Post of the Day
Study: Commitment to democratic values predict climate change concern
Commitment to democratic values is the strongest predictor of climate change concern globally, Georgia State University faculty have found in a new study comparing climate change attitudes across 36 countries, including the US.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-09/gsu-sct092018.php
Today’s Celebration
Independence Day – Belize, Malta
Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Orthodox) – Bosnia-Herzegovina
Referendum Day or Independence Day – Armenia
St. Michael’s Day – Papua New Guinea
Alban Eiler (Equinox) (Southern Hemisphere) – Celticism
Alban Elued (Equinox) (Northern Hemisphere) – Celticism
Mabon – Autumnal Equinox (Northern Hemisphere) – Paganism
Ostara – Spring Equinox (Southern Hemisphere) – Paganism
Navaratri – Hinduism
Ashura – Islam
World Alzheimer’s Day – http://www.alzheimers.org.au/
Concussion Awareness Day – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/concussion-awareness-day/
World Gratitude Day – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-gratitude-day/
Peace One Day – http://www.un.org/en/events/observances/days.shtml
More about Sep 21 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_21
Climate Change
Australia’s drought has caused water shortages in 4,000 Indonesian villages
Drought is also causing havoc for in Indonesia, with farmers struggling to raise crops and praying that rain will come soon.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-20/drought-in-australia-spreading-to-indonesia/10249940
Build walls on seafloor to stop glaciers melting, scientists say
Barriers could halt slide of undersea glaciers and hold back sea level rises predicted to result from global warming
At this rate, Earth risks sea level rise of 20 to 30 feet, historical analysis shows
New research finds that a vast area of Antarctica retreated when Earth’s temperatures weren’t much warmer than they are now.
Harsh climate: The struggle to track global sea level rise
The best predictions for sea-level rise this century are getting more dire, and yet less precise, in part because of a lack of understanding of these glaciers and how their behavior fits into global climate modeling.
Study: Commitment to democratic values predict climate change concern
Commitment to democratic values is the strongest predictor of climate change concern globally, Georgia State University faculty have found in a new study comparing climate change attitudes across 36 countries, including the US.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-09/gsu-sct092018.php
Climate activists continue worldwide war on the poor [$]
Tim Blair
Wealthy sociopaths love renewable energy because supporting it makes them look sensitive, caring, intelligent and scientific.
National
Pro-coal Coalition MPs schedule private dinner to discuss ‘Australia’s energy future’
Monash Forum sets up dinner with Trevor St Baker as business tells Labor to stick with national energy guarantee
Director risks increase as ASIC tells carbon emitters to shape up [$]
Directors face an increased risk of class action suits if they fail to adequately disclose climate risks that later prevent their companies from achieving financial goals.
Australia’s population surges on the back of overseas migration
Australia’s population is surging, driven by large numbers of new arrivals from overseas, data released on Thursday shows. Strong population growth will underpin demand for property in the years ahead, particularly on the eastern seaboard.
https://www.domain.com.au/news/analysis-australias-population-growth-continues-765191/
Alinta swamped with more than 100 wind, solar and storage proposals
Alinta Energy says it has had a huge response to its call for wind and solar projects, receiving proposals and details for around 100 wind and solar projects, including some with battery and pumped hydro storage.
Resources Minister spruiks Made in Australia logo to promote our coal
A coal brand – inspired by the green logo used on Australian food – is being considered by the Morrison Government to entice more overseas investment.
Furious rantings of a disenfranchised seabird. This week: lobbyists
First Dog on the Moon
Our supposed democracy is utterly beholden to the businesses who are allowed to pay for influence
Victoria
Experts slam Vic’s power plant pollution
International experts slammed pollution levels from coal powered plants in Victoria’s east as the Environment Protection Authority considers licence reviews.
Rail upgrade west of Geelong rejected by infrastructure advisor
The nation’s infrastructure advisor has rejected a plan to duplicate 13 kilometres of railway tracks in Victoria’s west, in a decision that risks jeopardising more than half a billion dollars in federal funding.
