In the eye of the refugee hurricane
Peter Nix
Atmospheric hurricanes, coupled with massive droughts and huge social and political stresses in the Middle East and North Africa, is creating human migrations on this planet so violent they can be described as ‘refugee hurricanes.’
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/01/04/opinion/eye-refugee-hurricane
Today’s Celebration
Easrer Day Sudan
St. John’s Day Bulgaria
Tumbes Anniversary Peru
Victory Day Over the Genocidal Regime Cambodia
Orthodox Christmas Christianity
More about Jan 7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_7
Climate Change
How climate change could counterintuitively feed winter storms
There’s a lot we don’t know — but we do know that climate change will give us different winters.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/01/04/how-climate-change-could-counterintuitively-feed-some-winter-storms/?utm_term=.29dc1234f1ad
Climate change is forcing conservationists to pick winners and losers. How to decide?
In California, eDNA is helping scientists determine which habitats and species are the best bet for protection.
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/california-forum/article192668824.html
Living on the Edge: What climate change means for Taranaki
The impact of earth’s changing climate is not lost on the provinces of New Zealand, like Taranaki.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/98838911/living-on-the-edge-what-climate-change-means-for-taranaki
Power hogs to get just deserts
Duncan Lay
So, apparently a quarter of our planet — including a large chunk of Australia — will turn into a desert unless we can keep global warming below two degrees centigrade.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/duncan-lay-power-hogs-to-get-just-deserts/news-story/d9dee1a23bcaef4aff34dd28bd5bea7d
National
Aussie answer to Bear Grylls Ben Kain urges campers to get back to roughing it
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/aussie-answer-to-bear-grylls-ben-kain-urges-campers-to-get-back-to-roughing-it/news-story/dcabd806bcb97a2accc235f96cb02c67
Australia’s energy security is the greatest threat to our survival
Piers Akerman
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/piers-akerman-australias-energy-security-is-the-greatest-threat-to-our-survival/news-story/8d162bf532634dabc7b9d3d90a8fb23b
Victoria
As it happened: Properties damaged by bushfire in Melbourne’s south-east
Look back at how events unfolded in Melbourne where at least one house was damaged by fire at Carrum Downs, in Melbourne’s south-east, after an out-of-control blaze burned dangerously close to others.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-06/live-at-least-one-house-damaged-by-bushfire-in-melbourne/9308540
Our ridiculous frenzy of road construction will swallow up resources for two decades
William McDougall
http://www.theage.com.au/comment/our-ridiculous-frenzy-of-road-construction-will-swallow-up-resources-for-two-decades-20180105-h0dwd0.html
Victorian bushfires: Households in fire risk areas need a plan
Graham Dwyer
Experts say there will be more days of catastrophic fire danger across Australia so much so that government, communities and emergency services are concerned about our ability to cope because bushfires more complex, unpredictable and harmful than ever.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/victorian-bushfires-households-in-fire-risk-areas-need-a-plan/news-story/8ba9f92b19bef870686afbe67730d78d
Queensland
Great Barrier Reef would benefit from better quality controls over research
Graham Young
A recent paper by Dr Piers Larcombe and Professor Peter Ridd, published in the Marine Pollution Journal, suggests that perhaps not only is there no need to worry, but also that much of the science underpinning what we think we know about the GBR is wrong. And not only the GBR.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/opinion-great-barrier-reef-would-benefit-from-better-quality-controls-over-research/news-story/b5739b86f12708aa0bb410d991e68242
South Australia
Cool change brings relief to SA as Sherwood bushfire downgraded to watch and act
South Australia’s Country Fire Service downgrades the Sherwood fire from emergency to watch and act, after a late cool change brought relief to the area.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-06/firefighters-battle-blaze-near-keith-in-sas-upper-south-east/9308260
Tasmania
Committed to keeping industry afloat
Two of Tasmania’s biggest aquaculture firms remain committed to taking fish farms offshore, investing hundreds of millions in research and infrastructure to ensure the industry’s future and limit its environmental impact.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/committed-to-keeping-industry-afloat/news-story/0b6c80c43aced9f7181e40c19aae2988
Western Australia
Commercial fishers slam shark report as a ‘whitewash’
Commercial fishermen have criticised a review into whether the Perth shark fishery should be re-opened as a whitewash as they warn restrictions will force operators to the wall.
https://thewest.com.au/news/fishing/commercial-fishers-slam-shark-report-as-a-whitewash-ng-b88704859z
Fire rips through bushland along Kwinana Freeway
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/fire-rips-through-bushland-along-kwinana-freeway-20180106-h0egmo.html
Sustainability
‘Latte levy’ could be imposed on UK coffee drinkers to reduce waste
British MPs propose putting a levy on the sale of all disposable coffee cups if they are not made recyclable, saying a disincentive is the only way to curb the number being thrown away by coffee drinkers each year.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-06/calls-for-latte-levy-to-reduce-coffee-cup-waste-in-uk/9308354
Indonesia in 2017: A fighting chance for peat protection, but an infrastructure beatdown for indigenous communities
2017 brought a mix of good and bad news from Indonesia, pertaining primarily to its forest-protection efforts, its recognition of indigenous rights and its balancing of infrastructure needs with local livelihoods.
https://news.mongabay.com/2018/01/indonesia-in-2017-a-fighting-chance-for-peat-protection-but-an-infrastructure-beatdown-for-indigenous-communities/
Interior rescinds climate, conservation policies because they’re ‘inconsistent’ with Trump’s energy goals
The move wipes away four separate directives and policy manuals aimed at showing department employees how to minimize the environmental impact of activities on federal land and in federal waters.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/01/05/interior-rescinds-climate-conservation-policies-because-theyre-inconsistent-with-trumps-energy-goals/?utm_term=.6c29393a0886
Who will pay for Trump’s plan to bail out coal?
On the campaign trail Donald Trump vowed to save coal mining jobs. But he never said he’d have us pay the bill to save them.
https://www.alleghenyfront.org/who-will-pay-for-trumps-plan-to-bail-out-coal/
Wood: Renewable construction material of the future?
When you think “sustainability,” building with wood isn’t necessarily the first thing that comes to mind. But a deeper look at the growing trend begs the question: Could wood be a key sustainable resource of our future?
http://www.dw.com/en/wood-renewable-construction-material-of-the-future/a-42012053
In the eye of the refugee hurricane
Peter Nix
Atmospheric hurricanes, coupled with massive droughts and huge social and political stresses in the Middle East and North Africa, is creating human migrations on this planet so violent they can be described as ‘refugee hurricanes.’
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/01/04/opinion/eye-refugee-hurricane
This year we received more cardboard than gift
Lucy Battersby
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/this-year-we-received-more-cardboard-than-gift-20180105-h0dwjd.html
Nature Conservation
Here’s why scientists have been fertilizing the Arctic
For more than 30 years, scientists have been fertilizing small parcels of Arctic tundra. Here’s what happens when you push an ecosystem to the brink.
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/heres-why-scientists-have-been-fertilizing-arctic
Shellfish can’t say no to drugs
Unfortunately for them. But it is teaching scientists about the consequences of pharmaceutical pollution.
https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/shellfish-cant-say-no-to-drugs/
Maelor Himbury