Daily Links Jun 26

Top Post
Clean power is not enough
Coal power versus wind and solar energy — debates about the Paris climate targets often center around electricity supply. Yet, even in a world of stringent climate policies and a clean power generation, the remaining use of fossil fuels in industry, transport and heating in buildings could still cause enough CO2 emissions to endanger the climate targets agreed on by the international community, an international team of researchers finds.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/pifc-cpi062118.php

Today’s Celebration
Independence Day – Madagascar
Independence Day – North, ex-British Somaliland  Somalia
National Flag Day – Romania
Torture Victims Day – http://www.un.org/en/events/torturevictimsday/
World Drug Day – http://www.un.org/en/events/drugabuseday/
More about Jun 26 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_26

Climate Change
Cows new target in climate war [$]
Beef production has become the target of a global campaign that threatens to make cows the next coal in ­climate change action.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/cattle-the-next-target-in-climate-war/news-story/b9ad6c729ac9560f3fb061ec5c315c0f

Lessons about a future warmer world using data from the past
Selected intervals in the past that were as warm or warmer than today can help us understand what the Earth may be like under future global warming.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/osu-laa062518.php

Reducing CO2 with common elements and sunlight
An international collaborative research group including Tokyo Institute of Technology, Universite PARIS DIDEROT and CNRS has discovered that CO2 is selectively reduced to CO when a photocatalyst composed of an organic semiconductor material and an iron complex is exposed to visible light.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/tiot-rcw062518.php

A carbon tax supported by big oil and Bush-era lobbyists. What?
The oil and gas industry is trying to get ahead of the climate policy curve.
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/6/22/17487488/carbon-tax-dividend-trent-lott-john-breaux

NOAA won’t drop climate and conservation from its mission, agency says
The United States’ top weather, climate and ocean science agency – NOAA – will not drop “climate” from its mission statement nor will it de-emphasize research into climate change and resource conservation, the agency said Monday.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/06/25/noaa-wont-drop-climate-and-conservation-its-mission-agency-says/731304002/

CO2 can directly impact extreme weather, research suggests
Some experts are calling for a cap on CO2 emissions in addition to warming limits
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/co2-can-directly-impact-extreme-weather-research-suggests/

Why climate change is the easiest news to fake
Intangible and complicated, climate change is easy target for fake news.
https://www.axios.com/climate-change-is-the-easiest-news-to-fake-1529698183-579c584b-25da-49fe-a46a-cc77e913ba1c.html

Who shares similar experiences of climate change in a 1.5°C world and beyond?
A new framework to understand how uneven the effects of a 1.5°C world are for different countries around the world has been published today in Geophysical Research Letters, led by researchers from the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) at the Oxford University Department of Geography.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/uoo-wss062518.php

Clean power is not enough
Coal power versus wind and solar energy — debates about the Paris climate targets often center around electricity supply. Yet, even in a world of stringent climate policies and a clean power generation, the remaining use of fossil fuels in industry, transport and heating in buildings could still cause enough CO2 emissions to endanger the climate targets agreed on by the international community, an international team of researchers finds.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/pifc-cpi062118.php

Researchers work toward systematic assessment of climate models
A research team based at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has published the results of an international survey designed to assess the relative importance climate scientists assign to variables when analyzing a climate model’s ability to simulate real-world climate.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/ioap-rwt062318.php

30 years later, deniers are still lying about Hansen’s amazing global warming prediction
Dana Nuccitelli
Koch paychecks seem to be strong motivators to lie
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/jun/25/30-years-later-deniers-are-still-lying-about-hansens-amazing-global-warming-prediction

Global warming raises the risks [$]
Will Hamilton
Donald Trump’s move to abandon the Paris climate accord has been a catalyst for a shift in mindset towards renewable energy.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/wealth/global-warming-raises-the-risks-for-investors/news-story/8c823950aafe944d83ddbb40bfbc4e58

National
Humpback population looks healthy
Whale watchers spot hundreds of humpbacks, with the population looking healthy, on annual migration census day.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-25/nsw-humpback-whale-census-shows-numbers-growing/9898276

Energy minister would welcome new coal-fired power plant
Josh Frydenberg sends the positive signal about coal before Tuesday’s internal government deliberations
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jun/26/energy-minister-would-welcome-new-coal-fired-power-plant

Frydenberg eyes circuit-breaker [$]
Coalition MPs have been told a plan to bring on extra base-load power through new coal or gas is being drafted.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/frydenberg-eyeing-coal-circuitbreaker/news-story/2906e4314d9984b6b51b613fed795d2a

Charities, unions and arts bodies win reprieve from foreign influence register
Coalition-Labor deal paves way for register and espionage laws to be passed
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jun/25/charities-unions-and-arts-bodies-win-reprieve-from-foreign-influence-register

Waste crisis: where’s your recycling going now?
China’s limits on contamination levels have sparked a recycling industry crisis. What are local and state governments doing to solve the problem?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/26/waste-crisis-wheres-your-recycling-going-now

