Post of the Day
UN to release new report detailing how climate change impacts land, food
The United Nations body focused on climate change is set to release a new report detailing research about the relationship between climate change and land on Thursday.
Today’s Celebration
Farmer’s Day – Tanzania
August Thursday – Anguilla
Augsburg Peace Festival – Germany
Name Day of Queen Silvia – Sweden
Ceasefire Day – Iraq
Father’s Day – Taiwan
Climate Change
Greta Thunberg: World leaders must prove they’ve listened to climate activists
World leaders must prove that they have listened to young climate activists after a year of protests has not led to any progress in the reduction of greenhouse emissions, leading activist Greta Thunberg said on Monday.
Climate change likely to increase human exposure to toxic methylmercury
Environmental factors, such as rising sea temperatures and over-fishing, impact levels of mercury in fish
UN to release new report detailing how climate change impacts land, food
The United Nations body focused on climate change is set to release a new report detailing research about the relationship between climate change and land on Thursday.
How Gen-Z is dealing with a looming climate apocalypse
Growing up in the midst of a climate crisis is pretty overwhelming.
Climate change: Hungry nations add the least to global CO2
Impoverished African countries are the most food-insecure, stemming from climate change, says a charity.
Climate change intensifies homelessness: CAP report
It’s time to stop treating the housing crisis and the climate crisis as two separate issues – and start designing solutions for both at once.
Warren would pay farmers to fight climate change under new plan
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) would pay farmers to fight climate change if elected president under a new policy proposal released Wednesday.
How the world’s dirtiest industries have learned to pollute our politics
George Monbiot
The fossil-fuel lobby is threatened by public concern over the climate crisis. So it’s buying influence.
National
Native bees die three times faster from honey bee parasite, researchers find
Researchers find a common disease in honey bees can be transmitted to native bees through flowers, causing them to die about three times the rate of the normal mortality.
BHP faces fresh calls to quit Minerals Council ahead of pro-coal ad blitz
Upcoming multimillion-dollar advertising campaign will aim to ‘invoke national pride’ in coal
Scott Morrison to push premiers to improve ‘appalling’ record on plastic recycling
PM will also seek support for Coalition’s deregulation program, along with vocational education reforms
Commonwealth Bank warns climate change could slash farm productivity
Climate change could slash the viability of farms in some parts of Australia by half over the next forty years as rainfall totals shrivel and days of heat stress increase, the Commonwealth Bank said in a new report.
Our environment law is powerless to prevent extinction and this ruling just proved it
Piers Verstegen
From purchasing your morning coffee, to planning a 9 kilometre-long open-pit uranium mine on sacred Aboriginal lands, everything we do has consequences.
Plastic giveaways are giving mixed messages about environmental awareness campaigns
Jackie Meyers
It is difficult not to feel like you are immersed in all sorts of hypocrisy when you do your grocery shopping these days.
CBA flags a coal exit that’s already been made [$]
Matthew Stevens
Australia’s most tone deaf bank heeds the clarion on climate. Fortunately, CBA’s thermal coal production and consumption cycle already sits pretty much meaningless to Australia’s biggest bank.
Are mining lobbies fit for purpose in the modern world?
By Scarlett Evans
In April, Rio Tinto released a statement voicing the need for mining lobby groups to adapt their policies in the face of a world increasingly rocked by the ill-effects of climate change. So how should lobby groups adapt to help reduce their environmental footprint, and what more needs to be done to make the mining industry a force for good?
Gas reserve is all hot air [$]
Satya Marar
We’ll never unleash our energy potential if we fall for a policy that discouraged investment over the long term.
Victoria
Bernard Salt
Rural revival to help drive Victoria’s population growth.
New South Wales
Community feedback needed to update management of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Sydney’s Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is set to have its plan of management updated and the community is being asked to provide feedback on how this much-loved park should be managed.
Train carts 725,000 litres of water every day to drought-affected mine
As the drought continues, water is being carted by train for the first time in several decades to keep production on track at a NSW coal mine and secure 140 full-time jobs.
Finley solar farm starts sending power to NSW grid
John Laing’s 175MW Finley Solar Farm – the $170m project contracted to sell power to BlueScope Steel – has begun sending power to the NSW grid.
Revealed: One in four solar panel installations faulty [$]
As home solar panels boom to a new record, complaints about dodgy installations are soaring in an alarming parallel to Rudd Labour government’s disastrous home insulation scheme. And fraudsters are also taking advantage of the government’s subsidy scheme.
