Daily Links Mar 6

Stop blaming ‘both sides’ for America’s climate failures
Dana Nuccitelli
The fault lies entirely with the GOP. Focus on fixing it, not laying blame where it doesn’t belong
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/mar/05/stop-blaming-both-sides-for-americas-climate-failures

Australia has 1,800 threatened species but has not listed critical habitat in 10 years
Only five habitats put on critical habitat register since national environmental laws enacted
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/06/australia-has-1800-threatened-species-but-has-not-listed-critical-habitat-in-10-years

Is the energy crisis over? [$]
A flood of new clean power and a summer without major outages is increasing confidence in the power system and helping to reduce prices.
http://www.afr.com/news/energy-crisis-over-a-blackoutfree-summer-and-power-prices-are-falling-20180302-h0wwey

Snowy 2.0 could flood market with cheap energy, analysts say
Snowy 2.0 will change the energy game in the country, but new government owners means Snowy can play by its own rules.
https://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/snowy-2-0-could-flood-market-with-cheap-energy-analysts-say-20180305-p4z2wp.html

Australian Philanthropists Sign Open Letter Urging Foreign Donations Bill Redraft
More than 60 Australian philanthropists and foundations have signed an open letter urging the federal government to withdraw and redraft its contentious foreign donations bill.
https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2018/03/australian-philanthropists-sign-open-letter-urging-foreign-donations-bill-redraft/

Greens’ roo cull campaign is mad [$]
Australian editorial
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/editorials/greens-kangaroo-culling-campaign-is-hopping-mad/news-story/88aad2039cad4335afc8198fe2c6ce88

What’s wrong (and right) with “suburban sprawl”?
Alan Davies
Our major cities require a more sophisticated understanding of the role of fringe development in accommodating forecast growth than reflexively dismissing it out of hand as “sprawl”
https://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2018/03/05/wrong-right-suburban-sprawl/

Opening of Duck Hunting Season
Victoria’s duck season will go ahead, despite a damning report into the game regulator’s handling of the season last year.
https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/politics/duck-hunting-2018-victorian-game-management-authority-slammed/news-story/dd81b01714781546db182f65ec333cff

After Doyle, mayoral candidates cast doubt on $250m Victoria Market plans
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/after-doyle-mayoral-candidates-cast-doubt-on-250m-victoria-market-plans-20180302-p4z2kk.html

Victoria town’s breakthrough deal on network tariffs as it pursues 100% renewables
Central Victoria town achieves a breakthrough deal on network tariffs that could pave the way for a community solar farm and 100 per cent renewable energy within a few years.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/victoria-towns-breakthrough-deal-on-network-tariffs-as-it-pursues-100-renewables-74660/

Construction of 112MW Mildura solar farm underway
Beon Energy Solutions tapped to build BayWa’s 112MW Karadoc Solar Farm in Victoria’s north-west.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/construction-112mw-mildura-solar-farm-underway-84711/

Climate deniers shut out of Batman forum [$]
Organisers of a climate change forum in the federal Melbourne seat of Batman have invited only half the candidates from the upcoming by-election.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/climate-deniers-shut-out-of-batman-forum/news-story/70f2a04f221ffb808dbcc25f503853c8

Victorian families falling into huge debt as bills pile up [$]
Victoria’s Energy and Water Ombudsman has uncovered families struggling with utility debts as high as $26,000 as skyrocketing charges and unforeseen expenses bite hard.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/families-falling-thousands-of-dollars-in-debt-on-skyrocketing-electricity-gas-and-water-bills/news-story/65d3dbd0c9f04342a43cbf2ca878f391

Rail loop, robot trains options for East Werribee ‘super city’ [$]
A new $1.3 billion rail loop and driverless trains are among transport options being considered to connect a proposed $30 billion ‘super city’ at East Werribee.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/future-melbourne/east-werribee-30bn-super-city-options-include-driverless-trains-rail-loop/news-story/c0b16b7c1782f5f9988e6f576423a80d

Get smart to build a better Melbourne [$]
Peter Seamer
Two-tiered infrastructure is necessary but it won’t solve Melbourne’s problems — to do that, the world’s most liveable city has to think outside the square and begin a cultural shift
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/susie-obrien/peter-seamer-get-smart-to-build-a-better-melbourne/news-story/77d48dd81c04bda82d465cc0a4776dfd

