Post of the Day
Melting ice sheets release tons of methane into the atmosphere, study finds
The Greenland Ice Sheet emits tons of methane according to a new study, showing that subglacial biological activity impacts the atmosphere far more than previously thought
Today’s Celebration
Day of Martyrs of the Colonial Repression – Angola
Head of State’s Birthday – Samoa
Independence Day – Myanmar / Burma
Martyrs of Independence Day – Zaire (Democratic Congo)
Climate Change
Melting ice sheets release tons of methane into the atmosphere, study finds
The Greenland Ice Sheet emits tons of methane according to a new study, showing that subglacial biological activity impacts the atmosphere far more than previously thought
One answer to our greenhouse gas challenges may be right under our feet: Soil scientists Oliver Chadwick of UC Santa Barbara and Marc Kramer of Washington State University have found that minerals in soil can hold on to a significant amount of carbon pulled from the atmosphere. It’s a mechanism that could potentially be exploited as the world tries to shift its carbon economy.
Can we remove enough CO 2 from the atmosphere to slow or even reverse climate change?
A ‘pacemaker’ for North African climate
Researchers at MIT have analyzed dust deposited off the coast of west Africa over the last 240,000 years, and found that the Sahara, and North Africa in general, has swung between wet and dry climates every 20,000 years.
Agreed rules, COP24 and climate change protest
Binoy Kampmark
Little progress was actually made on the issue of commitments to cut emissions, even if there was, in principle, an agreement on a set of rules.
National
Stronger oil prices will support energy stocks in 2019 [$]
A resurgent oil market should lift the local energy sector in 2019, as further cuts by OPEC offset an ever-increasing US crude output and weakening global demand.
Ditch the aircon: Finding a new way to keep cool in Australia’s increasingly sweaty cities
As summer temperatures soar, we need cool new ways to tempt us outdoors in the city as an alternative to retreating en masse to airconditioned homes, experts have declared.
Victoria
Extreme fire risk as Vic set for scorcher
Temperatures are set to soar above 40C in Victoria on Friday, with strong winds and thunderstorms increasing the risk of fires.
Metro Trains, Yarra Trams awarded millions in bonuses despite late services
Metro Trains met its punctuality target only six times in the past 12 months, but still received $6 million in taxpayer-funded bonuses.
Melbourne’s worst-performing train and tram lines, revealed
Metro Trains has met its monthly punctuality target just six times in the past 12 months, and some commuters are copping delays more than others.
‘Illegal’ chemical stockpiles prompt Victorian Government to flag tougher penalties
The Victorian Government says tougher penalties may be needed to deter people from illegally storing chemicals, after the discovery of several stockpiles in Melbourne’s northern suburbs this week.
Queensland
Greens coal bill ‘bad for climate’
A bill banning thermal coalmining in the Galilee Basin is under fire amid warnings it could increase global carbon emissions.
South Australia
Albanese backs grand tram plan for Adelaide [$]
Extending the Adelaide tram network should be the state’s public transport priority, says the man expected to be Australia’s next infrastructure minister.
Tasmania
Tasmanians brace for extreme heat on sixth anniversary of Dunalley fire tragedy
With temperatures expected to reach the mid-to-high 30’s, Tasmanians are in for a scorcher — on a day when many look back to the devastating fire of 2013 which sent shockwaves around the state.
Government mulls over latest report on plastic bottle refunds – the third in 10 years
Tasmania seems no closer to a plastic bottle refund scheme, as the government mulls over its latest report on the idea.
Northern Territory
NT hunters target higher geese bag limits
NT Field and Game, the Top End’s peak hunting body, is pushing for a higher bag limit of 10 geese per day next season, up from five in the most recent season which ended January 2
Western Australia
Western Power outage: Rains leave 14,000 Perth homes without electricity
Western Power has blamed unseasonal drizzle and dust build-up on power outages that left thousands of WA homes without power today.
Sustainability
Renewables overtake coal in Germany
Coal has been overtaken by renewables as Germany’s main energy source, accounting for just over 40 per cent of electricity production.
‘It will be an adjustment’: What no one tells you about alternative living
While few find themselves regretting making their dream a reality, that’s not to say alternative living isn’t without its harder aspects.
Sustainable choices on palm oil must be easier for consumers, says new study
Consumer goods companies and retailers need to be upfront about where palm oil in their products comes from to relieve consumers of the burden of making sustainable choices. That is a key finding of new research from the University of Cambridge (UK). It publishes today in Environmental Research Letters.
How China’s big overseas initiative threatens global climate progress
China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a colossal infrastructure plan that could transform the economies of nations around the world. But with its focus on coal-fired power plants, the effort could obliterate any chance of reducing emissions and tip the world into catastrophic climate change.
How hormone-disrupting chemicals may harm our health
Evidence suggests chemicals like pesticides and phthalates may be linked to serious diseases like obesity, diabetes, brain disorders and fertility problems. It’s detailed in Dr. Leonardo Trasande’s new book, “Sicker, Fatter, Poorer: The Urgent Threat of Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals to Our Health and Future… and What We Can Do About It.”
Marc Morano: ‘The Green New Deal and this idea of mobilizing to fight the climate is the exact same — they’re proposing central planning, has nothing to do with climate.’
An Easy New Year’s Resolution: Help the Earth by Consuming Less
A new year is a time to look back and to look forward. So, in that spirit of reflection, we reviewed our “One Thing You Can Do” series, looking for some New Year’s resolutions.
Is 13 too young for my daughter to decide she doesn’t want children?
Katerina Cosgrove
She’s painfully aware of the possibility that her children and grandchildren will have a harder time being alive.
Nature Conservation
The Dead Sea could disappear within decades, warn scientists
The Dead Sea is losing about a metre of depth each year, as climate change and excessive human consumption take their toll.
Uncontacted tribes face ‘extinction’ under Brazil’s new president, advocates say
President Jair Bolsonaro wants to take away land set aside for Indigenous people, including the estimated 100 uncontacted tribes who live in the country’s rainforests.
Fewer monarch butterflies are reaching their overwintering destination
The monarch butterfly is currently experiencing dire problems with its migration in eastern North America. Fewer and fewer monarchs are successfully reaching their overwintering destinations, and scientists aren’t sure why. New research published in De Gruyter’s Open Access journal Animal Migration, aims to help with this effort.
Now for something completely different …
We’ve a lot to be grateful for, roadtrips and bingo included
Jessica Irvine
Allow yourself a moment to enjoy the fact that we live at the best time in history in the world’s best country.
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