Janice had no idea she was breaking any rules by cashing in on NSW’s container deposit scheme
Wodonga grandmother Janice Marcuzzi is among those residents crossing state borders to take advantage of container deposit schemes.
ACT
ACT government to salvage golden sun moths from Canberra Brickworks access road, Dudley Street site
The ACT government intends to transfer tens of critically endangered golden sun moths from Yarralumla grassland – presumably by hand and carrier – to make way for development related to the Canberra Brickworks precinct.
ANU says photosynthesis could unlock endless supplies of renewable hydrogen
Scientists at ANU help identify a key step in the photosynthesis reaction of plants that could untap abundant supplies of renewable hydrogen.
Queensland
Beef industry linked to 94% of land clearing in Great Barrier Reef catchments
‘Beef is number one’ driver of deforestation crisis, spatial data analysis by The Wilderness Society shows
‘Enough is enough’: Minister, council oppose clearing for Brisbane aged-care centre
The Queensland government is under extreme pressure from both council and one of its own ministers to cancel 15-year-old plans to clear six hectares of “regionally significant” bushland at Stafford Heights where it wants to build an aged care centre.
Stanmore Coal receives new takeover offer
The private coal miner led by the brother of Federal resources minister Matt Canavan has made a $442 million takeover proposal for Queensland producer Stanmore Coal.
‘We’ve had no warnings. Do I need to get my kids tested?’ PFAS find raises questions
A north Queensland mother is worried for the health of her children after PFAS was found in fish and water samples taken near their Mackay property.
Welcome to Queensland: renewable one day, and the next, and next …
Climate Council of Australia
This report argues that as the world increasingly shifts away from fossil fuels to a renewable energy future, Queensland can position itself as a leader in the transition to a modern, clean renewable powered economy.
South Australia
SA wind farm operators taken to court over blackout
The Australian Energy Regulator has launched court action against four wind farm operators over South Australia’s statewide blackout in 2016.
Almost three years after a statewide blackout plunged South Australia into darkness, the fallout is continuing. Here’s a look at how it unfolded and what impact new court action could have.
Snapper fishing may be banned for three years in South Australia
Fishing for snapper in South Australia may be banned until 2023 to allow “decimated” populations to recover. The Government says if urgent steps are not taken, the iconic species could vanish from the state altogether.
Journalist Chris Uhlmann reported for power outage questions [$]
Award-winning TV reporter Chris Uhlmann has revealed he was reported to a broadcaster watchdog for the “crime” of questioning whether South Australia’s blackout was caused by the state’s reliance on renewables.
Three years after SA blackout, the dangers of our rush to renewables are even clearer
Chris Uhlmann
The connection between renewables and the national energy grid is something we need to debate rationally.
Truth about role of wind farms in SA blackout [$]
Paul Starick
Today’s court action against wind farms may strengthen accusations wind power was to blame for the 2016 statewide blackout — but don’t be fooled. It’s not as simple as that.
Tasmania
Tasmania’s GMO ban extended [$]
The State Government has extended the ban on genetically modified organisms in Tasmania after strong industry support.
Sustainability
Scientists reveal key insights into emerging water purification technology
While it holds promise, membrane distillation doesn’t work perfectly. A key challenge is designing membranes to purify water efficiently while ensuring zero contamination of the clean water. In new experiments, engineers offer fundamental insight into why certain membrane designs work better than others.
Natural gas storage research could combat global warming
To help combat global warming, a team is working on a new porous polymer that can store natural gas more effectively than anything currently being used.
Environmental racism is bad for your brain
Two new books highlight how pollution is corrupting the bodies – and minds – of people of color.
Dust storms in the Sahara are killing kids half a continent away
A new study looks at the effects of air pollution from desert dust.
Environmental group sues EPA over pesticide tied to brain damage
A prominent advocacy group sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday over the agency’s decision to allow further use of a pesticide linked to brain damage.
US Energy Department wants to build nuclear test “fast” reactor
The government wants to build a nuclear test reactor as part of an effort to revamp the nation’s fading nuclear power industry.
This raincoat made from algae offers a message of hope
Using carbon sequestration to make plastic could pave the way for carbon-negative materials.
Renewable energy and the power grid: The key is changing when we use energy
“Load flexibility” could shave 15 percent off our peak electricity needs by 2030.
Groundwater resources in Africa resilient to climate change
Groundwater – a vital source of water for drinking and irrigation across sub-Saharan Africa – is resilient to climate variability and change, according to a new study.
Nature Conservation
‘Part of German soul’ under threat as forests die
Action plan to be drawn up as dry summers, storms and pests destroy swathes of woodland
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