Daily Links Jun 28

Scientists discover ‘uplifting’ natural phenomenon that could prevent any more catastrophic ice loss
The “game-changing” discovery suggests that the earth underneath the Arctic ice sheets may have a natural way of preventing further ice loss.
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/scientists-discover-uplifting-natural-phenomenon-that-could-prevent-any-more-catastrophic-ice-loss/

Hit by extreme weather, Zimbabwe rolls out triple climate policy
Policies for business, farmers and children aim to help country adapt to climate impacts and cut emissions – but will they be used?
http://news.trust.org/item/20180626104749-yujkp/

City-level action is the right way to tackle emissions, study shows
Countries seeking to meet Paris Agreement targets on CO2 emissions must get a grip on the amount of pollution produced at city level, according to researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA). In a new study, published in Science Advances, the researchers set out a framework for gathering and analysing local information about how cities contribute to pollution levels, and show how these insights could be used to target climate mitigation initiatives most effectively.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/uoea-cai062618.php

Oil companies can’t be sued for climate change even though it’s real, judge rules
‘The issue is not over science,’ Judge Alsup wrote
https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/26/17507620/climate-lawsuits-san-francisco-oakland-sue-big-oil-judge-alsup-chevron-exxon

Senate launches inquiry into threatened species ‘extinction crisis’
Inquiry initiated by Greens follows Guardian investigation exposing funding and management failings
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/27/senate-inquiry-threatened-species-crisis

Big business lobby declares war on wind and solar
In echoes of the mining lobby’s war on the mining tax, the Business Council vows to fight higher renewable energy targets, even as many big corporates turn to wind and solar and new data suggests that Australia will already have reached 33% renewable by 2020.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/big-business-lobby-declares-war-on-wind-and-solar-78076/

Australia solar costs hit “extraordinary” new lows – $50s/MWh
ARENA says Australia utility-scale solar prices has plunged to “somewhere in the $50s” today, while BNEF says China module surplus could lower prices further in Australia by end of the year.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/australia-solar-costs-hit-extraordinary-new-lows-50s-mwh-27007/

Coalition backs Hanson motion for new coal-fired power stations
Hanson’s motion defeated, but move signals government’s push to bankroll coal in national energy guarantee
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jun/27/coalition-backs-hanson-motion-to-build-new-coal-fired-power-stations

Check-out staff baulk at bag filth [$]
Mice, cockroaches, dentures and dirty nappies have been found by supermarket workers in reusable shopping bags.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/checkout-staff-baulk-at-bag-filth-after-reports-of-mice-cockroaches/news-story/16e6b85d6028eac33b2b3a133407c3bf

How Australia will get to 33% renewable electricity by 2020
Despite best efforts by Coalition government to stop it, Australia will end up with 33% renewables by 2020, will likely get to 40% by 2030, and has enough in pipeline to reach 85%.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/how-australia-will-get-to-33-renewable-electricity-by-2020-2030/

$5bn fund tops Nats’ demands [$]
The Nationals want the creation of a fund of up to $5bn that would deliver government money for new baseload generators.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/5bn-fund-at-top-ofnationals-demands-for-turnbull-on-energy/news-story/9748f24a8b6670a116dc6f52a32a4735

With incentives, industry could tackle Australia’s waste crisis
Veena Sahajwalla
If waste is burned for energy, recyclable material is lost forever. There are better solutions
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/28/with-incentives-industry-could-tackle-australias-waste-crisis

The plastic bag ban is not an end in itself – it’s the beginning of a revolution
Gay Alcorn
According to Andrew Bolt we are deluded if we think banning single-use plastic bags is a good idea. Here’s a look at the facts
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/27/the-bag-ban-is-not-an-end-in-itself-its-the-beginning-of-a-revolution

Plastic-free campaigns don’t have to shock or shame. Shoppers are already on board
Louise Moana Kolff
Positive messaging wins the day.
  https://theconversation.com/plastic-free-campaigns-dont-have-to-shock-or-shame-shoppers-are-already-on-board-98944