Guy calls for ‘tough, honest conversations’ on population growth
A Coalition government would limit populations in booming urban areas struggling with demand for infrastructure despite previously pledging to open up 290,000 residential lots in outer growth corridors.
City’s continued sprawl costing those with the least the most
Melbourne’s continued sprawl outwards is forcing disadvantaged families to pay the most for transport and other services when they can least afford it.
We need to build up, but is Melbourne’s latest bid doomed to fail?
Airspace above train lines is seen as the latest way to keep Melbourne dense but why are our most recent attempts struggling to get off the ground?
Station parking boost promised as consortium pitches airport rail link
More than 11,000 new railway station car parking spaces have been promised for Melbourne and regional Victoria, in a 20 per cent boost to parking numbers across the state, if the Andrews government is re-elected.
New South Wales
Sydney desalination plant not toxic to marine life, research finds
A study into Sydney’s desalination plant has found it is not toxic to marine life, as the drought-stricken state prepares to switch it on for the first time since 2012.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-20/sydney-desalination-plant-not-toxic-to-marine-life/10285200
Waste trains create a stink in Tarago, forcing children to stay inside
The smell coming from waste trains is sometimes so powerful that pupils have to be kept in classrooms.
The backflip over Sydney’s marine park is a defiance of science
David Booth and John Turnbull
The New South Wales government has turned its back on plans to create sanctuary zones covering 2.4% of waters around Sydney, despite evidence that these ‘no-take’ areas are crucial for protecting fish.
https://theconversation.com/the-backflip-over-sydneys-marine-park-is-a-defiance-of-science-102499
ACT
Could Canberra’s reusable plastic shopping bags be about to get more expensive?
A Government review has found the ACT’s consumption of plastic bags will hit pre-ban levels within the next few years if tougher action on plastic bag use is not taken.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-20/plastic-bag-act-prices-could-go-up/10287102
Queensland
Burning rubbish to power thousands of homes under Queensland waste-to-energy plan
Queensland’s first waste-to-energy plant will be built at Swanbank, west of Brisbane and — spurred on by a $100 million boost from the State Government’s waste levy — could power 50,000 homes within five years.
Bushfires likely as very high fire danger warning issued for most of Queensland
Rising temperatures, dry air and moderate to fresh south-westerly winds means Queenslanders should be on very high alert over coming days, with bushfires likely to ignite and spread quickly in these conditions.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-20/very-high-fire-danger-warning-for-queensland/10282898
Underground bushfire ‘phenomenon’ could lead to pop up fires, RFS warns
Bushfires could travel underground through the root system of vegetation across parched parts of Queensland in coming days, the Rural Fire Service warns, leading to “pop up” fires as most of the state faces a very high fire danger and a total fire ban across the state’s south-east.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-20/underground-bushfires-warning-throughout-qld/10285138
Lagoon’s shrinking feeling [$]
The mega lagoon originally intended for the $200 million Botanica residential development in Caravonica has been significantly scaled back.
GBRMPA to review board members after COTS concern [$]
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority will review its board members, following conflict of interest concerns about the awarding of funding for controlling Crown-of-Thorns starfish.
‘You wouldn’t let your kids run in the Serengeti’ [$]
A leading marine conservation expert says that allowing children to swim in shark-infested waters, such as Cid Harbour, is the same as letting them run free in a nature reserve full of lions and has warned there could be more attacks in coming days.
South Australia
‘They’ll wipe everything out’: The feral goats overtaking a town
Residents of the South Australian town have complained about the animals’ bleating and the smell wafting onto their properties.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/theyll-wipe-everything-feral-goats-overtaking-town-074023388.html
South Australia’s second big battery takes peninsula off grid, as tests continue
South Australia’s second big battery has not quite completed its commissioning, but it is already showing some interesting innovations.
