Date: 28 September 2018 at 09:29:19 AEST
To: Undisclosed recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links Sep 28
Post of the Day
The wages of pollution is tax
John Haly
Too much focus is being placed on economic issues, such as tax debates, at the expense of environmental problems
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-wages-of-pollution-is-tax,11937
Today’s Celebration
Confucius’ Birthday – Taiwan
Referendum Day – Guinea
Teacher’s Day – Taiwan
Day of Czech Statehood – Czech Republic
Hug a Vegetarian Day – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/hug-a-vegetarian-day/
Ask A Stupid Question Day – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/ask-a-stupid-question-day/
World Rabies Day – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-rabies-day/
More about Sep 28 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_28
Climate Change
Social cost of carbon: why climate change is a global injustice
The US is second only to India when it comes to the economic cost of global warming.
https://www.vox.com/2018/9/26/17897614/climate-change-social-cost-carbon
For the first time, scientists prove human activity is the top cause of warming Antarctic waters
Neil Swart never thought the data he collected in the Antarctic Ocean 13 years ago would lead to such a critical conclusion.
Human-driven climate change is literally making Earth ‘wobble’
As the planet warms, ice loss at the poles—especially in Greenland—is having an effect on polar motion.
Global warming is destabilizing mountains, creating landslide risks
As more permafrost thaws and water seeps deeper into mountains crags, extreme storms can trigger dangerous landslides and rockfalls.
When we look at the crisis rationally, the only logical response is to declare a climate emergency
People engaged in the climate debate are often bewildered by society’s lack of response. How can we ignore such overwhelming evidence of an existential threat to social and economic stability?
Can we attribute a specific drought to climate change? [$]
Chris Woods
The science behind attribution has become increasingly sophisticated over the past decade and, with increasingly stark data, relatively clear cut.
https://www.crikey.com.au/2018/09/27/attribution-and-climate-change/
National
‘Whitewash’: US oil and gas lobbyists try to discredit Australian seismic research
Australian scientists find seismic surveys can harm marine life, but industry lobby groups claim research is ‘seriously flawed’
Even in dry Australia, politics mean climate change gets ignored
Australia’s government is as far from a plan of action as it’s ever been.
Global green fund demands cash [$]
Australia has been called to immediately commit a further $400 million to replenish a Green Climate Fund.
Study plans for high-carbon gas [$]
ExxonMobil and BHP will examine pushing more high-carbon gas through their carbon-stripping plant at Longford.
Climate and energy policy corrupted by government – lobbyist ‘revolving door’
Giles Parkinson
Due to an unstable roster of ministers, Australia’s climate and energy policy has been suffering
The wages of pollution is tax
John Haly
Too much focus is being placed on economic issues, such as tax debates, at the expense of environmental problems
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-wages-of-pollution-is-tax,11937
Work At A University And Think Your Super Is Invested Ethically? Think Again
George Morgan
For most people working in Australian universities, crazy concepts like ‘science and ethics’ matter. Which begs the question why the largest university superannuation fund invests in companies which seek to promote precisely the opposite.
https://newmatilda.com/2018/09/28/work-university-think-super-invested-ethically-think/
Victoria
Vic logging review after prosecution fails
Victoria’s forestry regulations are being independently reviewed after the environment department botched a prosecution against the state logging agency.
Can wedge-tailed eagles survive the slaughter?
Eagle experts say that, while the most recent incident is shocking, the practice itself is neither new nor limited to Victoria. They worry it could have national consequences for the species if action isn’t taken.
Energy watchdog considers estimated power bill crackdown
Victoria’s energy watchdog is looking at “changing the rules” on estimated billing after thousands of households said were overcharged through the practice.
New South Wales
‘Alarming’: State ignoring koala data as icon heads towards extinction
The Berejiklian government is ignoring its own advice to protect koalas as numbers of the marsupial plummet towards extinction in the state by mid-century.
Vacuum bags hold key to discovering lead contamination in Broken Hill
Indoor dust samples checking for traces of lead are from the general public for the first time in Broken Hill’s long mining history, to test lead levels in the home.
Queensland
Officials told to keep public in the dark on Great Barrier Reef splurge
Government officials were instructed to avoid revealing the $10 million price tag on a taxpayer-funded Great Barrier Reef public relations campaign, while researchers receiving $100 million to restore the natural wonder were also told to keep the deal quiet.
