Post of the Day
‘We are clearly losing the fight’: scientists sound alarm over invasive species
Invaders are a greater threat to native species than climate change, land clearing and energy production, experts say
Today’s Celebration
Errol Barrow Day – Barbados
Feast of our Lady of Altagracia – Dominican Republic
Saint Jovan – Serbia
Birthday of Princess Ingrid Alexandra – Norway
Lincoln Alexander Day – Canada
Grandmother’s Day – Poland
Martin Luther King Jr. Day – USA
Tu B’Shevat – Judaism
Climate Change
Doctors are frightened by climate change. Their industry is a big part of the problem.
Health care creates a tenth of US greenhouse gas emissions.
10 Climate Change Books to Help You Understand Our Environment
In case you haven’t heard, a climate disaster is looming. The effects of climate change—like rising seas and intensifying weather patterns—are already here.
How to stop the climate crisis: six lessons from the campaign that saved the ozone
Jonathan Watts
Thirty years ago, all 197 countries got together to ban the gases damaging the Earth’s ozone layer. Now we need to unite to combat an even greater threat. What can we learn from 1989?
National
‘We are clearly losing the fight’: scientists sound alarm over invasive species
Invaders are a greater threat to native species than climate change, land clearing and energy production, experts say
Satellites to reveal secrets of one of Australia’s great migrations
Once in their life, all the freshwater eels of Australia converge in the tropics to breed and then die – but the epic journey is shrouded in mystery.
Last week’s heatwave and its demands on the nation’s power system show the need for more coal plants, says Matt Canavan.
Victoria
Illegal rubbish dumpers tracked through their trash [$]
Sick of rubbish being dumped in the streets, Melbourne council officers are targeting offenders by rummaging through the garbage for key evidence as they crackdown on dodgy dumpers.
’Very intense’ fire under control, but still not out
A huge factory blaze in Melbourne’s north is under control after more than 80 firefighters attended to ‘major explosions’, but is not yet extinguished. Fire investigators have returned to a factory, where the blaze is expected to continue for a number of days.
New South Wales
Aust scientists study fish kill for Labor
The Australian Academy of Science has accepted a request from Labor leader Bill Shorten to prepare a paper on the fish deaths in NSW before parliament resumes.
‘Completely unsuitable’: Concerns about new ship terminal mount as Labor vows to scrap plan
Natalie Rogers calls it “Yarradise” for the pristine waters and rich marine life that make Yarra Bay ideal for sailing and diving.
ACT
Canberrans urged to protect gang-gangs from threatening disease
Canberrans are being urged to help stop the spread of a potentially lethal bird disease, as conservationists look to protect the iconic gang-gang cockatoo and learn more about its breeding habits.
WA fuel scheme co-ordinator open to discussion with ACT government
The co-ordinator of a scheme that has helped Perth drivers save up to $520 a year on petrol said he would be willing to talk to the ACT government about how similar measures could be implemented in Canberra.
Queensland
Great Barrier Reef Foundation funds first project after controversial $443m grant
Health survey of remote parts of reef by the Australian Institute of Marine Science the first venture
France’s solar liquidation leaves Queensland business in the lurch
Amid the fallout from a failed multimillion-dollar green energy project, a small Dalby business successfully took on a company owned by the French state, but still can’t get paid.
Mysterious power cuts almost every night frustrate cane farmers desperate to irrigate
Months of unexplained night-time power outages in Queensland’s Isis district leave farmers, already struggling with high electricity and water prices, unable to reliably irrigate crops in the crucial summer period.
Stanmore Coal suitor slams buyback [$]
Stanmore Coal’s decision to declare an interim dividend and propose an on-market share buyback has been criticised by major investor Golden Energy, which is pushing on with a final bid to secure control of the Queensland miner.
Anti-coal group could have final say on Adani [$]
The fate of Queensland’s Carmichael mega-mine is in the hands of an environmental group whose members champion radical action on climate change, oppose coal and have appeared as expert witnesses against Adani.
Dingo attack terror: ‘They just kept coming’ [$]
The father of a boy who was attacked by a pack of dingoes on Fraser Island on Saturday says the wild dogs “wanted blood” as they mauled the six-year-old and tried to drag him off.
Queensland Government needs to take a stand and makes it position clear on Adani Carmichael [$]
Courier Mail editorial
It is no secret that the Palaszczuk Government is all at sea over Adani’s Carmichael coal mine in Queensland’s Galilee Basin.
South Australia
Heat ramps up again, fire in Pt Augusta [$]
Another series of scorching hot days lie ahead for South Australia, while a fire at an industrial property in Pt Augusta is expected to burn for multiple days.
Phil Liggett leads koala-ty ride into the Hills [$]
A small peloton – made up of some big names – will make its way around Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges on Monday in a bid to raise awareness about the plight of koalas.
Community wants better say in park upgrades [$]
Developments in South Australian national parks are coming under fire from locals and environmentalists who have accused the State Government of handing over pristine land to private developers without proper community consultation.
Tasmania
Heed advice, minister urges over fires
Tasmanians should heed the advice of emergency services as more than 50 fires continue to burn across Tasmania, Police Minister Michael Ferguson says.
Fire fears as scorcher hits [$]
The Tasmania Fire Service has taken the unusual step of declaring three total fire ban days in one week, with more than 50 fires already burning and more hot weather on the way.
Veneer of controversy over proposed timber mill [$]
Tasmania’s environmental regulator has called for public comment on plans for a $54 million timber mill.
Charities call out trashy ‘donations’ [$]
Charities say this festive season has been the worst yet when it comes to the amount of rubbish dumped at donation collection bins.
Tasmanian solar true believers turning to batteries after tariff cut
Tasmanians who spent big dollars on solar set ups to save money and are being compensated for feeding power back into the grid say the State Government is not providing enough incentive for others to invest in the renewable energy.
Western Australia
Bushfire controlled in WA town
A bushfire warning has been downgraded for the small town of Allanson in WA as about 30 firefighters brought the blaze under control.
Sustainability
Under Trump, our public lands are spewing carbon dioxide
Raúl M. Grijalva
This administration promotes oil and gas drilling at all costs. As leaders of the Natural Resources panel, we will pursue a better path.
Nuclear arms: A year of living dangerously
Ramesh Thakur
Last January, the Doomsday Clock was moved to two minutes to midnight — the closest it has ever been, matching the acute sense of crisis of 1953. The primary explanation for the heightened threat alert was disturbing developments in the nuclear realm.
Nature Conservation
Saving the world’s largest tropical wetland
The Pantanal in South America is critical for fighting climate change and protecting endangered species. The race is on to protect it.
Mangroves help protect us from climate impacts
But they’re in danger.
Instagram and the death of the natural world
Peter Fisher
Dr Peter Fisher discusses the erosion of the natural environment at the hands of the digital world.
Now for something completely different …
Back to work? Take lunch from home to save time and money – and boost your mood
Clare Collins
Are you a meticulous lunch planner, or do you decide what’s for lunch after those first pangs of hunger strike after midday? If you’re in the second camp, it might be time to change.
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