Post of the Day
Air pollution causes ‘huge’ reduction in intelligence, study reveals
Impact of high levels of toxic air ‘is equivalent to having lost a year of education’
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Impact of high levels of toxic air ‘is equivalent to having lost a year of education’
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Today’s Celebration
Mariamoba (Assumption) – Georgia
Velika gospojina – Assumption (Orthodox) – Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bow Tie Day – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/bow-tie-day/
More about Aug 28 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_28
Climate Change
A theory of climate change—and climate wonder—for the classroom
Teachers are using Project Drawdown climate solutions in course curricula.
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/theory-climate-change-and-climate-wonder-for-classroom
Fighting climate change: Three snapshots of building resilience – Somalia
Would you be surprised to discover that climate change is one of the biggest threats in the fight to end global poverty?
https://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/fighting-climate-change-three-snapshots-building-resilience
Climate fund snags threaten opportunity to fight warming
Former U.N. chief worries fund troubles and U.S. reluctance will hold back much-needed finance for climate action.
http://news.trust.org//item/20180827010003-n2ig4/
Climate change is World War III, and we are leaderless
David Shearman
The Western world is bereft of leaders and now the US and Australia have deserted the trenches by trading ideology for human lives and health
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-28/climate-change-is-world-war-3-and-we-are-leaderless/10168962
Climate change refugee flees wildfires
Carrie Scherpelz
As tourists, we could escape the smoke plumes, air quality alerts and forest fires. But climate change disasters will turn us all into nomads.
National
On first day as PM, Morrison learns difference between Big Battery and Big Banana
Scott Morrison gets lesson when major transmission fault causes outages in NSW. Tesla big battery helped keep lights on in SA, Big Banana didn’t lift a finger for NSW.
A “middle finger” to climate and renewables: Morrison draws fire – and dismay
Politicians and industry insiders respond to new PM’s appointment of anti-wind Conservative as energy minister, coal company lawyer as environment minister.
Prime Minister leaves climate change debate for ‘another day’ during drought trip
Fifth generation Quilpie farmers the Tullys host the Prime Minister on his drought tour, pushing him to deal with the here and now amid Queensland and NSW’s big dry.
Drought policy must reflect climate change, says former farmers chief
Ex-president of the National Farmers’ Federation says politicians have failed ‘to do grunt work’ needed by members
PM to stick with Paris targets: report
Prime Minister Scott Morrison doesn’t plan to dump the government’s commitment to Paris climate change targets, according to a report.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/pm-stick-paris-targets-report-200701934–spt.html
Chart of the day: There are 12 other things that cost households more than electricity
Lower power prices are top of the agenda for Scott Morrison’s new Government, with the PM vowing to take “the big stick” to energy companies — but how much are we really spending on our energy bills?
Energy industry calls on Taylor to not give up the energy policy fight
The energy industry wants new minister to finish his predecessor’s job of creating a national energy policy but aren’t worried over his anti-wind statements.
Can’t vote Liberal ‘in good conscience’: Alex Turnbull blasts climate stance
Alex Turnbull blamed “rent-seekers” backing the coal industry for felling his father Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister, saying it’s “impossible” to vote for the Liberal-National coalition “in good conscience” because of its climate stance.
Spills and City Deals: what Turnbull’s urban policy has achieved, and where we go from here
Paul Burton
Governments need effective policies to lure people into regional towns.
Amid blackout scare stories, remember that a grid without power cuts is impossible… and expensive
Dylan McConnell
Remember, a belt-and-braces power grid doesn’t come cheap.
Know your NEM: Coalition lurches to right, away from consensus, science and economics
David Leitch
The splitting of the federal government energy and environment policies marks the end of the best chance for bipartisan approach to climate change.
New wind and solar now competes with existing coal and gas
Dave Jones
Rising carbon, coal and gas prices mean new onshore wind and solar can compete with the short-term costs of existing coal and gas plants.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/new-wind-and-solar-now-competes-with-existing-coal-and-gas-32443/
Energy Insiders Podcast: What Angus Taylor means for energy
Giles Parkinson & David Leitch
Angus Taylor – who has spent years fighting renewable energy targets and attacking wind farm developments – is now energy minister. We assess.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/energy-insiders-podcast-what-angus-taylor-means-for-energy-34159/
If we want strong climate action, we need to get the moderate Liberals on board
Erwin Jackson
Let’s bring the less conservative parts of the party closer to where most Australians and business have already arrived.
Coalition must re-set energy policy [$]
Judith Sloan
Josh Frydenberg’s achievements were few, leaving Angus Taylor with a lot on his plate.