Record emissions keep Australia on path to missing Paris target
Annual carbon emissions, excluding unreliable data, higher than ever, report says
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/25/record-emissions-keep-australia-on-path-to-missing-paris-target

Murray-Darling changes restored in Senate
Draft laws restoring the federal government’s changes to water allocations in the Murray-Darling Basing have passed
https://au.news.yahoo.com/murray-darling-changes-restored-senate-173159008–spt.html

Murray authority interfering with science, whistleblower says [$]
Scientists were bullied into suppressing information about the plan to save the Murray, a whistleblower says.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/murray-authority-interfering-with-science-whistleblower-says/news-story/041b0bc73379ea3b0ed6de79298d3e6b

Nationals to demand changes to NEG
The Nationals will demand changes to the National Energy Guarantee to favour suppliers of baseload power such as coal, gas and hydro.
https://www.afr.com/news/nationals-to-demand-changes-to-neg-20180621-h11pnq

Australian gas shortage still on the cards, says energy analyst
A global LNG supply shortfall in 2021 will force a new gas shortage in Australia if the country doesn’t build import terminals, says a leading energy analyst.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/australian-gas-shortage-still-on-the-cards-energy-analyst-says-20180625-p4znjz.html

Big business flies in to sell “hideously complex” NEG to Abbott & Co
Some of the same businesses and lobby groups that supported Abbott’s dumping of the carbon price and attack on the RET, flown in to make him feel good about the NEG.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/big-business-flies-in-to-sell-hideously-complex-neg-to-abbott-co-19451/

Are you interested in coal’s future? Read this book. [$]
The CEO of Greenpeace presents his arguments against more coal mines in a new book. You might not agree with everything he says (and many won’t). But this is a book worth reading.
https://www.afr.com/brand/afr-magazine/the-coal-truth-west-florida-3-best-books-of-the-month-20180515-h103h9

UN ‘should probe Turnbull’s reef failures’
The United Nations has been asked to investigate the Australian government after green groups claimed it had failed to protect the reef from the effects of land clearing.
https://thewest.com.au/news/environment/un-should-probe-turnbulls-reef-failures-ng-s-1871384

It’s time to trash these false plastic bag myths [$]
Susie O’Brien
Climate-change deniers are arguing why plastic bag ban is a bad idea and predictably, there is a huge amount of misinformation peddled by those who don’t want it to work.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/susie-obrien/susie-obrien-supermarket-plastic-bag-ban-myths-busted/news-story/6795f352c82dc6ae442da90edad0f29d

The reaction to the bag ban has revealed our greed [$]
Kylie Lang
Shoppers at my local supermarket are yet another example of our selfish society. Just look at banks, or plates piled high at a cruise ship buffet — greed will be our undoing.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rendezview/the-reaction-to-the-bag-ban-has-revealed-our-greed/news-story/3be6d41c46f79310c7cd71545a663da4

Power policy prioritises expensive green goals [$]
Daniel Wild
The government’s latest power policy promises reliability but still prioritises expensive green goals.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/power-policy-prioritises-expensive-green-goals/news-story/98080570194bdef97965768e764d5484

Let’s not be charitable on laws [$]
Greg Sheridan
No, no, no. Charities do not, emphatically do not, deserve a special exemption from the foreign interests register.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/greg-sheridan/charities-should-not-be-exempt-from-foreign-interests-register/news-story/d47d00cb804ea92efdfe0194ceebc9f5

Victoria
Company selling “Australia’s cheapest battery” is in liquidation
Victorian energy storage business that offered “the most affordable battery in Australia” – and longest warranty – has gone into liquidation.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/company-selling-australias-cheapest-battery-is-in-liquidation-53561/

New South Wales
Premier consolidates control over big-picture vision of Sydney
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will take greater responsibility for the big-picture vision for Sydney by elevating another key planning agency to report directly to her department.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/premier-consolidates-control-over-big-picture-vision-of-sydney-20180625-p4znlg.html

New Energy Solar buys Manildra solar farm, its first Australia asset
New Energy Solar to buy 46.7MW NSW solar farm, in deal that offers rare insight into economics of Australian market.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/new-energy-solar-buys-manildra-solar-farm-its-first-australia-asset-92312/

Queensland
Solar pushes mid-day electricity prices below zero in Queensland
Wholesale electricity prices in Queensland go negative in middle of the day, underlining the case for storage as more large-scale solar projects connect to the grid, and rooftop solar continues to grow.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/solar-pushes-mid-day-electricity-prices-below-zero-in-queensland-70680/

South Australia
Green light for SA’s biggest solar project  [$]
Construction on the first stage of South Australia’s largest solar power project will begin early next year, creating hundreds of jobs, powering 90,000 homes and promising cheaper electricity.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/sa-business-journal/groundbreaking-solar-river-project-to-slash-the-cost-of-renewable-energy-to-90000-sa-homes/news-story/9cc6563f31f0d78d2d58ebcbae657fe4

