Daily Links May 1

The world’s bleak global warming situation, in 3 charts
We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there.
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/4/30/17300946/global-warming-degrees-replace-fossil-fuels

Al Gore warns worst of climate change will be felt by black and poor people
Speaking at a memorial to the victims of lynching, the former vice-president warned of the disproportionate impacts of global warming.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/apr/27/al-gore-climate-change-impact-black-poor-people-more

Penny Wong says Labor will try and undo Abbott’s legacy on climate policy
Shadow foreign affairs minister says Labor will reinstitute climate change ambassador and broaden work in Pacific
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/may/01/penny-wong-says-labor-will-try-and-undo-abbotts-legacy-on-climate-policy

Australia is milking its invasive camel problem
The camel milk industry has been growing rapidly in Australia for the last decade, and the country now boasts the third-largest camel dairy farm in the world.
https://video.vice.com/en_us/video/australia-is-milking-its-invasive-camel-problem/5ad7d34bf1cdb36a8f78a2d1

Renewable energy jobs up by a third
The number of jobs in Australia related to renewable energy production grew by one-third in 2016-17 to 14,820 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/latestProducts/4631.0Media%20Release12016-17?OpenDocument

The decades-old energy plan suddenly back in vogue
Norman Abjorensen
Today’s debate mimics that sparked by Rex Connor more than 40 years ago.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/the-decades-old-energy-plan-suddenly-back-in-vogue-20180425-p4zbmx.html

It will take decades, but the Murray Darling Basin Plan is delivering environmental improvements
Angus Webb et al
While questions have been raised over the plan’s governance, economics, and political commitment by the states, it is important to note that, more than five years after the plan’s adoption, the environmental benefits are slowly but surely being seen.
https://theconversation.com/it-will-take-decades-but-the-murray-darling-basin-plan-is-delivering-environmental-improvements-93568

Melbourne’s water supply at risk due to ‘collapse’ of forests caused by logging
Tree-felling helped trigger ‘hidden collapse’ of mountain ash forests, ecologists say
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/01/melbournes-water-supply-at-risk-due-to-collapse-of-forests-caused-by-logging

Business seek insight into emissions cuts
A two-day summit in Melbourne will examine how business and governments are working to reduce carbon emissions.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/05/01/03/39/business-seek-insight-into-emissions-cuts

Give us better, not cheaper public transport
Chris Hale
It was reported recently in The Age that Infrastructure Victoria is recommending fare discounting to attract public transport riders into non-peak periods.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/give-us-better-not-cheaper-public-transport-20180424-p4zbds.html

Rockin’ the suburbs: bandicoots live among us in Melbourne
Euan Ritchie and Sarah Maclagan, Deakin University
Endangered bandicoots have been found in the outskirts of Melbourne.
https://theconversation.com/rockin-the-suburbs-bandicoots-live-among-us-in-melbourne-95423

Victoria has everything in place – time to go big on VRET
Mark Wakeham and Dean Rizzetti
It’s budget week in Victoria, and there’s a simple question to be asked: if there’s so much renewable energy ready to go, then why not …
https://reneweconomy.com.au/victoria-everything-place-time-go-big-vret-99436/

Alinta lobs bid for AGL’s Liddell
Alinta Energy has gone ahead with what it says is a “compelling” bid for AGL Energy’s ageing Liddell coal-fired power plant in NSW.
http://www.afr.com/business/energy/electricity/alinta-energy-turns-up-heat-on-agl-energy-with-bid-for-liddell-20180429-h0zet8

AGL cool on bid for Liddell [$]
AGL Energy has given a cold ­response to Alinta Energy’s plans to buy and upgrade the Liddell black-coal power station.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/agl-cool-on-alinta-bid-for-liddell-power-station/news-story/f2a2bb50c6dcef5607f9916e7b1fa592

Energy reliability: risks so small “they are barely visible”
Modelling for Reliability Panel says risk of supply shortfalls in NSW after Liddell closure is one millionth of one per cent – “so small, they are generally not visible on the chart”. So much for the government scare campaign about blackouts.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/energy-reliability-risks-so-small-they-are-barely-visible-29136/

