Post of the Day
Why baseload coal has no future in a modern grid
Marija Petkovic
The debate about the need for baseload coal-fired power stations has reignited with the Coalition saying it would welcome a new coal-fired power station.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/why-baseload-coal-has-no-future-in-a-modern-grid-60622/
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The debate about the need for baseload coal-fired power stations has reignited with the Coalition saying it would welcome a new coal-fired power station.
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Today’s Celebration
Armed Forces Day – Sao Tome & Principe
Bonaire Day – Bonaire
Defense Day – Pakistan
Dia de la Unidad Nacional (National Union Day) – Chile
Independence Day – Swaziland
Labor Day – Palau
Unification Day – Bulgaria
National Health and Physical Education Day – http://www.hpeday.com.au/
Indigenous Literacy Day – http://www.ilf.org.au/
Awareness Day Awareness Day – http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/gruen/LE1506H006S00
More about Sep 6 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_6
Climate Change
At ‘5 minutes to midnight’, rights group calls time on climate change
As disasters strengthen, it’s time to recognize climate change is now a major human rights risk, says Amnesty International’s new chief.
http://news.trust.org/item/20180905114042-skxvb/
Climate change will reshape the world’s agricultural trade
Luciana Porfirio, David Newth and John Finnigan
Climate change will change the dynamic for major food exporters like China and the US.
https://theconversation.com/climate-change-will-reshape-the-worlds-agricultural-trade-102721
National
Australia signs Pacific climate ‘threat’ declaration, islands call on US to back Paris deal
Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island nations sign a security declaration citing climate change as “the single greatest threat” to Pacific people, as island nations call on the United States to return to the Paris agreement.
Scott Morrison contradicts energy advice, saying Paris targets can be met ‘at a canter’
Prime minister claims Australia will easily meet its obligations without an emissions reduction policy
Australia relationship with Pacific on climate change ‘dysfunctional’ and ‘abusive’
Palau’s climate change coordinator says Australia provides aid to region but on world stage undermines attempts to halt global warming
Energy policy for longevity of coal power
The government’s energy policy will focus on keeping coal-fired power stations open longer, while encouraging new investment, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says.
Rule change to boost energy ‘demand response’
The Australian Energy Market Commission is mulling a rule change that would accelerate the growth of demand response, an alternative source of power to conventional generation.
Drought may increase push for electricity royal commission
Analysts say a worsening drought may drive up wholesale power prices, acting as a potential launching pad for a Royal Commission for a government focused on targeting electricity costs.
Push to clamp down on activist charities [$]
Senior Coalition government figures are pushing for politically active charities including Greenpeace and the Australian Conservation Foundation to lose their charity status in a pre-election crackdown
Chief scientist Alan Finkel has term extended [$]
Dr Alan Finkel’s term as Australia’s chief scientist has been extended for a further two years to the end of 2020.
‘Overwhelming’ economics favour accelerating shift from coal, reports say
Massive opportunities will come with the transition to low-carbon economies but the costs will also be huge if we don’t, two new reports find.
NSW, Vic ‘undermining’ Murray-Darling plan [$]
The NSW and Victorian governments are undermining the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, a former top Federal Government water official has told a royal commission.
Australia is not on track to reach 2030 Paris target (but the potential is there)
Anna Skarbek
Australia is falling behind on its Paris targets, but we have many options for improvement.
Our memories impact imagining and planning for the future
Eric Claus
All these issues have been worsened by population pressures, but we’ve always had increased population and life has always gotten better, so why worry?
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=19929
Why baseload coal has no future in a modern grid
Marija Petkovic
The debate about the need for baseload coal-fired power stations has reignited with the Coalition saying it would welcome a new coal-fired power station.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/why-baseload-coal-has-no-future-in-a-modern-grid-60622/
Taylor says there is too much wind and solar in electricity grid
Giles Parkinson
Crikey. If you thought that the political rhetoric around energy policy could not possibly get any lower, think again. It’s now about the Australian identity, it seems. Jingoism is now a power source, and if you want to have “fair dinkum” power, it’s got to be coal.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/taylor-says-there-is-too-much-wind-and-solar-in-electricity-grid-45315/
Victoria
Victoria’s ‘gas supply squeeze’ [$]
Australia’s largest power generator, AGL Energy, has warned Victoria faces gas shortages in the early 2020s.
Former Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber accused of calling women ‘fat, hairy lesbians’ in workplace
The Australian Greens party is facing more claims of sexism, with a former state leader accused of referring to women in the workplace as “fat, hairy lesbians”, “power pussies” and “hairy-legged feminists”.
