Daily Links Feb 24

Arctic temperatures soar 45 degrees above normal, flooded by extremely mild air on all sides
This latest temperature spike is another striking indicator of the Arctic’s rapidly changing climate.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/02/21/arctic-temperatures-soar-45-degrees-above-normal-flooded-by-extremely-mild-air-on-all-sides/?utm_term=.52bc34406fde

Revolution needed in climate change fight
Radical change in the next 20 years is needed to achieve climate goals agreed to by some 200 nations.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/revolution-needed-in-climate-change-fight/news-story/39c624b86446c4b56b3052ce25e95cf4

Tesla big battery results suggest local storage better than “monster” projects
New analysis says performance of Tesla big battery shows advantages of distributed storage rather than a single “monster” project like Snowy 2.0.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/tesla-big-battery-results-suggest-local-storage-better-monster-projects-73385/

Increased energy use, increased energy efficiency
Australian energy use increased in 2015-16, but also became more efficient according to the latest edition of the annual Energy Account released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/latestProducts/4604.0Media%20Release12015-16

Micallef on Tesla big battery: Is it cruel to store electrons?
Comedian Shaun Micallef sends up opponents to battery storage and wind farms in the best skit on energy matters since Clarke and Dawe.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/micallef-tesla-big-battery-cruel-store-electrons-86799/

Doubts raised over Australia’s plan to release herpes to wipe out carp
An Australian plan to kill invasive carp by releasing a virus into waterways has come under fire from researchers who argue that the tactic will not eradicate enough fish.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-02315-4

Big investors join shareholder push on climate, human rights
https://www.theage.com.au/business/investments/big-investors-take-a-public-stand-on-climate-change-risk-20180215-p4z0gr.html

ALP the ‘party for environment’
Bill Shorten says Labor can be both pro-environment and “the party of miners” as the party steps up its fight against the Greens.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/labor-the-party-for-the-environment-shorten-declares/news-story/cb39fdb1b01ac2a8eb1cfd7966605062

Future cities: planning for our growing population
Infrastructure Australia
This is the fifth paper in Infrastructure Australia’s Reform Series. It provides advice to Australian governments on improving the productivity and liveability of our largest cities as they grow over the next thirty years.
http://apo.org.au/node/133936

Battery storage: Are Australian households about to charge into market?
Giles Parkinson
Further rises in Australia’s already ridiculously high grid prices, South Australian incentives, and the first battery storage manufacturing plant in the country suggest the battery storage market is about to take off.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/battery-storage-australian-households-charge-market-16562/

National Energy Guarantee leaves no guarantees
David Ryan
There are some significant issues still to be resolved around the NEG – complexity and potential costs are concerning.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/national-energy-guarantee-leaves-no-guarantees-40910/

How do you solve a problem like fixed charges?
Mark Byrne
Everyone hates the fixed charges on their electricity bills, so why do they keep going up? Is it because retailers take us for mugs?
http://reneweconomy.com.au/solve-problem-like-fixed-charges-28902/

Uranium industry slumps, nuclear power dead in the water
Jim Green
Demand and prices for uranium are low and set to remain so: bad news for Australia’s uranium industry but good news for those opposed to nuclear power.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=19587

Population growth offers dog whistles for left and right
Phillip Coorey
The failure to think seriously about managing more people is fertile ground for political opportunists.
http://www.afr.com/news/population-growth-offers-dog-whistles-for-left-and-right-alike-20180222-h0whzp

Local councils struggling to find solution to China recycling ban
Local councils affected by China’s ban on importing recyclable waste are given a short-term reprieve, with the Victorian Government chipping in $13 million to help them manage the rubbish, but the municipal association says there’s no solution in sight.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-23/china-recycling-ban-victorian-councils-get-$13m-for-collections/9476962

Bass Strait pair pull fields sale
ExxonMobil and BHP Billiton have been unable to find a buyer for the once great Bass Strait oilfields.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/exxonmobil-bhp-pull-bass-strait-oilfields-sale/news-story/ceb7388988f39fe0ad14bd7aec3acb36

A  future without Adani
Everald Compton
The water needed to open up the black soil country for agriculture can easily be diverted from the tropical rivers of the north at an affordable cost.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=19588

Taking power could be all about who can deliver it
Daniel Wills
Taking power in SA could hinge on being able to deliver it, cheaply and reliably, to struggling households. All three parties have their plans on the table, and the differences are stark
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/daniel-wills-power-top-issue-in-south-australia-election-as-green-dream-collides-with-dubious-promise-of-lower-bills/news-story/2777dcd47ad95acb64c367233ee0b17

In 46 states, people of color deal with more air pollution than white people do, study finds
The EPA study adds to years of research suggesting that people of color encounter the most air pollution in the US, increasing their risk of asthma, heart disease, and other illnesses.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/nidhisubbaraman/epa-environmental-justice-air-pollution?utm_term=.ckJBBXLxz7#.lk0ggzMP5y

Jakarta, the world’s fastest-sinking city, also faces rising sea levels and river pollution
Jakarta, Indonesia, is sinking faster than any city in the world–so fast, in fact, that certain coastal areas have descended 14 feet in recent years.
http://www.circleofblue.org/2018/asia/jakarta-worlds-fastest-sinking-city-also-faces-rising-sea-levels-river-pollution/

Monsanto ‘commands’ civic group to turn in all communications over glyphosate
Avaaz, a civic campaigning network with 45 million subscribers around the world, has been served with a subpoena on behalf of Monsanto.
https://www.ecowatch.com/monsanto-avaaz-glyphosate-2538134798.html

Europe takes first steps in electrifying world’s shipping fleets
Container ships, tankers, freighters, and cruise liners are a significant source of CO2 emissions and other pollutants. Led by Norway, Europe is beginning to electrify its coastal vessels – but the task of greening the high seas fleet is far more daunting.
http://e360.yale.edu/features/europe-takes-first-steps-in-electrifying-worlds-shipping-fleets

Drone package delivery will be fast. Here’s how to make it green
Package delivery by drones is expected to take off in the next few years. That should reduce energy use and cut greenhouse gas emissions, but only if done with care, new research published in Nature Communications finds.
http://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2018/02/drone-package-delivery-could-be-fast-heres-how-to-make-it-green/

Measuring the risks of tidal power
Researchers are investigating the possibility of environmental damage before the industry kicks off.
https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/measuring-the-risks-of-tidal-power/

Renewables, not natural gas, are cutting US power sector emissions
Mark Hand
In the past, switching from coal to natural gas has driven US power sector emissions cuts. In 2017, it was declining load and greater renewable generation.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/renewables-not-natural-gas-cutting-us-power-sector-emissions-89007/

How media framing limits public debate about oil exploration
Sophie Bond; Amanda Thomas, Victoria University of Wellington, and Gradon Diprose, Open Polytechnic
Researchers find that mainstream media in New Zealand tend to present fossil fuel development as positive for the economy, while framing opponents as irrational and extremist.
https://theconversation.com/how-media-framing-limits-public-debate-about-oil-exploration-90747

Climate change will force some mammalian species to evolve away from their white winter coats
The only way white mammals will survive climate change is if they can mate with those who stay brown over the winter.
https://qz.com/1212341/climate-change-will-force-mammals-to-get-picky-about-mating/