Solar PPA partners named in potential 10MW NSW PV rollout
NSW govt set to roll out solar across its buildings and infrastructure after selection of five “prequalified, carefully vetted” solar PPA suppliers.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/solar-ppa-partners-named-in-potential-10mw-nsw-pv-rollout-89829/

NSW regional council weighs building its own solar grid
NSW shire of Parkes to explore feasibility of building its own “virtual solar network,” based on existing PV investments and future solar and storage installs.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/nsw-regional-council-weighs-building-solar-grid-71272/

Another major 300MW solar farm proposed for Queensland coal centre
Renew Estate proposes 300MW solar farm for Gladstone, Queensland, to help wean the regional centre off coal, and power industrial growth.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/another-major-300mw-solar-farm-proposed-queensland-coal-centre-15672/

Shorten putting over a big con [$]
Andrew Bolt
Calling Bill Shorten a hypocrite over the Adani coal project is like charging a bank robber with mere littering
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/andrew-bolt/andrew-bolt-shorten-putting-over-a-big-con/news-story/bbce4f4dde72f548b2e7eb769da0ebc7

Greenhouse gas emissions of hydropower in the Mekong River Basin can exceed fossil fuel sources
Hydropower is commonly considered as a clean energy source to fuel Southeast Asian economic growth. Recent study published in Environmental Research Letters finds that hydropower in the Mekong River Basin, largest river in Southeast Asia, might not always be climate friendly.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-03/au-gge030518.php

New dual-atom catalyst shows promise to yield clean energy by artificial photosynthesis
An international team of researchers from the US and China has synthesized a dispersed catalyst featuring two atoms, yielding a stable and highly active platform that could facilitate solar water oxidation for the production and storage of clean energy, the team reports in the latest Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-03/bc-ndc030518.php

Materials ‘sandwich’ breaks barrier for solar cell efficiency
Nanomaterials esearchers have devised a method to significantly improve the efficiency of organic solar cells. They used a squaraine molecule to both donate electrons and better orient the PBDB-T polymer with the ITIC non-fullerene acceptor. Combined with another design mechanism the group previously pioneered, they achieved efficiency gains of more than 10 percent in converting solar energy into power. The flexible cells could eventually be used in wearables and more.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-03/ntso-mb030218.php

‘Pay kids’ 20 cents a bottle
The key to removing plastic bottles from the beach lies with getting young people involved in clean-ups, says one businessman. And he is willing to put his money…
http://www.ehn.org/pay-kids-20-cents-a-bottle-nationnews-barbados-local-regional-and-international-news-nationnews-com-2542945934.html

China to step up fight against emissions, pollution in bid to protect ‘blue skies’, ‘green land’
China will step up its fight against pollution this year, moving to further cut emissions that have befouled its air, water and soil.
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/npc-2018-chinas-ramps-up-coal-steel-output-cuts-to-defend-blue-skies

Why cities are starting to shun sewers
Developing countries can’t afford Western-style sewer networks, but their work-arounds may be even better.
http://www.ozy.com/fast-forward/why-cities-are-starting-to-shun-sewers/83955

Plastic is so over. So why do some fashion houses still treat it as cool?
Lucy Siegle
The catwalk positively oozes fossil fuel just as we begin to uncouple our lives from it.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/04/plastic-fashion-houses-catwalk-shows?CMP=twt_a-environment_b-gdneco

Sustainable Ocean Development
Earth’s vast and vital oceans are a critical source of economic productivity, but issues of space management, interindustry conflict and environmental degradation often limit …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180305142415.htm

How Microplastics Are Affecting Marine Organisms
A group of scientists who use Crepdiula onyx as a model organism to test microplastics immunity have found that they will threaten other marine organisms that are less ..
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180305101644.htm

Impact of Fishing Fleets on the Most Threatened Marine Birds
Accidental by-catch –- which affects around 5,000 birds stuck in longlines every year — is the most severe effect on marine birds by the fishing activity in the …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180305093729.htm

Hydrogen Extraction Breakthrough Could Be Game-Changer
Researchers have successfully tested a new material that can be used for cheap and large-scale production of hydrogen – a promising alternative to …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180305093708.htm
One-fifth of Europe’s wood beetles at risk of extinction as ancient trees decline
Demise of the beetles, that need rotting wood to survive, could have devastating knock-on effect for other species, say scientists in a new report
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/05/a-fifth-of-europes-wood-beetles-at-risk-of-extinction-as-ancient-trees-decline