New South Wales
NSW govt uses less biofuel, breaks promise
Documents obtained under freedom of information show the NSW government is failing to meet a commitment on biofuel it made over a decade ago.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw-govt-uses-less-biofuel-breaks-promise-170025702–spt.html
Queensland
Adani prosecuted over release of coal-laden water near Great Barrier Reef
The Queensland Government launches legal action against Indian mining giant Adani, alleging one of its companies released water near the Great Barrier Reef with eight times more sediment than it was licensed to.
Plan to turn Great Keppel Island into a futuristic, cryptocurrency haven
IT’S the futuristic plan designed to revamp on of Australia’s beautiful islands but there’s no guarantee it’ll work.
Wombat birth helps dig species out of hole
The birth of a wombat joey at a Queensland conservation centre has been hailed as another step back from extinction for the rare species.
Council backs cat desexing program after 800 feral cats captured
Discounted cat desexing will be introduced at 30 Brisbane vets in an attempt to reduce the amount of stray and abandoned cats.
‘Value for taxpayers’ money’: Meet the scientist handed $443m to help save the Great Barrier Reef
Peter J Mumby
Federal Labor has pledged to withdraw the $443 million given to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. But the foundation’s decisions are led by science and free of undue influence.
South Australia
Speed limit reversal welcomed but Labor slams ‘screeching halt’ to road funding
A plan to commit 30 per cent of mining royalties to rural road maintenance is described as a “slap in the face” by the Opposition, even if a return to 110kph speed limits on country roads has been welcomed by industry.
South-East fracking ban to become law after SA Government backflip
A decade-long ban on fracking in the Limestone Coast region looks set to become law after the State Government agrees to support a bill put forward by Mt Gambier Independent MP Troy Bell.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-05/liberals-to-legislate-se-fracking-moratorium/10203578
SA Government to vote for 10-year fracking ban in South-East [$]
Fracking is set to be banned from the South-East for 10 years after the State Liberals flipped their position, setting up a potential stoush with the Federal Government.
Riverbank Authority replaced by stakeholder group
The Marshall Government will replace the Riverbank Authority with an advisory committee populated by nearby property owners and occupiers and the city council.
https://indaily.com.au/news/2018/09/05/riverbank-authority-replaced-by-stakeholder-group/
Tasmania
Rubbish revolt to fight illegal dumps [$]
A Clarence alderman is calling on the State Government to help local councils tackle the mounting problem of illegal dumping.
Northern Territory
NT gas ‘could change Aust like US shale’
The NT holds enough natural gas to supply Australia for 200 years-plus and its resources are comparable to the shale that revolutionised the US.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/nt-gas-could-change-aust-us-shale-173208439–spt.html
Western Australia
WA’s bad recyclers to get a ‘thumbs down’ in bin audits
Bad recyclers could find a “thumbs down” sticker on their recycling bin as part of a State Government education campaign to avert a recycling crisis.
WA’s newest lithium mine plans to double down
Western Australia’s newest lithium mine was officially opened this morning, marking the seventh operating mine in the state.
The tiny country town set to become suburban Perth
Welcome to Waroona. You might know it today as a picturesque agricultural settlement established in 1893, but the Waroona of the future will be the new outer edge of Perth’s sprawling suburbia, a mere 1.5-hour drive from the CBD.
Sustainability
Groundbreaking ‘spinning’ wind turbine wins UK Dyson award
The O-Wind Turbine captures wind from any direction and, unlike traditional turbines, could be effective in cities
Printed solar panels: Overhyped pipedream or renewable game changer?
Solar panels can now be printed on a reel-to-reel printer, but they are less efficient than traditional models and only last a couple of years. We look at whether they’re actually likely to bring renewable energy to the masses.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-09-06/printed-solar-panels-renewable-energy/10186950
Greener growth could add $26 trillion to world economy by 2030: study
Strong action to combat climate change could cumulatively add at least $26 trillion to the world economy by 2030, according to a study on Wednesday which seeks to dispel fears that a shift from fossil fuels will undermine growth.
http://news.trust.org/item/20180905075810-59gla
Sperm count zero
A strange thing has happened to men over the past few decades: We’ve become increasingly infertile, so much so that within a generation we may lose the ability to reproduce entirely.
https://www.gq.com/story/sperm-count-zero
Norway’s $1 trillion fund to beef up scrutiny on sustainability, ocean pollution
Norway’s $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund wants companies in which it invests to follow stricter guidelines on global sustainability and strengthen efforts to combat plastic pollution of the oceans, it said on Wednesday.
Nature Conservation
Fishing gone: I hope the oceans will still be there for my son
Justin Field
We all have an interest in healthy oceans – not only as the home of fish for the future but as the life support systems of the planet.
Now for something completely different …
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