https://cnnphilippines.com/world/2019/6/12/climate-change-arctic-sinkhole-hot-summer.html
Post of the Day
Climate change is the symptom. Consumer culture is the disease
Emily Atkin
A new report makes clear where much of the blame lies for our warming planet.
Today’s Celebration
St. Anthony’s Day – Portugal
Sulaymaniyah City Fallen and Martyrs Day – Iraqi Kurdistan
International Albinism Awareness Day
Climate Change
Some 970 million people — including more than 2.4 million Australians — live in areas with high exposure to climate hazards including cyclones, floods, bushfires, desertification and rising sea levels, a new report finds.
Climate change could make children’s allergies worse
More kids could wind up in emergency rooms, new research finds.
Hot summers causing arctic sinkholes as permafrost thaws rapidly: study
A study in May found that permafrost is melting so fast in the Arctic that it’s not only ripping up the landscape — it’s also wrecking scientific equipment and making climate change worse.
Stanford-led study investigates how much climate change affects the risk of armed conflict
Intensifying climate change will increase the future risk of violent armed conflict within countries, according to a study published today in the journal Nature. Synthesizing views across experts, the study estimates climate has influenced between 3% and 20% of armed conflict over the last century and that the influence will likely increase dramatically.
Net zero emissions: Better late than never
Guardian editorial
Announcing a target to cut greenhouse gases by at least 100% below 1990 levels in 2050 is a necessary step to tackle the climate emergency. But it won’t be enough on its own.
Climate change is the symptom. Consumer culture is the disease
Emily Atkin
A new report makes clear where much of the blame lies for our warming planet.
National
Managing energy use is the key to transition to renewables
Other countries are delivering billions of dollars in savings on energy bills by managing how and when they use energy, but Australia has made almost no progress.
Australia has to look forward on energy, says Zibelman: “We have no choice”
Australia’s energy market operator has warned Australia’s exit from from coal and transition to a renewable grid is coming faster than almost all of us would have predicted.
AGL to boost battery offerings and expand virtual power plant after S.A. success
AGL to expand virtual power plant to other states, offering $1,000 payment to households installing a new battery, and an annual rebate to those with existing systems.
New study says Australia could host up to 179 gigawatts of rooftop solar
New report says Australia has potential to host 179 gigawatts of rooftop solar, which would generate more than grid’s entire current demand.
New report names the regions most at risk of climate change hazards
Some 970 million people — including more than 2.4 million Australians — live in areas with high exposure to climate hazards including cyclones, floods, bushfires, desertification and rising sea levels, a new report finds.
Angus Taylor won’t rule out reversing nuclear energy ban if business case stacks up
Energy minister dodges questions about how Australia will meet its Paris emission reduction targets
Westpac in rift with BCA on climate change policy
Westpac has become the latest major Australian company to distance itself from the key business lobby group over its stance on climate change.
Global emissions double ours [$]
Graham Lloyd
A major report has found Australia’s carbon footprint is tiny — and the world’s hunger for coal is growing.
NIMBYism is out of control in Australia [$]
Jason Murphy
It is not possible to live in a city and have the size and density level of your area remain constant over the long term. So why do some people think that it is?
Cheap solar and wind can re-boot Australia’s economic advantage
Giles Parkinson
Australia’s abundant wind and solar resources will deliver cost reductions in electricity of up to 30 per cent, lead to the electrification of much of transport, building and industrial use, and re-position Australia as major manufacturing centre with low cost and this time low carbon power.
Uber’s air taxi vision isn’t amazing, it’s dystopian
Michael Kaine
It’s a vision of the future where the wealthy get to look down on those less privileged, who have to slug it out on choked, under-funded infrastructure.
Glyphosate’s big threat is litigation, not regulation
Gregor Heard
For years, the Australian agriculture sector has been quietly confident of the ongoing availability of glyphosate.
Australian editorial
States are senselessly restricting and discouraging supply.
Why old-school climate denial has had its day
Michael J. I. Brown
The Coalition has been re-elected to government, and after six years in office it has not created any effective policies for reducing greenhouse emissions. Does that mean the Australian climate change debate is stuck in 2013? Not exactly.
Victoria
Bad trip from a coal generator could yet lead to a price hangover
A trip at AGL’s Loy Yang A power station in Victoria is unlikely to lead to higher wholesale price outcomes on its own, and the impact will be mitigated…
Coal unit failure a threat to Victorian energy security this summer
Victorians face another summer without enough power to pull through very hot days, as a fault at the state’s biggest power plant is set to run until December.
Andrews reaches for the sky rail in Coburg, Toorak
The state government has released artist impressions of the new train stations to be built on the Upfield line.
New South Wales
Blue Mountains handprints could be fake
A non-indigenous man has claimed he and his brothers created a set of red handprints that were ruled to be culturally significant half a century ago.