Millions of plastic pieces choking Port Phillip Bay
An estimated 800 million bits of rubbish are flowing into Port Phillip Bay annually from just two rivers, painting an alarming picture of pollution on Melbourne’s much-loved coastline.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/millions-of-plastic-pieces-choking-port-phillip-bay-20180627-p4zo4k.html

How our weekend traffic now rivals weekday peak-hour
Sport events, social lunches and weekend work drive new rush hour for roads leaving families trapped in their suburbs.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/melbourne-s-weekend-traffic-begins-to-rival-weekday-peak-hour-20180626-p4znw9.html

Growing pains: How major roads have changed
Melbourne’s infrastructure is struggling to keep up with its rapidly growing population
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/growing-pains-how-major-melbourne-roads-have-changed-20180626-p4znw6.html

East West Link resurrected in $30bn opposition plan [$]
A revived East West Link would be underway by early 2021 as part of a huge $30bn opposition plan to tackle traffic pain in Melbourne.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/matthew-guys-30bn-triple-bypass-road-network-election-pledge/news-story/b2fcbb71f0cf53ad1544c287086d1b76

‘Clearly intentional’: Raids over wedge-tailed eagle deaths as authorities close in
Four properties in regional Victoria have been raided as authorities close in on those suspected of poisoning almost 140 wedge-tailed eagles.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/clearly-intentional-raids-over-wedge-tailed-eagle-deaths-as-authorities-close-in-20180627-p4znzd.html

Customers in the dark on energy discounts [$]
Victoria’s energy regulator has hit out at electricity retailers for continuing to baffle customers with “meaningless” discounts as new figures reveal a spike in disconnections due to unpaid bills.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/confusing-discounts-drive-up-unpaid-power-bill-disconnections/news-story/6a736946d851b4bd959023e6eaea815c

Matthew Guy’s shrewd road to the election [$]
Matt Johnston
Matthew Guy’s big-spending roads plan gives frustrated motorists plenty to think about while sitting in traffic between now and November’s election.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/matt-johnston-matthew-guys-shrewd-road-to-the-election/news-story/039289eafd65fd52a499749505ea0c98

NSW land-clearing laws back to court
The NSW Nature Conservation Council is mounting a legal challenge to land-clearing codes introduced by the NSW government in March.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/nsw-land-clearinglaws-back-to-court/news-story/a14b843cfe42e12b4bfd0be4cf35a656

The winners and losers in Sydney’s peak-hour lottery
It may be hard to believe but some Sydney roads have improved during peak hour. For others, though, the strain is showing more than ever.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-winners-and-losers-in-sydneys-peakhour-lottery-20180627-h11yci.html

Elon Musk turns Sydney transport depot into green energy hub
Lord mayor Clover Moore’s plan to make half of Sydney’s power come from renewable energy has been supercharged by the launch of the city’s first industrial-sized battery and solar installation.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/elon-musk-turns-sydney-transport-depot-into-green-energy-hub-20180627-p4zo1t.html

Fears for the survival of northern long-nosed potoroo
A new study shows the potoroo population in northern New South Wales is in rapid decline.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-28/curious-north-coast-fears-for-northern-long-nosed-potoroo/9914846

Snowy town crying out for more environmental water
The NSW town of Dalgety fears Snowy 2.0 could threaten its future and the health of the Kosciuszko National Park if the company does not return water to the river.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-28/australias-amost-capital-city-crying-out-for-more-water/9916526

Councils get the plastic-ban bug [$]
Sydney councils are joining the plastic ban, with Canterbury Bankstown and Randwick following grocery giants in scrapping single-use plastics.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/randwick-joins-northern-beaches-in-banning-singleuse-plastics-in-line-with-policy/news-story/001b437e9610ad4239e5afc4b3a9b1a6

‘A scourge on the environment’: How the ACT government is culling pigs
To trap a feral pig, it’s best to keep things simple.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/a-scourge-on-the-environment-how-the-act-government-is-culling-pigs-20180626-p4znrp.html

