Daily Links Jul 20

Post of the Day
It might be too late to save these Australian ecosystems from climate change
A series of sudden and catastrophic ecosystem collapses has hit Australia – and researchers think they may be irreversible.
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/australia-ecosystem-climate-change-collapse-intervention-extreme-weather-a8433046.html

Today’s Celebration
Birthday of Crown Prince Haakon – Norway
Independence Day – Colombia
Moon Day – United States of America
Peace and Freedom Day – Cyprus (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus)
Special Holiday Renbel Province – Solomon Islands
St. Elijah’s Day – Bulgaria
Space Exploration Day – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/space-exploration-day/
World Jump Day – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-jump-day/
International Chess Day – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-chess-day/
More about Jul 20 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_20

Climate Change
Rapid cloud clearing phenomenon could provide another piece of climate puzzle
Researchers from North Carolina State University have described rapid and dramatic clearing of low cloud cover off the southwest coast of Africa. This newly observed phenomenon could help climatologists understand how clouds affect Earth’s heating and cooling.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/ncsu-rcc071818.php

Why our intuition about sea-level rise is wrong
Geologist Jerry Mitrovica explains that climate change is not just about a global average sea rise.
http://nautil.us/issue/62/systems/why-our-intuition-about-sea_level-rise-is-wrong-rp

Fossil fuel interests have outspent environmental advocates 10:1 on climate lobbying
More than $2 billion was spent on lobbying climate change legislation in the United States from 2000 to 2016, with the fossil fuel industry, transportation companies, and utilities outspending environmental groups and the renewable energy industry 10 to 1, according to a new analysis published in the journal Climatic Change.
https://e360.yale.edu/digest/fossil-fuel-interests-have-outspent-environmental-advocates-101-on-climate-lobbying

China is a climate leader but still isn’t doing enough on emissions, report says
The world’s largest emitter of greenhouses gases is making significant progress, a former U.S. energy official has found, but not yet fast enough to meet global targets
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/world/asia/china-climate-change-report.html

What climate change looks like in 2018
Climate change is not a hypothetical future event — it’s here. We’re living it.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-climate-change-looks-like-in-2018/

National
How Australia can build ‘healthy, sustainable’ high-density cities
With a booming population putting a squeeze on Australia cities, many are building up to help provide for our housing needs, but experts fear we may not be designing our suburbs the right way.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-20/australian-population-boom-sustainable-higher-density-housing/9831058

Dingoes may have killed off Tasmanian tigers and devils on the mainland
Carbon-dated dingo bones provide the oldest direct date for the predator’s arrival in Australia so far — and could help explain the decline of the Tasmanian tiger and devil on the mainland.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-07-20/dingoes-may-have-killed-off-tasmanian-tigers-devils-on-mainland/10009938

Coalition’s national energy guarantee predicted to drive up power prices
New modelling forecasts Labor’s 45% target will force down Australian prices but government’s 26% will not
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jul/20/coalitions-national-energy-guarantee-predicted-to-drive-up-power-prices

Energy plan ‘won’t cut prices, emissions’
A new report commissioned by Greenpeace has found a more ambitious energy policy is needed if power bills and emissions are to be cut.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/07/20/00/06/energy-plan-won-t-cut-prices-emissions

Labor rejects NEG targets [$]
Labor has threatened a showdown over climate change if the Turnbull government refuses be more flexible on emissions targets.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/labor-rejects-negs-decade-emission-targets/news-story/5a4a8f271dd5f280d7824ab3ff486ec7

Biggest solar deal: BlueScope to use 500,000 panels [$]
BlueScope Steel will on Friday sign the largest solar power purchasing deal ever by an industrial energy user in Australia to lock into cheap renewables generation.
https://www.afr.com/business/energy/electricity/biggest-solar-deal-bluescope-to-use-500000-solar-panels-20180719-h12wox

National Farmers Federation says electricity the place to make carbon cuts
The farming lobby has strongly suggested weak targets under the National Energy Guarantee would unfairly burden the agriculture sector.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/national-farmers-federation-says-electricity-best-place-to-make-emissions-cuts-20180719-p4zseu.html