New card system for free bulk water
In another of its ongoing drought response actions, Tamworth Regional Council is about to launch a new initiative which will increase accessibility to free water for local farming families.
‘Damning report’: iconic Blue Mountains site at permanent risk if dam rises
The bushland lying within the proposed temporary inundation area would be “permanently” affected in the event of a significant flood, the document states.
Billions in savings proposed for state’s transport as costs soar
Raising public transport fares, selling or redeveloping hundreds of state-owned properties and overhauling road levies and taxes are among measures being considered to secure $7 billion in annual savings by the end of next decade to avoid a blow-out in NSW’s transport costs.
Sutton development proposal would effectively double NSW town
The size of the small border town of Sutton will effectively double under a proposed plan to develop the region.
‘Be bold with congestion busting’: NSW [$]
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance said road user charging will become a thing of the past.
ACT
Exhibition Park should be shielded from development, Greens say
Revheads have gained an unlikely ally in their campaign to secure the future of the spiritual home of Summernats – the Greens.
Molonglo River peninsula at Coombs should be protected: Conservation Council
A peninsula on the Molonglo River earmarked for up to 30 homes should be preserved as public space to better protect threatened species, the Conservation Council ACT has urged.
Canberra solar rebates costing ACT government $50m a year
The ACT’s generous solar-rebate scheme that closed to new participants almost a decade ago still accounts for more than 98 per cent of government subsidies.
Jackass Flat mining site to be fenced due to arsenic levels in calcine sand
A fourth historic mining site will be fenced off to stop people risking their health around arsenic-laden sand.
Queensland
Adani coalmine: minister loses legal challenge on water pipeline assessment
Australian Conservation Foundation says case shows federal government hasn’t scrutinised Carmichael project. [Amazing! Well done, guys!]
Adani should learn today whether its mine will go ahead
Adani should learn on Thursday if it has the last Queensland approval needed to begin construction of its controversial coal mine.
Adani ups the ante as D-Day arrives [$]
After nine years, nine legal reviews and $3.7 billion to get it started, Adani is ready for a final decision on the project by the State Government today. But it’s already set the wheels in motion ahead of the crucial decision.
Adani can serve legal letter via Facebook [$]
Mining giant Adani has been given the green light to serve bankruptcy documents on a traditional land owner who fought its controversial Carmichael mine via social media, email, text message and his post office box, rather than in person.
Multi-agency fisheries and maritime patrol in Gulf of Carpentaria
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), the Queensland police and Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol recently conducted a patrol of the Gulf of Carpentaria targetting fisheries and maritime compliance.
‘Worst in living memory’: Qld farmer spends $800,000 carting water
A horror summer season has seen fruit and vegetable growers in Queensland go to extraordinary lengths to grow crops.
Treasurer ‘selling out’ regional Qld with LNG hike
Major gas producers have sounded warnings over decision to raise royalties.
Gas industry must pay Queenslanders: Trad
Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad says gas has become one of the state’s biggest export, and it’s time the industry pay more in tax.
Brisbane’s ‘green’ budget aims for more parks and public spaces
Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner wants a greener city over the next 10 years, a vision reflected in his first budget, handed down on Wednesday.
Divers find 40-year-old KFC bag in ‘pristine’ Queensland waterway
Covered in silt and tangled among rocks, a single-use plastic bag found on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast could be up to 40 years old, and the find is just the tip of the rubbish iceberg.
Clean energy debate gets dirty as Daintree community split over renewable power microgrid
In the close-knit communities nestled amongst World Heritage-listed rainforest, the debate over clean energy gets dirty with stories of propaganda campaigns circling. Surprisingly, it’s the environmentalists who are trying to stop the solar-to-hydrogen microgrid.
Adani boss fuelled by giving Indian village children power [$]
Peta Credlin
As Queensland’s government prepares to sign off on the final approval for the Adani Carmichael coal mine, it’s important Australia understands just what this project will do for the Indian population and struggling villages that don’t have what we take for granted — electricity.
South Australia
Opening SA reservoirs could see outbreaks of gastro and illness, report warns
A report finds Adelaide’s drinking water could be under risk of contamination, leading to outbreaks of gastro, because of the State Government’s plan to open up reservoirs to recreational activities.
KI locals prepare for legal stoush over park lodges [$]
A clash over a proposed Kangaroo Island development is headed for court, after opponents crowd-funded their legal fees to block the accommodation project.
Dam access won’t drive up water bills [$]
As the State Government plans to open reservoirs for public recreation, Water Minister David Speirs says any necessary tests will come out of the Budget – not from household water bills.
Council water harvesting project could be sold off [$]
A water harvesting scheme in Adelaide’s east, which has cost more than $20 million so far, could be sold if it continues to struggle.
