Daily Links Jan 10

Climate Change Drives Collapse in Marine Food Webs
University of Adelaide scientists have demonstrated how climate change can drive the collapse of marine “food webs”.
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/53609

2017 was 3rd warmest year on record for U.S.
http://www.enn.com/climate/article/53600

Spotty coverage: Climate models underestimate cooling effect of daily cloud cycle
Princeton University researchers have found that the climate models scientists use to project future conditions on our planet underestimate the cooling effect that clouds have on a daily — and even hourly — basis, particularly over land.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-01/pu-scc010918.php

The ‘imminent mini ice age’ myth is back, and it’s still wrong
Dana Nuccitelli
We can’t accurately predict solar activity, and a quiet solar cycle would have a small impact on Earth’s climate anyway
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/jan/09/the-imminent-mini-ice-age-myth-is-back-and-its-still-wrong

Climate change is triggering a migrant crisis in Vietnam
Alex Chapman, University of Southampton and Van Pham Dang Tri, Can Tho University
It looks as if climate change is forcing 24,000 people to leave the Mekong Delta every year.
https://theconversation.com/climate-change-is-triggering-a-migrant-crisis-in-vietnam-88791

Higher electricity bills if Snowy 2.0 hydro not built, says Frydenberg
Despite costing up to $4.5bn, the feasibility study for ‘Australia’s biggest battery’ finds it would still be economically viable
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/09/higher-electricity-bill
BHP threat won’t stop Minerals Council coal advertising pushs-if-snowy-20-hydro-not-built-says-frydenberg

BHP threat won’t stop Minerals Council coal advertising push
Environment groups like the Australian Conservation Foundation, which has used legal tactics to try to delay Adani’s Carmichael coal project in Queensland, were viewed favourably by 45 per cent of those surveyed
http://www.afr.com/business/mining/bhp-threat-wont-stop-minerals-council-coal-advertising-push-20180109-h0fna4

Australia’s emissions are rising. It’s time for this government to quit pretending
Greg Jericho
In case you missed it, the latest greenhouse gas emissions data was released just before Christmas. It’s bad
https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2018/jan/09/australias-emissions-are-rising-its-time-for-this-government-to-quick-pretending

Renters and low-income households feel the heat more than others
Stephanie Gray
With many more summer scorchers to come, it’s unacceptable that many of the most vulnerable people in our community will have to suffer the heat more harshly than others because of the barriers to rooftop solar.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/renters-and-lowincome-households-feel-the-heat-more-than-others-20180109-h0fmby.html

Climate change and big data: our forgotten great moral challenges
Nicholas Stuart
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/climate-change-and-big-data-our-forgotten-great-moral-challenges-20180109-h0fldq.html

Power for the people on tap
Paul Broad
Snowy 2.0 is not new or unique. The concept of expanding pumped storage capability has been around since the 1960s.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/snowy-20-is-wellplaced-to-fill-gaps-in-the-energy-market/news-story/d95ad780dfb28126bee47fa21f778bfe

Australia’s climate in 2017: a warm year, with a wet start and finish
Linden Ashcroft et al
https://theconversation.com/australias-climate-in-2017-a-warm-year-with-a-wet-start-and-finish-89502

Tambo Valley water ‘at risk’ from Benambra dam mine-waste proposal
East Gippslanders have accused the Victorian Government of cutting a murky deal on reopening a Benambra tailings dam to take mine waste, which they say puts the Tambo Valley’s water supplies at risk
http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/politics/tambo-valley-water-at-risk-from-benambra-dam-minewaste-proposal/news-story/35951c84c0ee3ed7c23a7418544c8c73

Could this signal the return of the East West Link?
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/dumped-east-west-link-reemerges-in-government-transport-future-document-20180109-h0fozu.html

Without culling, Victoria’s feral horse plan looks set to fail
Don Driscoll, Deakin University
https://theconversation.com/without-culling-victorias-feral-horse-plan-looks-set-to-fail-89753

Thousands without power after NSW storms
A severe electrical storm has cut power to 11,000 homes in the NSW Illawarra and parts of western Sydney.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/nsw-summer-storms-back-for-action/news-story/c3f33fe3c0901588f2881af1459d2c3e

A day of chaos on the trains
SMH editorial
Public transport is the lifeblood of any large city, and Sydney is no exception. The health of our train, bus and ferry system is one of our city’s vital signs. So it is worrying that, over the past month, some serious glitches have disrupted the circulation of the city’s trains.
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-editorial/sydney-train-delays-give-the-new-timetable-more-time-20180109-h0fmob.html

State Government open to funding public campaign to end cycle war
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/state-government-open-to-funding-public-campaign-to-end-cycle-war/news-story/d56c262c632f2eb6bd57a6fe8fac73c8

Adani’s mega mine: it’s not over yet
Julien Vincent
http://www.theage.com.au/business/mining-and-resources/adanis-mega-mine-its-not-over-yet-20180109-h0fh1q.html

SA’s solar thermal plant gets approval
A giant solar-thermal power plant to be built in South Australia’s mid-north has received development approval from the state government.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/sas-solar-thermal-plant-gets-approval/news-story/d3fdfb5260c62864c68c73c81f17e4fb