Thirty-seven new spider species discovered in Queensland
The thought of 37 new spider species might send shivers down most people’s spines, but for spider enthusiasts and scientists, the discovery is an exciting one.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-28/new-spider-species-found-cooloola-coast/10312042
It’s not that bad! Science, tourism clash on Great Barrier Reef
A row is raging over Australia’s warming-damaged Great Barrier Reef, with firms worried that scientists’ apocalyptic warnings are scaring visitors out of the water.
https://www.afp.com/en/news/205/its-not-bad-science-tourism-clash-great-barrier-reef-doc-19g1x32
South Australia
Tesla battery cost revealed in new report
A report by French renewable energy firm Neoen shows Elon Musk’s Tesla battery — installed to help secure South Australia’s power grid — cost $90 million at the current exchange rate.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-27/tesla-battery-cost-revealed-two-years-after-blackout/10310680
Smelter city of Port Pirie has its lead in the air [$]
The amount of lead in the air within the industrial South Australian city of Port Pirie is at a four-year high, with new data raising concern among environmental regulators and toxicology experts.
City tram expansion could blow out by $44 million
The State Government says problems with the city tram extension’s signalling system could result in a cost blowout of $44 million on the long-delayed project.
https://indaily.com.au/news/2018/09/27/city-tram-expansion-could-blow-out-by-44-million/
Cassy O’Connor demands answers over Majestic Timbers’ future
The government has rejected Greens’ assertions that Launceston based Majestic Timbers has collapsed with employees losing their jobs and contractors owed money.
Tasmania
Raptor Refuge answers call of the wild [$]
The Raptor Refuge in Kettering will launch its new “1800 RAPTOR” hotline today.
Queries over timber company’s viability [$]
A Tasmanian business holding a controversial forestry contract has suspended exports from Hobart amid allegations it has not paid its contractors.
Heat on energy efficiency plans [$]
Builders fear the costs of new apartments will jump and diminish SA’s reputation for affordability if the State Government decides to forge ahead with a specialised energy rating rollout before the rest of the country.
Western Australia
Aboriginal community wins 20-year Pilbara native title battle
An Aboriginal community has won a 20-year battle to be recognised as the native title holders of about 40,000 square kilometres of land in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, including the mining town Newman.
Sustainability
Why you should future-proof your new home before it’s built
You love your home, but how do you make sure it will be the place you’ll still want to be in five, 10, or 20 years from now?
https://www.domain.com.au/advice/future-proof-new-home-built-766618/?
How a new zinc-air battery could transform the grid
The Arizona-based technology company NantEnergy has unveiled a new rechargeable battery that operates on zinc and air and costs significantly less than the lithium-ion batteries currently powering the world’s electric cars and renewable energy systems, the New York Times reported.
https://e360.yale.edu/digest/how-a-new-zinc-air-battery-could-transform-the-grid-nantenergy
Special briefing: The future of fertility
With sperm counts dropping and couples struggling to conceive, infertility researchers around the world are working to improve the odds.
https://www.ozy.com/need-to-know/special-briefing-the-future-of-fertility/89560
Nature Conservation
Ocean pollutant could trigger ‘complete collapse’ of killer whale populations
Killer whales are accumulating such high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in their bodies that whole populations could face collapse, according to a new study.
Rare Indian flower that blooms every 12 years under attack by farming, tourism
The rare, purple-blue Neelakurinji flower is so beautiful that when it carpets the hillsides, “you fall in love.” But is it doomed?
How a small European country is setting the standard for environmentalism
Slovenia may be tiny, but it boasts the highest portion of protected land in all of Europe.
Back from the brink: The global effort to save coral from climate change
As an ocean early warning system, coral reefs have been sounding the alarm for years. They have been bleached white by marine heatwaves and killed off en masse by a combination of factors including pollution, overfishing, acidification and climate change.
How a terrifying ‘dragon of the deep’ became a conservation icon
From biblical monsters of the deep to an economic resource and a beloved symbol of conservation, trace how our relationship with whales has changed over time.
Now for something completely different …
Here’s how to escape footy final fever if you hate the game
James Norman
Footy season means one thing to me — getting stuck in traffic jams on a Saturday afternoon while inebriated fans wearing ugly scarves traipse through the cars sneering. Here’s how to avoid it this weekend