coming decades through the signing of a multimillion-dollar agreement.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/tasmanian-resource-experts-plan-to-help-china-develop-sustainable-agricultural-practices-over-the-coming-decades/news-story/e824488aa700a7d9e79bad0e4634b699

Northern Territory
Northern Territory pushes for 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030
The Top End’s energy market will undergo a massive transformation to reach a 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030, Chief Minister Michael Gunner says.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-27/renewable-energy-roadmap-targets-50pc-for-nt-by-2030/9197646

Western Australia
Community calls on WA government to save ‘oldest mountain ranges in the world’
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/community-calls-on-wa-government-to-save-oldest-mountain-ranges-in-the-world-20171126-gzt710.html

Helena-Aurora Range mine appeals rejected
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/helenaaurora-range-mine-appeals-rejected-20171125-gzsqvt.html

IBA eyes more renewables after solar play
Indigenous Business Australia plans to use its first investment in large-scale solar as a model for future injections into other renewables projects.
http://www.afr.com/business/energy/solar-energy/indigenous-business-australia-to-take-stake-in-carnegie-clean-energy-solar-farm-20171127-gztf2n

Sustainability
Dog poo, an environmental tragedy
When industrial fertilizer replaced dung heaps, its spoils helped fund the spread of plastics.
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/11/dog-poo-environmental-tragedy/546611/

Tapping sewage as a source of useful materials
With sometimes offbeat technology, innovators seek to extract certain chemicals from municipal waste.
https://cen.acs.org/articles/95/i47/Tapping-sewage-source-useful-materials.html

Glyphosate: The key points in an endless debate
The European Union is deciding about the future of glyphosate — a controversial herbicide that may be linked with cancer. DW offers an overview on the most important points of the debate.
http://www.dw.com/en/glyphosate-the-key-points-in-an-endless-debate/a-41544895

Fighting climate change with a fork
What should we eat if we want to reduce levels of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming?
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellbeing/nutrition/fighting-climate-change-with-a-fork-20171124-gzs3mm.html

As the lobbying gets louder, coal power stations may not go quietly
Energy companies in Italy and Spain have faced unexpected local opposition to their own plans to shut polluting plants.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/nov/25/coal-power-stations-may-not-go-quietly-lobbying-louder

Lead poisoning in children under 6 jumped 28% in Detroit in 2016
Detroit had eleven ZIP codes where at least 10% of kids tested had lead contamination, with four of those areas showing 15% to 22%, state data shows.
http://www.freep.com/story/news/2017/11/27/which-michigan-communities-had-highest-levels-lead-poisoning-children-2016-not-flint/893448001/

NUS scientists develop artificial photosynthesis device for greener ethylene production
The device could reduce the carbon footprint of ethylene production
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-11/nuos-nsd112317.php

Robo helpers to reduce food waste
Robotcs and digital technology could help farmers reduce food waste, while incentives could be introduced to encourage excess food to go to charities.
http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/national/national-food-waste-strategy-unveiled/news-story/d19a36395224d0f4f5bc9b60da0d952d

Delay in changing direction on how we tax drivers will cost us all
Marion Terrill, Grattan Institute and Hugh Batrouney, Grattan Institute
Traffic congestion is the main cost that cars create when they use existing roads. Road use charges are a more efficient and fairer way to cover the cost and help ensure traffic flows.
https://theconversation.com/delay-in-changing-direction-on-how-we-tax-drivers-will-cost-us-all-87931

I was bitten by a radioactive mosquito at Chernobyl
Kathryn Schroeder
Kathryn Schroeder went to Chernobyl. And all she got was a set of lousy superpowers? Yeah, something like that.
http://www.ozy.com/true-story/i-was-bitten-by-a-radioactive-mosquito-at-chernobyl/82029

The trouble with big data is the huge energy bill
John Naughton
The power consumed by the internet giants’ massive server farms and the mining of the cryptocurrency are growing into a giant environmental headache.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/26/trouble-with-bitcoin-big-data-huge-energy-bill

Nature Conservation
The ‘lost 99%’ of microplastic ocean pollutants can now be identified
Estimates of how much plastic is in the ocean are not accurately represented as microplastics are hard to identify.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/lost-99-microplastic-ocean-pollutants-can-now-be-identified-1648995

Greenpeace slams Indonesia palm oil industry on deforestation
Vast swathes of rainforest are destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations, threatening endangered species and pushing indigenous people off their lands.
https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/greenpeace-slams-indonesia-palm-oil-industry-deforestation-doc-uk0hf1

Changes to the ocean’s micro creatures could have macro effects
The effects of climate change reverberate through the ocean’s food webs.
https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/changes-to-the-oceans-micro-creatures-could-have-macro-effects/

Combating climate change? Combat land degradation, says UNCCD chief
By 2045, there will be 130 million people who migrated because of desertification, and out of them, 60 million will come from south of the Sahel and Africa.
http://www.ehn.org/combating-climate-change-combat-land-degradation-says-unccd-chief-inter-press-service-2512786515.html

Floods Are Necessary for Maintaining Healthy River Ecosystems
Flooding rivers can wreak havoc on homes and roads but are necessary for healthy ecosystems, research at Oregon State University suggests.
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/53281

Maelor Himbury