Bright sparks in SA energy developments
Advertiser editorial
SolarReserve’s $650 million solar thermal plant at Port Augusta securing development approval is no small milestone.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/the-advertiser-editorial-bright-sparks-in-sa-energy-developments/news-story/bca7623798848d2eb7c69f7fe2a5938b

South Australia should ban car access and driving on all beaches, like Goolwa and Moana
Craig Cook
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/craig-cook-south-australia-should-ban-car-access-and-driving-on-all-beaches-like-goolwa-and-moana/news-story/dfd917f40dea68571c0ef69215b541c7

Tassal says the death of thousands of fish at Okehampton Bay was a minor one-off incident
TASSAL has described the death of tens of thousands of fish at its Okehampton Bay salmon farm as a “minor, one-off mortality”.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/tassal-says-the-death-of-thousands-of-fish-at-okehampton-bay-was-a-minor-oneoff-incident/news-story/f7395c7f909e78ccab61acf2c769044c

Tasmanian tiger extinction linked to cooling climate
The demise of the Tasmanian tiger and other extinct Australian tigers has been linked to rapidly cooling climate change millions of years ago as wet forests transformed to drier, open woodlands
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/tasmanian-tiger-extinction-linked-to-cooling-climate/news-story/38fd784908b852c3bd7aceb585a8f548

We ignore fire warnings at our own risk
Jan Davis
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/talking-point-we-ignore-fire-warnings-at-our-own-risk/news-story/c04528c57d09e5d30eb8b69c5cf0a495

Invasive weed spotted in Perth waterway
An invasive aquatic weed that can affect river health and biodiversity has been found in a Perth waterway.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/invasive-weed-spotted-in-perth-waterway/news-story/ec3088fb2df9946b94837af544444eed

Brexit bill may have broken international environment law, says UN
Compliance committee considers complaint alleging government breached Aarhus convention by not consulting public over withdrawal bill
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/09/brexit-bill-may-have-broken-international-environment-law-says-un

Energy agency rejects Trump plan to prop up coal and nuclear power plants
The unexpected decision by the Republican-controlled body is a blow to the president’s high-profile mission to revive the struggling US coal industry
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/08/donald-trump-coal-industry-plan-rejected-rick-perry

Justices reject 4 US environmental cases
Coal giant Murray Energy Corp.’s bid to force U.S. EPA to continually evaluate the impacts of its air regulations on the coal industry today came to an end in the Supreme Court.
https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060070347

Plastic microbeads ban enters force in UK
Manufacturing ban means the tiny beads which harm marine life can no longer be used in cosmetics and personal care products.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/09/plastic-microbeads-ban-enters-force-in-uk

Bio-based compound offers a greener carbon fiber alternative
Stampede1 helps researchers elucidate the chemistry of renewable acrylonitrile production
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-01/uota-bco010918.php

The hellish e-waste graveyards where computers are mined for metal
Ever wonder where all those old devices end up?
https://www.wired.com/story/international-electronic-waste-photographs/

Multi-model effort highlights progress, future needs in renewable energy modeling
Models of the U.S. electricity sector are relied upon by sector stakeholders and decision makers, but the recent surge in variable renewable energy (VRE), such as wind and solar, led a team of modeling experts to examine how these models would represent scenarios with high penetrations of VRE.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-01/drel-meh010918.php

Ecosystems are collapsing, food bowls are next
Companies need to look past temporary farm gluts to a leaner and more profitable future.
https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2018-01-08/ecosystems-are-collapsing-and-food-bowls-are-next

IUCN, other global NGOs, UN likely to see major budget cuts under Trump
While Pres. Trump’s 2018 budget remains in limbo, international NGOs and the UN stand to lose big if Congress okays his cuts. Still, global momentum is building for conservation and climate action, say policymakers.
https://news.mongabay.com/2018/01/iucn-other-global-ngos-un-likely-to-see-major-budget-cuts-under-trump/

Smoke from wildfires can tip air quality to unhealthy levels
Researchers analyze the long-term impact that wildfire smoke has on air quality in the US
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-01/s-sfw010918.php

The Shore Line: A storybook for a sustainable future
Liz Miller
Filmmaker Liz Miller discusses her collaborative, interactive documentary process and how storytelling might lead us to an alternative future through action and resistance.
https://theconversation.com/the-shore-line-a-storybook-for-a-sustainable-future-89159

Tourism should be regulated, before it’s too late
Roberto Savio
We should pause and take a look at tourism’s social, cultural and environmental impact and take remedial measures, because they are becoming seriously negative if things are left as they are.
http://www.ipsnews.net/2018/01/tourism-regulated-late/

Is your recycling being incinerated? It’s time to watch our waste
Jenny Jones
China’s ban on our recycling exports has exposed the folly of the current system.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/08/recycling-incinerated-waste-china-ban-25p-coffee-cups

Peru’s alpine herders revive ancient technologies to face the future
Indigenous communities are restoring abandoned dams, reservoirs and canals that date back over 3,000 years.
http://news.trust.org/item/20180108125341-hnw6b

Frog genome mapping sheds new light on environmental contaminants
A University of Victoria molecular biologist has gained new insights into how environmental contaminants may disrupt thyroid systems. The discovery was made while assembling the genome of the North American bullfrog.
http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/53601

Mass extinctions remove species but not ecological variety
UChicago study could shed light on patterns for current mass extinction
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-01/uoc-mer010918.php