Post of the Day
Carbon dioxide: scientists have found an easy way to remove CO2 from air and reduce global warming
A number of research teams around the world are currently working towards scrubbing all the excess carbon dioxide from the air. Not only could this do wonders to push back global warming, but we can also put all of that CO2 to good use in other ways.
Today’s Celebration
Arrival of the Swiss at the Port-Noir – Switzerland
Dayak Festival – Malaysia
Independence Day – Samoa
National Maritime Day – Mexico
Pancasila Day – Indonesia
Victory Day – Tunisia
Madaraka Day Kenya
Day Without Alcohol – Poland
Presidents Day Palau
The Festival of Roses, Valley of the Roses – Bulgaria
Laylat al Qadr – Islam
Climate Change
Merkel urges world to do all ‘humanly possible’ on climate change
In her commencement address delivered at Harvard University in the United States, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged the world to join together to combat climate change.
UK Labour would force firms to fight climate crisis or lose contracts
Exclusive: Companies bidding for public sector contracts must ‘put people and planet before profit’
Carbon dioxide: scientists have found an easy way to remove CO2 from air and reduce global warming
A number of research teams around the world are currently working towards scrubbing all the excess carbon dioxide from the air. Not only could this do wonders to push back global warming, but we can also put all of that CO2 to good use in other ways.
Why the centralized approach to limit global warming is not working
Five years after the historic Paris Climate Agreement, the emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases are still on the rise.
Net-zero by 2050: What does it mean?
The EU is expected to commit to going carbon neutral. But what will net-zero emissions mean in practice?
‘Responding to the climate change emergency’
Companies in South Africa will now pay a small amount each time they emit a ton of greenhouse gases.
The odds for tackling climate change
Geographer and historian Jared Diamond on the success of tackling threats like climate change.
What we know (and don’t) about tornadoes and climate change
Research shows there’s been an increase in tornado clusters and that twister activity is shifting eastward.
Sea-level rise could be even worse than we’ve been led to expect
A new study shows that scientists are even more worried than before.
Will climate change cause humans to go extinct?
An expert responds to a teenager who wants to know – is there any hope for humanity’s future?
Can we really flip the story on the climate crisis? [$]
Mark Tilly
2040 director Damon Gameau sees the election as a “failure of storytelling”. One side failed to sell their vision — for the country and the environment.
National
‘We want to get it right’: Wyatt vows to make Indigenous constitutional change work
The first Aboriginal Australian to hold the Indigenous affairs portfolio says work continues on constitutional recognition but it has to be done right.
‘Letting the perfect get in the way of the good’: Climate groups reflect on election
Many green groups invested significant resources ahead of the federal election, campaigning against the Adani mine and for stronger climate policies. But did they fail to read public sentiment and, in fact, help the Coalition to victory?
‘Carpaggedon’ herpes release no certainty as research continues
A final decision is yet to be made over whether a strain of the herpes virus will be released to control carp numbers in the Murray-Darling, as irrigators utilise a matured water market to help them negotiate low allocations.
Why are we paying so much more for electricity? A 600-page report has some answers
The NEM has just celebrated its 20th anniversary and, while it has done a good job, it is now in need of a major overhaul to keep the lights on, a major new report warns.
A radical idea to get a high-renewable grid: Build way more solar and wind than needed
Expanding solar power potential more than it’s needed could replace more expensive energy storage.
New APVI solar tool shows daily, time-based forecast for each state
New tool integrated into APVI Live Solar Map, allows solar system owners to estimate how their PV generation will track over the rest of the day.
Electricity emissions fall sharply as renewable energy continues heavy lifting
Wind overtakes hydro as largest source of renewable energy as electricity sector emissions continue to fall and South Australia beats 50 per cent wind and solar share.
Fix this mess, Australia told [$]
Indonesian environmental alliance is pushing Morrison government to crack down on exporters.
The Morrison government may consider tapping its emergency powers to limit gas exports
ABS: Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production
In 2017-18, total Gross Value of Irrigated Agricultural Production (GVIAP) increased to $17.7 billion (up 14%).
ABS: Australian Industry, 2017-18
The Mining industry grew strongly in 2017-18, reflected in an increase of 26.0% ($21.7b) in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the year.
Energy transition has only just begun, but solar has already changed the game
Giles Parkinson
So much has, is and will be written about Australia’s energy transition and the speed with which wind and solar farms are being built, and consumers – both household and business – are adopting rooftop solar.
Climate solutions, not slogans [$]
Graham Lloyd
The returned government preserves the status quo in an increasingly polarised global debate.
Victoria
Victorians roar for climate change action
Victorians are expected to give their best primal roar in a bid to make the federal government take more action on climate change.
The race is on to build a rock wall as erosion threatens to spill rubbish into the sea
Decades of rubbish, faeces, asbestos and medical waste is at risk of spilling into the Southern Ocean if a million-dollar rock wall in south-west Victoria is not built in time.
EPA calls community conference on Bannockburn composting proposal
Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) will hold a community conference at Bannockburn to discuss the proposal from Advanced Composting Technologies of Australasia Pty Ltd (ACTA) for a static pile composting plant.
Andrews in about-face on building Geelong fast rail with Morrison
Premier Daniel Andrews has endorsed the Morrison government’s $2 billion election pledge towards Geelong fast rail in a post-election about-face.
New South Wales
Another ‘issue’ for driverless Syd Metro
Sydney’s new driverless network continues to be plagued by delays as the rail workers union said it was proving to be a debacle.
Nuts about solar: Why this giant macadamia processor has turned to the sun
The world’s largest macadamia processor turns to solar power in a bid to lower energy costs, lift profitability, and reduce its environmental footprint.
