Daily Links Nov 30

Moody’s warns cities to address climate risks or face downgrades
Coastal communities from Maine to California have been put on notice from one of the top credit rating agencies: Start preparing for climate change or risk losing access to cheap credit.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-29/moody-s-warns-cities-to-address-climate-risks-or-face-downgrades

Action Plan To Boost Women’s Input On Climate Change
The 23rd UN Conference of the Parties on climate change (COP23) that took place in Bonn this month (November 6—17) took a step forward on emphasising the role of women in the global fight against climate change by adopting a gender action plan (GAP).
http://www.enn.com/climate/article/53313

Science community considers approaches to climate disinformation
Jeffrey A. Harvey, of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, and his colleagues examine the causes of the consensus gap, focusing on climate-denier Internet blogs and the ways in which they use topics such as Arctic sea ice extent and polar bear well-being to foment misapprehensions about climate change among the public.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-11/aiob-scc112917.php

The politics of climate change need to be anti-elitist
Kate Aronoff
Painting corporate and climate interests as synonymous helps make the right’s case that only elites have the luxury to care about climate change.
https://theintercept.com/2017/11/28/climate-change-cop23-michael-bloomberg-jerry-brown/

Banks warned of ‘regulatory action’ as climate change bites global economy
Australian Prudential Regulation Authority says it is quizzing companies about their actions to assess climate risks
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/nov/29/banks-warned-of-regulatory-action-as-climate-change-bites-global-economy

The plot to keep critics quiet next election
Peter Martin
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/smothering-charities-the-plot-to-keep-critics-quiet-next-election-20171129-gzuz2d.html

Many birds feature in our art and songlines. But I’m #TeamWedgeTail
Karen Wyld
Indigenous people have a strong relationship with birds dating back 60,000 years. The bird poll is an opportunity to share our culture
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/29/many-birds-feature-in-our-art-and-songlines-but-im-teamwedgetail

What Lies Beneath: The Battle Over Water, Gas And The Pilliga, Our Vast, Pristine Inland Wonderland
Resources giant Santos plans to sink 850 gas wells. The approval process is underway. What happens next is anyone’s guess.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/11/28/what-lies-beneath-the-battle-over-water-gas-and-the-pilliga-our-vast-pristine-inland-wonderland_a_23240735/?utm_hp_ref=au-homepage

Stokes warns Abbott climate ‘anti-intellectualism’ undermines education system
NSW education minister Rob Stokes has taken a thinly veiled swipe at former prime minister Tony Abbott over his position on climate change, warning that “populist anti-intellectualism” from public figures undermines faith in schools and universities.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/rob-stokes-warns-tony-abbott-climate-antiintellectualism-undermines-education-system-20171129-gzv9ne.html

Nationals push for new coal generator in NSW is a preposterous idea
Luke Foley
Proposal by NSW Nationals to build new coal fired power station is a preposterous idea pushed by a panicked and desperate politician.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/nationals-push-new-coal-generator-nsw-preposterous-idea-78899/

Queensland mining: Coal revival worth extra $1 billion
http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/queensland-mining-coal-revival-worth-extra-1-billion/news-story/2389e3afa8a0ac9e9fa7dd029e3c6be7

Robust coral sites offer ‘life-support’ for Great Barrier Reef: paper
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/climate-change/robust-coral-sites-offer-lifesupport-for-the-wider-great-barrier-reef-paper-20171128-gzucn4.html

How we found 112 ‘recovery reefs’ dotted through the Great Barrier Reef
Peter J Mumby, The University of Queensland
https://theconversation.com/how-we-found-112-recovery-reefs-dotted-through-the-great-barrier-reef-88316

We must avoid the final cut
Katherine Barraclough
My guess is most Australians aren’t aware that an area of forest and bushland the size of the MCG is currently bulldozed in Queensland every three minutes.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=19438

Controversial East-West separated bikeway on hold so Adelaide City can consult ratepayers
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/controversial-eastwest-seperated-bikeway-on-hold-so-adelaide-city-council-can-consult-ratepayers/news-story/b5b0fdda9648818286070fd81924e9be?nk=fd76baf41277e62fd76f33ad605c193e-1511982056