Does Adelaide need a tree valuing system like Melbourne to stop needless razing? [$]
Trees in South Australia should be allocated a significant dollar value to stop landowners needlessly razing them, a Mitcham councillor has warned.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/east-hills/does-adelaide-need-a-tree-valuing-system-like-melbourne-to-stop-needless-razing/news-story/982259cce2d4826de016529605335ed4

2D Fluidics: ‘Game-changing’ SA invention inspires new company as First Graphene and Flinders University merge on project [$]
A Perth-based advanced materials company has joined forces with Flinders University in a bid to produce environmentally-safe supplies of high-grade graphite.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/sa-business-journal/2d-fluidics-gamechanging-sa-invention-inspires-new-company-as-first-graphene-and-flinders-university-merge-on-project/news-story/8b9bfcd9d44bafd655a8df6b7e41ac5a

Tasmania
Penalty for killing nine little penguins no deterrent: seabird expert
Joshua Leigh Jeffrey was sentenced to 49 hours of community service and ordered to pay $82.15 in court costs for his involvement in killing the birds.
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/penalty-for-killing-little-penguins-no-deterrent-seabird-expert-says-20180625-p4znlm.html

All about Tassie’s endemic birds ...
Don Knowler
The documentary David Attenborough’s Tasmania certainly shone a bright light on Tasmania’s unique wildlife when it screened on the ABC at peak time earlier month. Birdwatchers, though, were disappointed the program made scant reference to the state’s birdlife
http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/weblog/article/all-about-tassies-endemic-birds-/

Western Australia
Suburbs under pressure to cut down trees over allergies
Perth councils are coming under pressure to remove street trees because they are causing allergic reactions.
https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/perth-councils-under-pressure-to-cut-down-street-trees-because-of-allergies-ng-b88876343z

Electricity from concrete? Australian company claims breakthrough
Talga Resources claims breakthrough in production of conductive concrete, which could play role in wireless charging of EVs.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/electricity-from-concrete-australian-company-claims-breakthrough-47138/

Sustainability
Bike sharing company oBike to immediately cease all operations in Singapore
On 12 June, the company pulled out of Melbourne and customers in Singapore and Australia are demanding the return of deposits
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jun/25/bike-sharing-company-obike-to-immediately-cease-all-operations-in-singapore

Enzyme boost could hasten production of biofuels and other bioprocessed materials
Imperial scientists have enhanced the process of using biology to make products such as fuels, plastics, medicines, and cosmetics.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/icl-ebc062218.php

Coconut-fibre plates on the table as Samoa looks beyond single-use plastics
Government will ban polluting plastics at the end of the year, spurring the search for something different.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/25/samoa-ban-single-use-plastics

Methane-producing microbial communities found in fracking wells
New research has uncovered the genetic details of microbes found in fracking wells. Not only do a wide array of bacteria and viruses thrive in these crevices created by hydraulic fracturing – they also have the power to produce methane
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/osu-mmc062018.php

Can India manage its toxic e-waste?
One of the biggest producers of e-waste in the world, India doesn’t have data and monitoring mechanisms to manage e-waste.
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/waste/can-india-manage-its-toxic-e-waste–60891

Exposure to Air Pollution in Pregnancy Does Not Increase Symptoms of Attention-Deficit
A study of 30,000 children from seven European countries found no association between prenatal exposure to air pollution and symptoms of attention-deficit and …
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180625122348.htm

Working with nature can help us build greener cities instead of urban slums
Paul Osmond
As Australian cities grow and transform, we need to ensure we are not building the slums of the future by making buildings so tall and tight they turn our streets into stark canyons.
https://theconversation.com/working-with-nature-can-help-us-build-greener-cities-instead-of-urban-slums-96639

Nature Conservation
Skeleton formation in young corals documented for first time in multidisciplinary study
Researchers have identified the biological process of mineralization that occurs in a young coral that shifts from the plankton (swimming) stage to the ‘settled’ stage in which it forms the skeleton from minerals that protect its colony. The discovery is important for understanding the process of coral reef formation and protecting marine creatures from ecological damage associated with global warming, and could impact new biotechnological developments using coral extractions to regenerate and reconstruct human bones.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/bu-sfi062418.php

Marine plastic: Hundreds of fragments in dead seabirds
Flesh-footed shearwater chicks are starving to death because of plastic, a BBC documentary reveals.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44579422

Plastic straw bans won’t save the ocean. But we need them anyway
Why everyone from Tom Brady to the city of Seattle is suddenly against plastic straws.
https://www.vox.com/2018/6/25/17488336/plastic-straw-ban-ocean-pollution

Deep trouble
Nat Sumanatemeya, an underwater photographer whose pictures help us see what’s happening to our oceans.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/social-and-lifestyle/1492022/deep-trouble

Now for something completely different …
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Maelor Himbury