Byron Bay Council investing in 5-megawatt solar farm for clean energy future
Council’s plans for a huge 5-megawatt solar farm next to the Resource Recovery Centre at Myocum on Dingo Lane took a leap forward at the May Council meeting when $465,000 was committed to get the planning, design and tender process underway.
Sydney urged to adopt Melbourne water idea
Sydney has turned to water restrictions for the first time in decade but an expert wants the city to adopt one of Melbourne’s long-running water campaigns.
Queensland
Upbeat Adani prepares to mine in Qld
Mining giant Adani is hoping to get going at its controversial Carmichael coal mine within weeks with only one state hurdle still to clear.
Regional Queensland to save on power bills
Households and businesses in regional Queensland will see their power bills fall next financial year.
Adani faces higher hurdle before Carmichael mine approval
It must satisfy the Environment Department it has the right plan to manage impacts on artesian basin water supplies to important springs on the mine site.
Adani prepares for next wave of activism against mine [$]
Environmentalists have vowed to target construction of Adani’s Carmichael mine even after final approvals.
‘Mine common sense prevails’ [$]
Queensland’s LNP Opposition leader has used today’s Adani approval to attack the Palaszczuk government.
Queensland electric super highway will soon have 50+ EV chargers
Queensland is set to triple its electric car charging network from 17 charging sites to more than 50.
Actions on Adani expose pollies’ self-interest [$]
Steven Wardill
It was no accident that Annastacia Palaszczuk and her ministers today held press conferences before approval for Adani’s black-throated finch management plan was made public. It’s the same hide-and-seek approach they’ve been playing for months.
Adani’s finch plan is approved, just weeks after being sent back to the drawing board
Stephen Garnett et al
Given the time available, the black-throated finch could have been one of the best-studied birds in Australia.
Tasmania
Free tyre recycling offered by the City of Launceston council
A grant from Tyre Stewardship Australia will allow tyres to be recycled free of charge at Launceston Waste Centre throughout June.
Climate change killing giant kelp forests in Tasmania
Research published today has found giant kelp in Tasmania has declined by 95 per cent in the past 60 years, with climate change to blame.
Caution urged over wilderness plan [$]
Three organisations have withdrawn from the wilderness tourism master plan consultation process as the state’s peak tourism industry body urges caution on further commercial development.
Northern Territory
Visitors appear undeterred by plans for national park entry fee
Amenities, wheelchair access and conservation work top the list of requests by visitors to Litchfield National Park if an access fee is introduced.
Sawfish ‘slow-cooked’ in mass fish kill on a station part-owned by Gina Rinehart
More than 40 sawfish die in the Fitzroy River catchment, known to be the world’s last stronghold for the species.
Western Australia
How Horizon Power is using solar to slash its fossil fuel subsidies
Solar plant at Meekatharra eases crippling cost burden of diesel generation, as “cloud predictive” technology allows W.A. gold town to go 80% solar at times without a battery.
W.A. councils demand “true to science” 50% renewable state target
Group of 21 Western Australian councils call on state Labor government to adopt targets of 50% renewable electricity by 2030, net-zero emissions by 2050.
Sustainability
Explainer: Is Roundup the next asbestos?
It’s been touted as the next asbestos and compared to the cover-ups by big tobacco companies last century, but agribusiness giant Monsanto insists Roundup doesn’t cause cancer.
Solar, wind threaten global coal fleet as technology costs continue to fall
Solar and wind projects are now the cheapest source of electricity in most countries as IRENA sees renewables undercutting existing coal plants on cost.
Eco-friendly packaging could be poisoning our compost
After a study uncovered PFAS in compost, regulators in Washington moved to ban this class of synthetic compounds.
New tool estimates cost of child lead poisoning in Ohio at $2.8 billion
Children exposed to lead in 2019 will cost Ohio nearly $3 billion in reduced productivity and premature mortality, as well as added health care, education and social assistance spending, a study found.
Al Jazeera investigates why people are risking their lives in an illegal gold industry worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Moving to clean household fuels would dramatically improve India’s air
Change in just one activity would bring India to the national standard. This would involve moving from biomass in household fuels to clean fuels. Household fuels are the biggest contributor to outdoor air pollution in India.
Renewable energy jobs in UK plunge by a third
Report reveals investment in the sector has halved in recent years
When Roundup becomes less effective, what next?
Farmers have been using the weed killer glyphosate—a key ingredient of the product Roundup–at soaring levels even as glyphosate has become increasingly less effective and as health concerns and lawsuits mount.
Uranium finally ready to turn [$]
The recovery in the yellow metal has endured several false starts but this time…
The enduring horror of Chernobyl
The new HBO series raises the specter of an uninhabitable continent.
NZ Budget 2019: support for lower-emission business, transport, land use
Robert McLachlan
Under the New Zealand government’s well-being approach to the budget, funding that will help reduce emissions is linked with economic development and innovation.
Rage against the dying of the planet
Lyn Bender
Saving the planet can seem like a hopeless endeavour, but it’s more important now than ever before to find the resolve to keep fighting.
Greg Warren
We already have the knowledge to building sustainable communities that we actually want to live in.
Nature Conservation
Large expansion to ‘blue belt’ of UK’s protected marine areas announced
Conservationists say protection helps stop marine-damaging activities
How wildcats will be reared for release in England and Wales
Swiss expert behind successful reintroduction in Bavaria is training UK conservationists
Controlled burns not only help forest health but human health, study finds
Researchers at Stanford University have found that controlled burning protects residents by reducing the harmful smoke that would otherwise gush from a wildfire.
A.I.-backed sensors help reduce wind turbine risks to protected birds
A camera detection system is helping the wind energy industry become safer for protected birds, but the technology is still being refined.
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