SA users pay most for power
New data conflicts with the SA Premier’s statements that electricity users in his state pay the lowest prices.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/asx-data-shows-south-australians-paying-highest-prices-for-electricity/news-story/70e87e71ffc156d856555c910bc77cf4

Tesla to switch on SA mega lithium battery on Friday, hitting Musk’s deadline
http://www.theage.com.au/business/energy/tesla-to-switch-on-sa-mega-lithium-battery-on-friday-hitting-musks-deadline-20171129-gzv8qo.html

Why South Australia must, and will, lead world on renewables
Giles Parkinson
Opening of Tesla big battery this week illustrates how South Australia’s system blackout actually accelerated the shift to a clean energy future. The state is likely to double its renewable capacity, and lead the world on storage. It’s an inspiring story.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/why-south-australia-must-and-will-lead-world-on-renewables-79455/

Tasmania’s biosecurity laws upgrades delayed for more consultation
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/5089295/tasmanias-biosecurity-laws-upgrades-delayed-for-more-consultation/?cs=95

Fears for tiers as wild deers run amok
Conservationists say the State Government’s response to Tasmania’s wild deer problem does not do enough to protect wilderness areas.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/politics/great-western-tiers-tarkine-cradle-mountain-and-walls-of-jerusalem-face-wild-deer-invasion-says-bob-brown-foundation/news-story/f798dea697fd078265914a102d4cad2d

Take charge before our heart-shaped island home is loved to death
 Cassy O’Connor
We must talk about what we want as population and tourism grow
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/talking-point-take-charge-before-our-heartshaped-island-home-is-loved-to-death/news-story/6f58d1fc0ea3c70ac5a0e72b656aeb6b

‘Win for communities’: Canning Basin fracking agreement torn up
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/win-for-communities-canning-basin-fracking-agreement-torn-up-20171129-gzvid4.html

‘Cut freeway bus routes’: report reveals Perth’s bus network ‘unsustainable’
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/cut-freeway-bus-routes-report-reveals-perths-bus-network-unsustainable-20171129-gzv9cn.html

Protest fought on false title claim
An Aboriginal group that sought to block an $80bn gas development has no grounds for native title ownership.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/kimberley-gas-protest-fought-on-false-native-title-claim/news-story/e25d8071d0ae90272330a226d04814ad

Shell doubles up on green spending and vows to halve carbon footprint
The Anglo-Dutch giant will spend $2bn on wind power, biofuels and electric cars as it bows to shareholder pressure by setting a new company climate change target.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/nov/28/shell-doubles-green-spending-vows-halve-carbon-footprint

One third of food lost, wasted – enough to feed all hungry people
Believe it or not, the way to eradicate hunger from the face of the Earth is as feasible as it is handy.
http://www.ipsnews.net/2017/11/one-third-food-lost-wasted-enough-feed-hungry-people/

Stanford researchers test public receptiveness to different wind energy turbines
With global carbon emissions on the rise, wind power continues to be an attractive option for states and countries looking to limit fossil fuel use and increase renewable energy. Wind already accounts for over 5 percent of electricity generation in the United States. However, a number of issues plague the low-carbon energy source, such as complaints from nearby residents about noise and the killing of hundreds of thousands of birds and bats each year that collide with turbine blades.
http://www.enn.com/energy/article/53310

Common pesticide can make migrating birds lose their way, research shows
The experimental study is the first to directly show harm to songbirds, extending the known impacts of neonicotinoids beyond insects.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/29/common-pesticide-can-make-migrating-birds-lose-their-way-research-shows

Higher Plant Species Richness May Not Be Enough To Protect Ecosystems From The Worst Impacts Of Climate Extremes
Studies on mild fluctuations in weather have provided support for the idea that higher biodiversity results in more stable functioning of ecosystems, but critical appraisal of the evidence from extreme event studies is lacking.
http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/53312

Let’s just pretend pesticides don’t harm wildlife
Brett Hartl
Thanks to the dangerous pesticide’s tendency to volatilize and drift up to a mile after being applied, it will continue to routinely find its way into the bloodstreams of hundreds of endangered species.
http://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/362209-lets-just-pretend-pesticides-dont-harm-wildlife

The world’s oceans desperately need our help
Peter Ricketts
The physical, economic, and food security of populations living in coastal and ocean locations are all at risk like never before.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1524578-opinion-the-world%E2%80%99s-oceans-desperately-need-our-help