Septic tanks to cost hundreds more [$]
Thousands of northeastern ratepayers with septic tanks will be paying almost $900 a year within four years — rather than the existing $595.
The last straw: Time to phase out plastics [$]
Stacey Lee
Sooner or later, SA will have to ban single-use plastics. We should start planning now so we avoid the laughable furore the eastern states had when plastic bags were banned.
Tasmania
Cable car for Mount Wellington a step closer after application lodged
The Hobart City Council could be voting on the divisive $54 million cable car proposal for Hobart’s kunanyi/Mount Wellington as early as August after the company behind it lodges a formal development application.
Northern Territory
Onshore gas exploration set to begin in days [$]
Onshore gas exploration is expected to begin in the NT within days after the NT Government signed off on environmental management plans for gas giants Santos and Origin
Rio issues Ranger risk rating [$]
A facility at the Ranger uranium mine is among assets owned by Rio that present a ‘catastrophic’ risk if they fail.
Western Australia
The People’s City: Bold new plan to transform Perth
A high-rise primary school, a train station apartment development and six villages connected by underground mass transit are part of a bold vision for the CBD and surrounds.
Sustainability
The average person consumes a credit card’s worth of microplastic every week
At a conservative estimate, people around the world are consuming a credit card’s-worth of microplastic every week, according to a new study.
What are ‘forever chemicals’ and how are they getting in your food?
Dangerous chemicals used to create nonstick cookware and fire-fighting foams are showing up in our food. Here’s what they are and why health experts are concerned about them.
Most ‘meat’ in 2040 will not come from dead animals, says report
Consultants say 60% will be grown in vats or plant-based products that taste like meat
Overlooked crisis: Drinking water contamination widespread in US
Lack of access to clean drinking water is a far-reaching problem that extends to virtually every corner of the United States.
Microplastics from car tyres could be stunting children’s lung growth, investigation finds
King’s College London study claims one in three children are breathing unsafe air.
Chernobyl writer urges Instagram tourists to ‘respect’ nuclear site
Man behind hit TV series among those criticising people taking inappropriate selfies
Hundreds of new pesticides approved in Brazil under Bolsonaro
Many of those permitted since far-right president took power are banned in Europe
Global energy demand increase attributed to weather
BP has released its 68th annual Statistical Review of World Energy, highlighting the growing divergence between demands for action on climate change and the actual pace of progress on reducing carbon emissions.
As water scarcity increases, desalination plants are on the rise
After decades of slow progress, desalination is increasingly being used to provide drinking water around the globe.
Empirical energy consumption model quantifies Bitcoin’s carbon footprint
Researchers have conducted the first analysis of Bitcoin power consumption based on empirical data from IPO filings and localization of IP addresses. They found that the cryptocurrency’s carbon emissions measure up to those of Kansas City — or a small nation. The study, published June 12 in the journal Joule, suggests that cryptocurrencies contribute to global carbon emissions, an issue that must be considered in climate change mitigation efforts.
Breathing new life into dye-sensitized solar cells
Japanese researchers are poised to reboot the field of aromatic-fused porphyrin sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells, the most efficient solar efficient solar technology available at present.
Community knowledge can be as valuable as ecological knowledge in environmental decision-making
An understanding of community issues can be as valuable as knowing the ecology of an area when making environmental decisions, according to new research.
How New Zealand’s well-being budget delivers for the environment
Troy Baisden
A recent report on the state of New Zealand’s environment painted a bleak picture of species losses and freshwater pollution. Budget 2019 signals a shift, but more in intention than sufficient funding.
Nature Conservation
The jaguar′s struggle for survival
Jaguars roam freely from Mexico to Argentina, mostly in the Amazon basin. They used to live in some parts of the United States as well. But the big cats’ habitats are shrinking due to deforestation and industrialization.
Monkeys face climate change extinction threat
Monkeys living in South America are highly vulnerable to climate change and face an “elevated risk of extinction”, according to a new University of Stirling-led study.
Climate change benefits for giant petrels
Giant petrels will be ‘temporary’ winners from the effects of climate change in the Antarctic region — but males and females will benefit in very different ways, a new study shows.
New study shows legacy of DDT to lake ecosystems
New findings of a multi-university research team show the pesticide DDT persists in remote lakes at concerning levels half a century after it was banned, affecting key aquatic species and potentially entire lake food webs.
Europe′s seas to lose almost a third of life due to climate change: report
Europe’s waters are expected to lose 30% of their already vulnerable ocean life to further warming, says a new study. Combined with overfishing, that loss can threaten livelihood and food security in coastal nations.
Protecting coral reefs in a deteriorating environment
A new report examines novel approaches for saving coral reefs imperiled by climate change, and how local decision-makers can assess the risks and benefits of intervention.
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