Adani coal port under threat of stop order amid concern for sacred sites
Juru traditional owners say Adani has ignored demands to inspect “unauthorised” cultural assessments
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/28/adani-coal-port-under-threat-of-stop-order-amid-concern-for-sacred-sites

Qld coal stoush deepens over ‘game-playing’ claim
Rail freight operator Aurizon has hit back at Qld Resources Council, accusing it of refusing to engage constructively.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/companies/queensland-coal-stoush-deepens-over-game-playing-claim-20180627-p4zo42.html

New Hope Coal expansion: Governments stand aside as temperatures rise
For our Queensland and Federal governments to continue to act in favour of coal-based vested interests is a betrayal of the next generation.
https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/new-hope-coal-expansion-governments-stand-aside-as-temperatures-rise,11633

Tidal power to be trialled in Queensland coal port
Sydney-based MAKO Tidal Turbines to undertake six month demonstration of its renewable energy technology at Gladstone Port.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/tidal-power-trialled-queensland-coal-port-64171/

Daintree power struggle [$]
The new battle of the Daintree stepped up this week, with MP Warren Entsch accusing former mayor Mike Berwick of hindering a possible power grid for the area north of the river.
https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/frustrations-grow-in-campaign-to-connect-daintree-to-electricity-grid/news-story/3d8a182bf8fe36f702e121c2f136d0b0

Does new coal stack up financially? Consider Queensland’s renewables numbers
Matthew Stocks and Andrew Blakers
There are calls from the backbench and elsewhere for the Federal Government to safeguard the future of coal. But do those calls make economic sense? A look at Queensland’s energy landscape suggests not
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-27/new-coal-doesnt-stack-up-just-look-at-queensland/9913882

How to solve Brisbane’s congestion problem
Ruth McCosker
Brisbane peak hour is growing and as more people move to the state capital, congestion is likely to get worse, not better.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/how-to-solve-brisbane-s-congestion-problem-20180626-p4znrj.html

CSIRO staff opt out of River Murray royal commission
Some CSIRO staff have taken a “disappointing” decision to not appear before South Australia’s Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin, the inquiry has heard.
https://indaily.com.au/news/2018/06/27/csiro-opt-murray-royal-commission/

Alien detection: SA researcher discovers new parasitic wasp
A new species of wasp discovered by a University of Adelaide PhD student has been named after the monster in the Alien movie franchise due to its gruesome predatory behaviour.
https://indaily.com.au/news/science-and-tech/2018/06/27/alien-detection-sa-researcher-discovers-new-parasitic-wasp/

PNG pushes solar power for businesses
Papua New Guinea gets 300 sunshine days a year, but it’s been illegal for businesses to use solar panels on their roofs in the capital. That’s about to change.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/png-pushes-solar-power-for-businesses/news-story/6f6ff2997e97d074c20c9e40f93cd129

‘Plastic is like a demon’: Mumbai to clean up by jailing repeat offenders
Municipal authorities are taking a new step in the battle against plastic waste by criminalising the use of plastic bags with fines and prison sentences.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment

Glitter sunscreen is sparkly and fun—but is it ruining the environment?
Sunscreen mixed with high-impact glitter is summer’s biggest beauty trend—but non-biodegradable formulas could pose a risk to the environment.
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/skin-care/a20954537/is-glitter-sunscreen-safe/

Could seaweed solve Indonesia’s plastic crisis?
In a country of more than 17000 islands, seaweed might be the ideal raw material for a bio-plastics revolution.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2018/jun/27/could-seaweed-solve-indonesias-plastic-crisis

Europe wants to make roads that recharge electric cars
European Union funded project looks at how electric vehicles could be charged wirelessly – via the road itself.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/europe-wants-make-roads-recharge-electric-cars-26510/

Freeze-drying, shattering, dissolving: Weird ways to dispose of a body (legally)
Burial or cremation aren’t environmentally friendly, so what are your options for your final contribution to the war on waste? Interesting alternatives include freeze-drying and shattering a corpse, and dissolving bodies in alkaline washing machines.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-28/the-future-of-body-disposal/9894804