The eight most common mistakes householders make with recycling
Ever since China slapped a ban on many categories of foreign waste, it’s become more important than ever for Australians to adopt good recycling habits. Here’s what you can do to clean up your act
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-20/eight-most-common-mistakes-with-your-recycling/10009612

Snowy 2.0 will result in more coal power, delayed solar and other storage
AEMO report confirms suspicions that the construction of proposed Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project would result in more coal being burned for power needs, and will crowd out large scale solar and other storage projects.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/snowy-2-0-will-result-coal-power-delayed-solar-storage-15997/

Why consumers should install solar, and join pressure groups
Mark Diesendorf urges those who care about climate change to go further than installing solar panels and voting and join pressure groups.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/consumers-install-solar-join-pressure-groups-71847/

It might be too late to save these Australian ecosystems from climate change
A series of sudden and catastrophic ecosystem collapses has hit Australia – and researchers think they may be irreversible.
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/australia-ecosystem-climate-change-collapse-intervention-extreme-weather-a8433046.html

Recycling: how corporate Australia played us for mugs
Jeff Sparrow
Australians tried to do the right thing by recycling but corporations shifted responsibility and set us up to fail
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2018/jul/19/its-not-recycling-its-collecting-how-australians-were-sucked-into-the-crisis

Both sides need an energy fix [$]
Phillip Coorey
The reality is that a collapse of the national energy guarantee would leave both major parties without an energy policy months from an election.
https://www.afr.com/news/politics/neg-is-high-stakes-for-coalition-and-labor-alike-20180718-h12uzs

NEG vote will be reality check for emissions cuts
David Crowe
The key question over the NEG is not whether its targets are ambitious enough but whether its targets can be changed.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/federal/neg-vote-will-be-reality-check-for-emissions-cuts-20180719-p4zsds.html

Migration snapshot debunks populist myths
Canberra Times editorial
ABS data on immigration has debunked the claims of One Nation, Tony Abbott and other “little Australia” campaigners.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/act/migration-snapshot-debunks-populist-myths-20180719-p4zsf6.html

AEMO’s ‘cohesive’ energy plan falls short because it omits two key economic facts
Martina Linnenluecke
Is the sun setting fast enough on coal-fired power?
https://theconversation.com/aemos-cohesive-energy-plan-falls-short-because-it-omits-two-key-economic-facts-100241
 
Victoria
Transurban drops fees for CityLink, but raises others
Transurban might be cutting some fees it charges motorists using CityLink – but it’s introducing new ones.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/transurban-drops-fees-for-citylink-but-raises-others-20180719-p4zsgr.html

The ‘archaic’ rules on Melbourne’s glut of offstreet parking
Thousands of off-street car parking spaces are left vacant in the city, but a key review of Victoria’s planning rules will not remove a statewide requirement to provide one car park for every one- to two-bedroom dwelling.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-archaic-rules-on-melbourne-s-glut-of-offstreet-parking-20180712-p4zr3s.html

Melbourne factory spends $3m on solar panels
Australia’s largest privately owned solar system, involving more than 5000 panels, has been installed on a Natures Organics manufacturing building in Melbourne.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/australias-largest-solar-system-out-of-this-world-for-power-generation/news-story/66d2a8b85d45d65a2ae75c3da38a7963

Victoria’s second large scale solar farm opened at Swan Hill
One of Victoria’s first large-scale solar projects, IIG’s merchant funded Swan Hill solar farm, has been formally opened.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/victorias-second-large-scale-solar-farm-opened-at-swan-hill-56613/

New South Wales
Shenhua coal mine lease for Liverpool Plains renewed
The New South Wales Government renews part of the coal exploration licence for the controversial Shenhua Watermark project on the Liverpool Plains in the north-west of the state, with a promise not to release any other parts of the area for exploration.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-19/nsw-government-renews-shenhua-watermark-lease-in-liverpool-plain/10014058

Sydney waste-power incinerator blocked over air quality fears
Planning commission finds ‘uncertainty’ around the massive project’s emissions
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/19/sydney-waste-power-incinerator-knocked-back-over-air-quality-fears

