Post of the Day
Air pollution: everything you should know about a public health emergency
It isn’t just car fumes that fill our urban centres with particles. Why is air pollution on the rise, who does it affect most – and what can we do about it?
Today’s Celebration
Confucius’ Birthday – Vietnam
Constitution Day – Dominican Republic
Green March Day – Morocco
Installation of Holy Scriptures as Guru Granth Sahib Ji – Sikhism
International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
Climate Change
Ozone layer finally healing after damage caused by aerosols, UN says
Upper layer above northern hemisphere should be completely repaired in 2030s
How climate change hurts kids’ health
More severe storms, rising sea levels and temperatures will affect all of us in one way or another.
https://www.alleghenyfront.org/how-climate-change-hurts-kids-health/
Oceans are warming up much faster than previously thought
The world’s oceans have soaked up much more excess heat in recent decades than scientists previously thought — as much as 60 percent more, according to a new study published in the journal Nature.
https://e360.yale.edu/digest/oceans-are-warming-up-much-faster-than-previously-thought
Ratpocalypse: climate change could mean an imminent rat population explosion, scientists say
Scientists are warning that rising temperatures caused by climate change will turn cities worldwide into perfect rat breeding grounds.
Geo-engineering: acting in ignorance of the consequences
Tim Ball and Tom Harris
The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report said there are 12 years left to save the planet. It triggered the usual frantic and ridiculous reactions. NBC News even proclaimed, “A last-ditch global warming fix? A man-made ‘volcanic’ eruption” to cool the planet.
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=20019
National
Miners warn Labor over diesel rebate
Big miners say removal of the diesel rebate would be akin to placing “a big tax on business”, in a warning shot to federal Labor ahead of the next election.
Shell and Origin pipeline deal to bring more gas to the east coast
More gas is slated for the east coast as an agreement between Shell and Origin’s subsidiaries will open up new supplies from a Queensland gas field by 2024.
Competition threat to big power retailers [$]
The nation’s big electricity companies face a new battlefront with the federal government over prices.
Surge in renewables delivering cheaper power, says TAI report
As ScoMo sets off on the campaign trail, report says surge in wind and solar has seen NEM wholesale power prices peak, and go into a decline. Fair dinkum.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/surge-in-renewables-delivering-cheaper-power-says-tai-report-88973/
Why do we have a ‘big Australia’?
Stephen Saunders
Pruning migration is low-hanging policy fruit compared with reducing greenhouse emissions.
Planting seeds of an energy win [$]
Robert Gottliebsen
Here is a profitable project that can be extracted from the Canberra mud.
Know your NEM: Coal comfort for electricity prices?
David Leitch
Of all this week’s stats, the fall in the coal price really stood out. So what’s behind it, and what does it mean for Australia?
https://reneweconomy.com.au/know-your-nem-coal-comfort-for-electricity-prices-55300/
Victoria
What readers think of plans to relax bike helmet laws
The suggestion to relax laws about wearing bike helmets sparked immediate debate – with passion on both sides.
New South Wales
Huge bill for unrestored mine sites could be left to NSW taxpayers
A report from environmentalists exposes the potential for taxpayers to be slugged hundreds of millions of dollars for the cost of rejuvenating coal mine sites that are not backfilled once they are closed.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-05/coal-mine-rehabilitation-cost-could-hit-taxpayers/10463302
‘We want to do everything we can’: NSW readies for renewables surge
The NSW government has set aside $55 million to help smooth the introduction of new solar and wind farms.
FRV’s Goonumbla solar farm lands deal with Snowy Hydro
Spanish renewable energy developer FRV says Goonumbla solar project in NSW was one of the eight winning bids in the tender held by Snowy Hydro.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/frvs-goonumbla-solar-farm-lands-deal-with-snowy-hydro-23667/
NSW regions with toxic waste revealed [$]
A government green scheme that dumped waste containing nappies and plastics as “fertiliser” in NSW exposed humans and animals to cancer-linked toxins for 18 years.
3m
Queensland
Island ‘in the middle of nowhere’ gets go-ahead for $1.2b development
There are no roads, no sewerage, no bridge, and no water but the Queensland Government is overruling a local council by giving the green light to a plan to build 700 homes and hundreds more units on a remote island.
PM’s light rail pledge only 16 per cent of total cost: Bailey
The amount of funding offered by the federal government for the Gold Coast light rail project has been falling, Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey says
The Adani coal mine is the ‘Work Choices’ of this generation
Simon Black
Australians know Adani doesn’t “stack up” environmentally or economically and it won’t stack up for the Morrison Government politically either.
Tasmania
Lead levels in Tassie devils spark alarm [$]
A study has found the fertility of captive Tasmanian devils could be affected by high levels of lead in their blood potentially linked to the bullets used to kill the animals they eat.
Malbena tourism plan ‘ticked all the boxes’ [$]
The Federal Environment Minister’s delegated decision to not stand in the way of the Lake Malbena tourist camp was based on a detailed assessment of World Heritage values, government documents reveal.
A letter to the Premier on Pallittorre land
John Powell
On 5 October I sent you an email titled “‘Pallittorre Land Above The Liffey”. You have not had the decency to acknowledge receipt or respond.
https://tasmaniantimes.com/2018/11/a-letter-to-the-premier-on-pallittorre-land/
Northern Territory
PM says he’ll listen in Kakadu campaign [$]
The people of Jabiru and Kakadu may have found a sympathetic ear in Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the fight to save the futures of the town and iconic national park
Scullion hints at funds for iconic park [$]
The Territory’s federal senator and Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion has given the strongest hint yet that the Federal Government will put critical funds into reinvigorating Kakadu
Sustainability
Air pollution: everything you should know about a public health emergency
It isn’t just car fumes that fill our urban centres with particles. Why is air pollution on the rise, who does it affect most – and what can we do about it?
Grid operator study shows Trump bailout of coal and nuclear plants is unnecessary
Largest regional electric grid operator in US sees “no imminent threat” to reliability of its system, despite closure of coal and nuclear plants.
Childhood obesity linked to air pollution from vehicles
Research suggests first year ‘critical window’ in which toxic air can increase weight gain
Scientists are trying to bottle solar energy and turn it into liquid fuel
“A solar thermal fuel is like a rechargeable battery, but instead of electricity you put sunlight in and get heat out.”
Megapack? Musk hints at the next big thing in Tesla batteries
Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk has hinted that the next big development in storage from Tesla will be an even bigger battery – at least in unit size.
https://reneweconomy.com.au/megapack-musk-hints-at-the-next-big-thing-in-tesla-batteries-48354/
Nature Conservation
Yellowstone geyser spews up decades-old trash in rare eruption
The rare geyser eruption of Ear Spring in Yellowstone National Park saw decades-old garbage rain down from the sky, prompting park rangers to urge tourists not to dispose of their trash in the hot springs.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-05/yellowstone-geyser-spews-up-decades-worth-of-trash/10464534
Sighting of sperm whales in Arctic a sign of changing ecosystem, say scientists
Rare sighting in the Canadian Arctic as a growing number of species expand their range into warming waters
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/05/sperm-whales-canadian-arctic
Lion poaching: the brutal new threat to Africa’s prides
The big cats are horribly easy to kill with poisoned meat, allowing poachers to hack off their faces and paws – but rangers are now on their trail
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