12 year old girl develops pollution-detecting robot to help save the ocean
Using techniques similar to sophisticated tech already in use, she’s gotten noticed by 3M.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/robots/a21950171/12-year-old-girl-develops-pollution-detecting-robot-to-help-save-the-ocean/

Africa’s pollution killing thousands of infants, study says
Modest reductions in air pollution can prevent the deaths of tens of thousands of infants in sub-Saharan Africa each year, according to a new scientific study that investigated the link between breathable air pollutants and premature deaths in 30 countries across the continent.
https://www.seattlepi.com/news/science/article/Africa-s-pollution-killing-thousands-of-infants-13030772.php

A milestone on the path towards efficient solar cells
Generating more electricity from solar cells and conducting further research into so-called singlet fission. This is what scientists at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) are currently working on as part of a joint research project conducted in collaboration with Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research (ANSER) Center at Northwestern University in Evanston, USA. Singlet fission could considerably boost the efficiency of solar cells — and thanks to the latest research it is one step closer to becoming possible.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/uoe-amo062718.php

A more resilient world: The role of population and family planning in sustainable development
As rapid population growth intersects with challenges like food insecurity and water scarcity, communities in developing countries need to not only the capacity to absorb short-term shocks, they also need transformative capacity to address long-term challenges.
https://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2018/06/resilient-world-role-population-family-planning-sustainable-development/

If we want to solve complex environmental and social problems, we need to think in terms of systems
Understanding how various parts of our world connect will help us shape solutions that don’t just create more challenges.
https://ensia.com/voices/systems-thinking/

Tandem virus cocktail kills pest rabbits more effectively
Corey Bradshaw, Louise Barnett and Thomas Prowse
Feral rabbits previously exposed to myxoma virus are more likely to be killed by rabbit haemorrhagic diease, meaning that these two biocontrol agents can become even more powerful when used in tandem.
https://theconversation.com/tandem-virus-cocktail-kills-pest-rabbits-more-effectively-97930

Wood Buffalo: Canada’s largest national park and its people in peril
International officials are warning the Canadian government not enough is being done to protect the Peace-Athabasca delta — one of the world’s largest freshwater inland deltas — from the ravages of ongoing industrial development.
https://thenarwhal.ca/wood-buffalo-canadas-largest-national-park-and-its-people-in-peril/

Urban trees can store almost as much carbon as tropical rainforests
City trees aren’t just nice decoration–they’re a key factor in stopping climate change.
https://www.fastcompany.com/40589994/urban-trees-can-store-almost-as-much-carbon-as-tropical-rainforests

Tropical forests suffered near-record tree losses in 2017
New satellite data reveals that the world’s tropical forests lost roughly 39 million acres of trees last year – an area the size of Bangladesh.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/climate/tropical-trees-deforestation.html

How increasingly severe El Niños are threatening tropical forests around the world
And with tropical forests storing almost 250 billion tons of carbon, their fate has major implications for the Earth’s atmosphere.
https://psmag.com/environment/el-nino-is-threatening-rainforests

Dangerous reptiles
Attacks by crocodiles have been rising in South East Asia since they became protected animals, a study finds.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-06/uof-dr062718.php

In rare good news for coral, UN agency says Belize barrier reef no longer in danger
Nearly 1,400 species, including endangered manatees and hawksbill turtles, live in the region.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/belize-barrier-reef-unesco_us_5b332127e4b0cb56051d3541

Bumblebees thrive in towns more than countryside
Urban bumblebees have better access to food, allowing them to produce more offspring.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/27/bumblebees-thrive-in-towns-more-than-countryside

Interior Department plans to let people kill endangered red wolves
The proposal would essentially end a 30-year effort to reestablish critically endangered American red wolves in the wild.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/06/27/interior-plans-to-let-people-to-kill-endangered-red-wolves/?utm_source=rss_energy-environment&utm_term=.46d9e3677bb8