Regulator’s concerns put sale of WestConnex in jeopardy
The NSW government had hoped to complete a sale of the $16.8 billion project by August.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/westconnex-sale-hits-new-accc-hurdle-20180719-p4zsc4.html

ACT
Corbell back on solar game, with 100MW solar farm planned for Sutton
The neighbours of the new solar farm will have panels about 350 metres from their door.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/corbell-back-on-solar-game-with-100mw-solar-farm-planned-for-sutton-20180718-p4zs65.html

Queensland
‘Sorry kids, sorry grandkids’: Former Queensland under treasurer slams debt
Respected former senior public servant Leo Hielscher says he supports the Adani mine and a new coal-fired power station in Queensland.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/sorry-kids-sorry-grandkids-former-queensland-under-treasurer-slams-debt-20180719-p4zscc.html

Brisbane the second most expensive city for parking in Australia
Off-street parking costs in the Brisbane CBD are well above inflation, the RACQ has found.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-the-second-most-expensive-city-for-parking-in-australia-20180719-p4zsay.html

Queenslanders care less about good public transport
Queenslanders are less fussed about the standard of their public transport than the rest of Australia.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/queenslanders-care-less-about-good-public-transport-20180719-p4zsfs.html

Wallaby cull not isolated incident [$]
Wildlife carers claim there is a culture of animal cruelty at Mareeba, with numerous cases of kangaroos and wallabies being slaughtered in the district.
https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/wildlife-carers-claim-there-is-a-culture-of-animal-cruelty-at-mareeba/news-story/1247c45c8da35fced22ebbdf71d9582f

Town waits for river to run dry [$]
Desperate farmers have accused the State Government of threatening to gut a town in Queensland’s fruit bowl and kill off hundreds of jobs for the sake of power profits.
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/farmers-accuse-government-of-putting-power-profits-before-them/news-story/8d0e7b41378bbf26ed491344a799ca23

South Australia
Coffee cup recycling program launched, but is it the solution?
One of Adelaide’s largest cafe chains launches a new program to encourage patrons to bring back their coffee cups to be recycled, but is there a better way?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-19/coffee-chain-launches-recycling-program/10011878

Life after coal: the South Australian city leading the way
It was a coal town, predicted to be wiped out by the closure of two ageing power plants. Now Port Augusta has 13 renewable projects in train
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/20/life-after-coal-the-south-australian-city-leading-the-way

Power company penalised over SA blackout
Power generator Engie has paid $60,000 in penalties after the Australian Energy Regulator found it failed to respond promptly to calls for more power from an Adelaide power station during a blackout in 2016.
https://indaily.com.au/news/2018/07/19/power-company-penalised-over-adelaide-blackout/

University of Adelaide scientist charges ahead with quantum battery that can charge in a flash [$]
A University of Adelaide scientist plans to build the world’s first quantum battery – a “revolutionary” invention that could be charged in less than a second.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/university-of-adelaide-scientist-charges-ahead-with-quantum-battery-that-can-charge-in-a-flash/news-story/21632b4eec6c749374987ce917296be2

Why a fast train to regions near Adelaide makes increasing sense
Richard Blandy
The new State Government’s freight infrastructure plans would tie in neatly with a proposal to develop fast passenger train services to connect Adelaide with nearby growth regions.
https://indaily.com.au/opinion/2018/07/19/why-a-fast-train-to-regions-near-adelaide-makes-increasing-sense/

Tasmania
Bird count shows gull numbers are sky high and experts don’t know why
Have you noticed more seagulls hanging around? A bird count by Birdlife Tasmania has revealed gull populations are at record levels.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-20/tasmanian-gull-populations-at-record-levels-count-shows/10003206

Tarkine Rivers Run Wild and Free
Ted Mead
Conservation of primeval places in Tasmania has been founded on battlegrounds over the state’s wild rivers
http://tasmaniantimes.com/index.php?/weblog/article/tarkine-rivers-run-wild-and-free/

Northern Territory
Claims PFAS investigation into contamination at Darwin Airport blocked
The Northern Territory’s Environment Protection Authority says it has been prevented from investigating serious allegations about PFAS contamination at Darwin Airport.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-19/pfas-contamination-investigation-at-darwin-airport-blocked/10013988