New PM already pressured on coal [$]
Geoff Chambers
The message on energy policy is pretty clear: voters want action on prices, not emissions targets.
Drought is inevitable, Mr Joyce
John Freebairn
Barnaby Joyce, Australia’s new special envoy for drought assistance and recovery, will have to be careful he doesn’t do more harm than good.
https://theconversation.com/drought-is-inevitable-mr-joyce-101444
Victoria
Infigen signs PPA with Kiata wind farm in play for Victoria C&I market
ASX-listed Infigen Energy signs power purchase agreement to buy output of 31MW Kiata wind farm, in push into Victoria’s commercial and industrial market.
Moorabool wind farm begins construction in Victoria
Construction officially underway on the first stage of the 321MW Moorabool wind farm being built in central-western Victoria.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/moorabool-wind-farm-begins-construction-in-victoria-70001/
Multi-million-dollar timber plan stalls despite rare agreement from sawmills, environmentalists
Not a single tree has been planted in the Latrobe Valley more than a year after the Victorian Government pledged $110 million to establish timber plantations in the region in response to job losses and dwindling supply, with both sawmill operators and environmental groups urging the Government to stop dragging its heels.
New South Wales
Court finds fringe Islamic group cleared land illegally
Two men who claimed their Islamic-influenced group was not subject to Australian law because it was a “basic religious charity” are found to have illegally cleared a rural property north-west of Sydney by the NSW Land and Environment Court.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-27/colo-property-illegally-cleared-by-diwan-al-dawla/10169746
ACT
ACT threatens to pull pin on light rail stage 2 if forced to use Kings Avenue
The government has costed the alternate route as $1.9 billion, at least $300 million more than the Commonwealth Avenue route.
Queensland
Hundreds more car parks for transformed train station
A Brisbane train station could include more than 750 additional commuter car parks as well as a residential precinct.
More than ever reef needs help [$]
Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
Is the Great Barrier Reef worth saving? Ask any anyone, and they will give you a resounding yes.
Northern Territory
Erin Brockovich here to help in PFAS fight [$]
America’s best known environmental activist, Erin Brockovich, is in Australia to take up the fight against PFAS contamination from defence force bases in Katherine, Darwin and elsewhere
Major gas pipeline could be built through NT [$]
Another major gas pipeline could soon be built down the centre of the Territory following discussions between Chief Minister Michael Gunner and a Chinese government-owned company
Western Australia
Burrup peninsula rock art: Western Australia to seek world heritage listing
A Senate report warning of damage to the 50,000-year-old treasures has persuaded the state government to act
‘The rocks remember’: the fight to protect Burrup peninsula’s rock art
As the WA government pushes for world heritage listing of the sacred site, traditional owners warn of the threat of heavy industry, acid rain and graffiti
Sustainability
Air pollution causes ‘huge’ reduction in intelligence, study reveals
Impact of high levels of toxic air ‘is equivalent to having lost a year of education’
UK summer ‘wind drought’ puts green revolution into reverse
Windfarms fall short in heatwave, but 2018 was still UK’s second greenest summer
Plastic straw ban? Cigarette butts are the single greatest source of ocean trash
Cigarette butts have long been the single most collected item on the world’s beaches, with a total of more than 60 million collected over 32 years.
Serendipitous discovery may lead to eco-friendly lubricant
Seed oil components of an ornamental flower could provide a direct pathway for designing a new class of environmentally friendly lubricants
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180827121257.htm
Why polluted air may be a threat to your kidneys
Of the many well-documented risks of dirty air, one potential danger is lesser known: chronic kidney disease.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180824150536.htm
Trump’s Dirty Power Plan is much worse for kids’ health than for climate change
Dana Nuccitelli
Some of the reporting of the climate impacts of the Dirty Power Plan has been inaccurate
South Africa: How Mining Damages Communities and the Environment
Katharina Rall
The South African Human Rights Commission has released a scathing report on the damage mining in the country is posing to human rights. The conclusion paints a dark picture: “[T]he mining sector is riddled with challenges related to land, housing, water, [and] the environment.”
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/08/27/south-africa-how-mining-damages-communities-and-environment
Nature Conservation
Serial criminals could help save tigers
A geographic profiling tool used to catch serial criminals could help reduce the casualties of human-tiger conflict, according to scientists.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180827100428.htm
For carbon storage, biodiversity can help — or hurt
Biodiversity plays a significant role in forest carbon storage, but surprisingly less than previously thought, new research in Ecology Letters suggests.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/uov-fcs082718.php