Switch to solar gathers speed as two new solar farms join grid
Two new solar farms begin full production in NSW, and with nearly 2GW of new large scale solar to be added across the country before summer, and the boom in rooftop continuing, the lowest prices may now occur at midday rather than midnight.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/switch-to-solar-gathers-speed-as-two-new-solar-farms-join-grid-38899/

Know your NEM: AGL’s gas play assumes a lot more renewables
David Leitch
The most interesting thing by far at the moment is working out who is going to be short and who is going to be long in retailing space for emissions targets.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/know-your-nem-agls-gas-play-assumes-a-lot-more-renewables-60849/

Tree law declared ‘a race issue’ [$]
The Turnbull government is threatening to use the Racial ­Discrimination Act to overturn a revived tree-clearing crackdown.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/matt-canavan-threatens-challenge-to-treeclearing-laws/news-story/18dfe4396443e64bf0b91faa5aceb31f

New 11MW solar farm sets new benchmarks in Queensland
The 11MW Dunblane solar farm in Barcaldine, Queensland, is far from the biggest solar farm in the country, or even in the state.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/new-11mw-solar-farm-sets-new-benchmarks-queensland-37843/

Hanson takes axe to solar farms [$]
Pauline Hanson wants solar farms banned from tree clearing in Queensland, saying it’s duplicitous of Labor to criminalise primary producers for knocking over trees while allowing renewable energy proponents to clear vast tracts of land.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/one-nation-leader-pauline-hanson-wants-queensland-solar-farms-banned-from-tree-clearing/news-story/977d7b2df833a933c51d22f503176d9b

Major catch as recycling continues [$]
A major southeast Queensland council has backflipped on plans to scrap its recycling scheme, but the rethink comes with a catch.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/contamination-needs-to-halve-for-ipswich-recycling-to-continue/news-story/8dbebbd3d3d2bd21b14e56ac058092b7

Energy dividend slammed [$]
A Cairns energy lobby group has slammed a $50 payment for consumers as “a drop in the bucket.”
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/energy-payment-a-drop-in-the-bucket-cairns-lobby-group-says/news-story/3a17f29007acad0e41e7ebdafa179715

High time for a ‘smart’ offshore energy plan for SA
Moves to explore and drill for oil and gas in the Great Australian Bight highlight the need for Australia to develop a sustainable offshore energy planning model, scientists say.
https://indaily.com.au/news/sponsored-content/2018/04/30/high-time-smart-offshore-energy-plan-sa/

Green light for next South Rd upgrade [$]
Political gridlock on South Rd has eased as the federal and state governments agree to split the cost of upgrading a key stretch of road in Adelaide’s western suburbs.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/regency-rd-to-pym-st-work-gets-greenlight-in-northsouth-corridor-south-road-upgrades/news-story/805507a6cba594d57303ec4b062d804f

Roaming cats set to be confined [$]
The days of free-roaming cats may be over as one of the biggest councils in the greater Adelaide area investigates a new by-law to restrict felines to their owner’s property.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/adelaide-hills-council-proposes-new-bylaw-to-confine-cats-to-their-owners-property/news-story/6fd10d8ea26c4a04756bb29265b1d636

Domestic waste deal ameliorates China ban [$]
A waste management company has struck a deal to open a new domestic market in a bid to ­soft­en the blow of a China import ban that has plunged the industry into crisis. Northern Adelaide Waste Management Authority, which manages waste in three council districts, last night signed an agreement to supply recycled paper to an Australian paper mill.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/domestic-waste-deal-ameliorates-china-ban/news-story/c5eebeccb723ee5bb465b6d8bc192edb

Cooper Energy has passed one third completion of its Sole Gas Project off the Victorian coast [$]
Cooper Energy’s Sole Gas Project off the Victorian coast is 38 per cent complete, the company said.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/sa-business-journal/cooper-energy-has-passed-one-third-completion-of-its-sole-gas-project-off-the-victorian-coast/news-story/fba3ae1c0eb8df25ee915f16057db618