Construction work complete on Northern Gas Pipeline [$]
Construction work is complete on the Northern Gas Pipeline between Tennant Creek and Mt Isa, with gas set to flow by the end of the year
https://www.ntnews.com.au/business/construction-work-complete-on-northern-gas-pipeline-between-tennant-creek-and-mt-isa-gas-set-to-flow/news-story/661a1f066840dd17c85d7e73ae558132

Inpex set to grow Australia’s LNG exports [$]
The amount of LNG exported from Australia will grow its current record levels a further 10 per cent when the Ichthys gas project reaches a steady state of production
https://www.ntnews.com.au/business/inpex-set-to-grow-australias-lng-exports/news-story/d2a65f5babbc4888afc8cffc5000d8d7

Western Australia
Western Power blames property owner, safety watchdog, contractor for Perth Hills bushfire
Power utility strongly denies responsibility for a devastating 2014 bushfire which destroyed more than 50 homes in the Perth Hills, in the face of a class action launched by 189 residents.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-19/western-power-denies-responsibility-for-perth-hills-bushfire/10014226

Clean-up crews tracking tide of rubbish back to the source
Environmental groups have been armed with a new tool to help reduce plastic and other rubbish washing up on Australian beaches and into waterways.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-19/app-helps-track-marine-pollution-across-australian-beaches/10009832

Woodside poised for Browse gas deal [$]
The North West Shelf LNG venture is set to process gas from third parties after a deal was reached this month, Woodside has revealed.
https://www.afr.com/business/energy/oil/woodside-petroleum-set-for-browse-gas-after-nwshelf-deal-20180717-h12sx6

Sustainability
Rising global meat consumption ‘will devastate environment’
Analysis suggests eating of meat will climb steeply and play significant role in increasing carbon emissions and reducing biodiversity
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/19/rising-global-meat-consumption-will-devastate-environment

UK subsidies for new household solar panels to end next year
Renewable energy installations will no longer benefit from feed-in tariff, ministers confirm
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/19/subsidies-for-new-household-solar-panels-to-end-next-year

One-third of UK supermarket plastic is not easily recyclable, analysis shows
Morrisons leads league table of supermarkets analysed for the proportion of their packaging that can be recycled
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/19/one-third-of-uk-supermarket-plastic-is-not-easily-recyclable-analysis-shows

US EPA fans struggling coal industry by rolling back pollution regulations
Acting administrator says easing of Obama-era rules, which pushes back deadline to close ash dumps, saves $30m annually
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/18/epa-coal-ash-obama-regulations-rolled-back

New battery could store wind and solar electricity affordably and at room temperature
A new type of flow battery that involves a liquid metal more than doubled the maximum voltage of conventional flow batteries and could lead to affordable storage of renewable power.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/su-nbc071918.php

In global warming fight, new tactics to make cows burp less
Scientists around the world are making strides in reducing methane emissions from belching livestock by developing probiotic supplements, breeding animals that emit less, and planting trees in pastures to absorb greenhouse gasses.
https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2018/0719/In-global-warming-fight-new-tactics-to-make-cows-burp-less

Do cellphones cause cancer? Government study reveals ‘stunningly important’ findings
Absent proof of harm, health officials and regulators have been in a holding pattern for 30 years.
https://www.newsweek.com/2018/07/27/cancer-cellphones-ntp-findings-toxicologists-brain-cancer-us-1024633.html

Remote Amazon tribe hit by mercury crisis, leaked report says
Peru’s Health Ministry found shocking contamination among the Nahua, but hasn’t published its full report
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/andes-to-the-amazon/2018/jan/24/amazon-tribe-mercury-crisis-leaked-report

IEA: Renewables investment in India topped fossil fuels for first time in 2017
IEA reoprt says final investment decisions for coal power plants fell by 18% in 2017, to just a third of 2010 levels. And in India, investment in renewable power beat investment in fossil fuels for the first time.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/iea-renewables-investment-india-topped-fossil-fuels-first-time-2017/