Gum tree poison probe [$]
Campbelltown Council staff are “a little confused” as to who would have drilled – and corked – holes into 12 gum trees at Murray Park Reserve.
Pledge to ramp up city waste collections [$]
Collecting rubbish from city apartments and scrapping outdoor dining fees is part of Sandy Verschoor’s pitch to become Adelaide’s next lord mayor.
New bushfire warning app not ready for start of season [$]
A replacement for the failed Alert SA App, which crashed on a day of catastrophic fire danger and put lives in danger, won’t be ready by the start of bushfire season.
Tasmania
Tasmanian PhD student aims to find answers in fossils
September is National Biodiversity Month across the country, but for Matilda Brown, the study of plant life is a full-time pursuit.
Western Australia
State, Fed governments urged to act on lithium
A major report on Australia’s mining sector has backed calls for governments to help invest in downstream processing of battery minerals and provide the next generation of high-tech jobs.
Perth plans for flying cars and ‘hyperloops’
Planning has begun to accommodate future modes of transport in Perth that could include flying cars, delivery drones and tubes that move people at near supersonic speeds.
Go go Google: The wonders of WA mapped for everyone
Even the biggest couch potatoes can now walk the Bibbulmun track from the comfort of their own home.
Sustainability
EPA to abandon restrictions against chemical linked to climate change
The Trump administration is planning to do away with an Obama-era regulation that restricted a known greenhouse gas from being used as a refrigerant in household appliances.
What’s next in long-term energy storage
ARPA-E, having survived Trump so far, continues exploring the cutting edge.
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/9/20/17877850/arpa-e-long-term-energy-storage-days
Hidden Costs of Cobalt Mining in DR Congo
Cobalt mining comes at a great cost to public health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. New research reveals that children are particularly vulnerable
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180920102107.htm
Can e-scooters solve the ‘last mile’ problem? They’ll need to avoid the fate of dockless bikes
Neil Sipe and Dorina Pojani
As urban planners, we have not been good at integrating land uses, such as homes, shops and offices, with our transport infrastructure. Thus many people find the nearest train or bus stop is too far too walk and too close to drive (even if they could be sure of finding parking). This has created what is commonly known as the “last mile” problem.
Nature Conservation
About 1,000 deer to be culled at controversial Dutch rewilding park
More than 3,000 deer, ponies and cattle died last winter at the Oostvaardersplassen reserve
WA scientists solve gorilla wander mystery
University of WA scientists have discovered why gorillas in Rwanda go to extremes to raid eucalyptus plantations, putting themselves in risky situations.
Improving ‘Silvopastures’ for Bird Conservation
The adoption of ‘silvopastures’ — incorporating trees into pastureland — can provide habitat for forest bird species and improve connectivity in landscapes
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180919133910.htm
Climate change modifies the composition of reefs
Corals devastated by climate change are being replaced naturally by other species such as gorgonians, which are less efficient in acting as a carbon sink. A study by the ICTA-UAB analyzes for the first time why gorgonians are more resistant than corals to human impacts and global climate change.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-09/uadb-ccm092018.php
Coastal wetlands will survive rising seas, but only if we let them
A global study addresses a major uncertainty in how saltmarshes and mangroves will respond to sea-level rise; stresses importance of preserving ‘accommodation space’ for landward migration.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-09/viom-cww092018.php
Why we must save the Endangered Species Act from the Trump administration
Bruce Babbitt
Urged on by the oil and gas industry, the Trump administration is moving to drastically weaken the Endangered Species Act. But the act, writes a former U.S. Interior Secretary, has saved hundreds of species that might now be extinct, while allowing for well-managed development.
Now for something completely different …
Are you more cynical than the typical Australian?
New research paints a vivid picture of the growing underbelly of discontent forcing Australians to the fringe. Rate the state of the nation to see where you stand in a nation of cynics.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-20/in-a-nation-of-cynics-we-are-flocking-to-the-fringe/10281522
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