Noise complaints surge after flight path shift [$]
An ombudsman has handed down a damning assessment of Airservices Australia’s handling of flight path changes near Hobart.
http://www.themercury.com.au/lifestyle/travel/aircraft-noise-ombudsman-savages-handling-of-flight-path-changes/news-story/a0b8945f5269ef04a73a75340d1a3013

Energy scheme extension after $20m surge [$]
The Tasmanian Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme will be extended for another year, Energy Minister Guy Barnett has announced.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/politics/tasmanian-energy-efficiency-loan-scheme-to-run-for-another-year/news-story/4ff8afea648da43a9fb4b6e45521cebb

Who needs coal? Tassie island powers up for renewable future [$]
Peter Boyer
Blackout-plagued Bruny Island shows the way in smart battery trial
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/talking-point-who-needs-coal-tassie-island-powers-up-for-renewable-future/news-story/81efaa9aade8abd246016f78dfe93230

Coles plastic bag ban welcomed by Inglewood shoppers
Shoppers have welcomed a ban on single-use plastic bags at Coles in Inglewood — the first of the supermarket giant’s WA stores to scrap the bags.
https://thewest.com.au/news/environment/cloes-plastic-bag-ban-welcomed-by-inglewood-shoppers-ng-b88819383z

Israel says ‘half ton’ of documents prove Iran lied about nuclear program
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a presentation on live television, saying “a great intelligence achievement” has unveiled a trove of documents that prove Iran covered up a nuclear weapons program before signing a 2015 deal.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-01/israel-netanyahu-says-iran-lied-about-nuclear-program/9713346

Germany stresses importance of IAEA inspections of Iran nuclear program
Germany will analyze information presented by Israel on Iran’s nuclear activities on Monday but independent inspections must be maintained, a German government spokesman said.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-iran-netanyahu-germany/germany-stresses-importance-of-iaea-inspections-of-iran-nuclear-program-idUSKBN1I127P

As nuclear power loses ground, environmentalists are torn: save nuclear for climate’s sake?
The four nuclear power plants that could close produce more carbon-free power than all of the wind and solar in the Mid-Atlantic grid, according to one study.
https://www.alleghenyfront.org/as-nuclear-power-loses-ground-environmentalists-are-torn-save-nuclear-for-climates-sake/

Offshore wind power firms see Taiwan as a battleground to expand in Asia
Taiwan is becoming the next battleground for the world’s top offshore wind developers as they seek a foothold in Asia for a technology that has been expanding fast in Europe.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-windpower/offshore-wind-power-firms-see-taiwan-as-a-battleground-to-expand-in-asia-idUSKBN1I11IV

Batteries and energy storage can actually increase carbon emissions
Energy storage is considered a green technology. But it actually increases carbon emissions.
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/4/27/17283830/batteries-energy-storage-carbon-emissions

PNG’s massive LNG project fails to deliver on economic promises
The immense benefits predicted to flow from Papua New Guinea’s liquified natural gas project have not been realised, and the country’s economy is even going backwards on some indicators.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-30/png-lng-project-fails-to-deliver-on-economic-promises/9710136

This geneticist is creating gene-edited animals for our plates
Alison Van Eenennaam sees gene editing as a more efficient way to feed the planet. But will the new technology be easy to swallow?
https://www.ozy.com/rising-stars/this-geneticist-is-creating-gene-edited-animals-for-our-plates/85700

Personal care products contribute to a pollution ‘rush hour’
When people are out and about, they leave plumes of chemicals behind them — from both car tailpipes and the products they put on their skin and hair. In fact, emissions of siloxane, a common ingredient in shampoos, lotions, and deodorants, are comparable in magnitude to the emissions of major components of vehicle exhaust, such as benzene, from rush-hour traffic.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-04/uoca-pcp043018.php