Why nuclear power must be part of the energy solution
Many environmentalists have opposed nuclear power, citing its dangers and the difficulty of disposing of its radioactive waste. But a Pulitzer Prize-winning author argues that nuclear is safer than most energy sources and is needed if the world hopes to radically decrease its carbon emissions.
https://e360.yale.edu/features/why-nuclear-power-must-be-part-of-the-energy-solution-environmentalists-climate

Vegetable gardens against climate change
When the rain comes too late or not at all, it can be a matter of life and death for Mali’s farmers. Vegetable gardens with smart irrigation can save them.
https://www.dw.com/en/vegetable-gardens-against-climate-change/a-44723671

Solar thermal energy will help China cut costs of climate action
A new study investigates the best combination of renewables for providing the lowest cost to power system operators in two of China’s provinces best suited to scale up renewable energy.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/s-ste071818.php

Empty car parks everywhere, but nowhere to park. How cities can do better
Elizabeth Taylor and Rebecca Clements
There are thousands of empty parking spots in cities. So what can we do to make better use of this space?
https://theconversation.com/empty-car-parks-everywhere-but-nowhere-to-park-how-cities-can-do-better-99031

Here’s a funny thing: can comedy really change our environmental behaviours?
Kim Borg and Denise Goodwin
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but plastic straws are ruining the ocean.
https://theconversation.com/heres-a-funny-thing-can-comedy-really-change-our-environmental-behaviours-100014

Nature Conservation
Rock and roll is noise pollution, for ladybirds
Researchers have discovered ladybirds drastically change their behaviour when they were subjected to AC/DC, and it is bad news for farmers and gardeners.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2018-07-20/lady-birds-acdc-noise-pollution-has-agricultural-impact/10003210

Colombia peace deal brings new threat to country’s rainforest
The historic peace treaty in Colombia which brought an end to half a century of violence has led to mass deforestation. Once FARC soldiers were disarmed, it led to a vacuum of power which is being exploited by large landowners who are now deforesting the area at an alarming rate to make way for farms and for the illegal growth of coca crops. An ecologically significant region of Colombia, is now at risk of disappearing.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/sjcu-cpd071818.php

From cradles to graves: Modeling the ecology and evolution of biodiversity
Researchers have created a model capable of simulating the complex history of life in South America over thousands of years — an effort to better understand the many complex factors affecting the emergence, distribution and extinction of species on the continent.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/aaft-fct071618.php

Here’s how the largest dam removal project in the U.S. would work
Four dams on the Klamath River may be simultaneously removed as early as 2021, after years of planning. It’s being hailed as a crucial effort to save salmon, but it won’t solve all the basin’s water problems.
https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/07/19/heres-how-the-largest-dam-removal-project-in-the-u-s-would-work

Deep reefs won’t be ‘twilight zone’ refuge for fish, corals: Study
Deep coral reefs in a “twilight zone” in the oceans differ sharply from those near the surface, dimming hopes that they can be a refuge for marine life fleeing threats such as climate change and pollution, scientists said on Thursday.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-environment-corals/deep-reefs-wont-be-twilight-zone-refuge-for-fish-corals-study-idUSKBN1K92OL

Climate change is killing the cedars of Lebanon
The ancient cedars of Lebanon have outlived empires and survived modern wars.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/07/18/climate/lebanon-climate-change-environment-cedars.html

The bigger hidden cost behind Tanzania’s $2b hydropower project
This project promises to solve the country’s energy woes. But it could wash away chunks of a prized wildlife reserve.
https://www.ozy.com/fast-forward/the-bigger-hidden-cost-behind-tanzanias-2b-hydropower-project/87255

Scientists are speeding up evolution to build climate change resistance
Scientists are rushing to create new “evolution assisted” coral that can survive in hotter waters.
https://www.fastcompany.com/90188094/scientists-are-speeding-up-evolution-to-build-climate-change-resistance

Interior Department proposes a vast reworking of the endangered species act
The revisions have wide-reaching implications, including for how the federal government would protect species from climate change.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/climate/endangered-species-act-changes.html

Study: National parks get fewer visits when pollution rises
Visitors appear to be steering clear of some U.S. national parks or cutting visits short because of pollution levels that are comparable to what’s found in major cities, according to a study released Wednesday.
https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/study-links-air-pollution-drop-national-park-visitors-56668117

Maelor Himbury