Canada’s math may overlook carbon pollution from biofuels
Many scientists and environmental groups say it is unrealistic to measure the carbon intensity of biofuels without also measuring how the use of crops like corn or canola for fuel, instead of food, might be causing the conversion of land elsewhere in the world to agriculture to compensate for the drop in food crops.
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/04/30/news/canadas-math-may-overlook-carbon-pollution-biofuels

World-first synthesis of globalization effects on people and planet
Australian researchers have compiled a world-first conclusive synthesis of the environmental and social impacts of globalization — using sophisticated computation to provide a bird’s eye view of the displacement of wealth-driven consumption into offshore production — highlighting effects such as child labor. The research reveals the extent developed countries are outsourcing burdensome production to poor countries and points towards a need for consumption-based accounting — where a country’s environmental score includes its imports — leaving no room for loopholes.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-04/uos-wso043018.php

Stanford researchers have developed a water-based battery to store solar and wind energy
Stanford scientists have developed a manganese-hydrogen battery that could fill a missing piece in the nation’s energy puzzle by storing wind and solar energy for when it is needed, lessening the need to burn carbon-emitting fossil fuels.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-04/ssoe-srh043018.php

Study: How to assess new solar technologies
Researchers at MIT find that combining two types of solar cells into one, called tandem photovoltaic cells, can provide more efficient home solar installations.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-04/miot-sht043018.php

Proximity to fracking sites affects public support of them, study finds
People who live closer to fracking sites are more familiar with and more supportive of hydraulic fracturing, while those who live in proximity to areas of higher oil and gas well density are more familiar with but not necessarily more supportive of the practice.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-04/osu-ptf043018.php

Explainer: Will mobile phone radiation harm my health?
Radio frequency does interact with your body, but researchers are yet to nut out exactly what its effects are.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-04-30/mobile-phone-radiation-health-explainer-biophysics/9702630

New materials for sustainable, low-cost batteries
A new conductor material and a new electrode material could pave the way for inexpensive batteries and therefore the large-scale storage of renewable energies.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-04/ez-nmf042518.php

Republicans have so corrupted EPA, Americans can only save it in the voting booth
Dana Nuccitelli
The Republican Party values polluter wealth over public health
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/apr/30/republicans-have-so-corrupted-epa-americans-can-only-save-it-in-the-voting-booth

Reef fish inherit tolerance to warming oceans
Thanks to mom and dad, baby reef fish may have what it takes to adjust to hotter oceans.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-04/acoe-rfi042518.php

Lake Erie’s toxic algae still a big problem despite voluntary measures
There’s been no clear decrease in the pollutants feeding persistent algae blooms over the past five years despite billions of dollars in investments to reduce pollution.
https://www.alleghenyfront.org/lake-eries-toxic-algae-still-a-big-problem-despite-voluntary-measures/

If Pigs Could Fly: How Can Forests Regenerate Without Birds?
Research on ungulates in the limestone forests of northern Guam has yielded …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180430102508.htm

Effects of Munitions in the Seas Only Partially Known
More than 70 years after the end of World War II, countless pieces of ammunition from this time are still lying in all oceans. Once the casings are damaged, the explosives can release toxic …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180430102522.htm

Study: Warming future means more fire, fewer trees in western biodiversity hotspot
Increasing fires and summer droughts caused by global warming are drastically changing a globally unique bio-region of northern California and southwestern Oregon, according to new research funded by the National Science Foundation and published today in the journal Scientific Reports.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-04/hu-swf042718.php

A clash over Antarctica’s future is deepening
Growing tourism and an expanding krill-fishing industry are running up against international regulations to preserve Antarctica.
https://www.ozy.com/fast-forward/a-clash-over-antarcticas-future-is-deepening/85598

It’s time to untame the mighty Mississippi River and stop wasting millions of dollars of sediment each year
David Muth
As America upgrades its infrastructure, a call for innovative engineering to undo historic shortsightedness and rebuild valuable wetlands.
https://ensia.com/voices/mississippi-wetlands/