Post of the Day
Satellite data record shows climate change’s impact on fires
While every fire needs a spark to ignite and fuel to burn, it’s the hot and dry conditions in the atmosphere that determine the likelihood of a fire starting, its intensity and the speed at which it spreads. Over the past several decades, as the world has increasingly warmed, so has its potential to burn.
Today’s Celebration
Our Lady of Coromoto Day – Venezuela
Battle of Tendra Day – Russia
Patriot Day – USA
Death Anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah – Pakistan
National Day – Catalonia
Pohnpei Liberation Day – Micronesia
Day of Sobriety – Russia
Climate Change
Cricket is the sport most vulnerable to intensifying climate change, says a report released in England on Tuesday.
False statements about climate change trip people up
Respondents in a survey couldn’t always tell climate facts from falsehoods – even when they were sure they were right.
Satellite data record shows climate change’s impact on fires
While every fire needs a spark to ignite and fuel to burn, it’s the hot and dry conditions in the atmosphere that determine the likelihood of a fire starting, its intensity and the speed at which it spreads. Over the past several decades, as the world has increasingly warmed, so has its potential to burn.
National
LNP senator says Australia’s immigration policies like ‘over stocking’ paddocks
Queensland LNP senator Gerard Rennick has used his maiden speech to call for Australia’s immigration levels to be slashed.
Climate change is bringing a new world of bushfires
Climate change is increasing the risk of more frequent and intense bushfires.
Zali Steggall calls for conscience vote on climate change legislation
The majority of Australians think the climate is already changing, and fear the impacts of severe weather events on food supply as a result, a new report shows.
John Hewson urges Liberal conscience vote on climate emergency motion
The former Liberal leader is championing crossbench bill and argues ‘it was an emergency 30 years ago’
Clean energy investment falls back to 2016 levels amid policy uncertainty
The recent record investment in renewable energy is showing signs of slowing dramatically, the Clean Energy Council warns
The country’s top bureaucrats say Government appears unprepared for climate change
The most powerful bureaucrats in Australia have been war gaming to prepare the country for “national-scale systemic climate risks” that could affect “the full spectrum of human activity”.
Australian natural disasters minister David Littleproud: ‘I don’t know if climate change is manmade’
Minister tells Guardian he is unsure of causes of crisis, saying he wants farmers to have tools to adapt to change
Hope for dolphins with new strategy to cut deaths in gillnets, say marine conservationists
Marine conservationists hope a revised Commonwealth Government fisheries agency strategy released today will result in fewer dolphins being killed in one of its largest fisheries.
Environment officials wary of Angus Taylor grasslands meeting, emails show
Before the meeting an official asked about the Taylor company being investigated for alleged illegal land clearing
Firefighters battle to contain more than 130 blazes across NSW and Queensland
Boeing 737 dumps 15,000 litres of fire retardant on out-of-control Peregian fire as crews scramble to save homes
Endangered species left and right [$]
It was National Endangered Animals Day — and the pollies went wild.
Basin crisis: no water to flush rivers [$]
The body in charge of Murray-Darling system does not have any water available to conduct major environmental flows in the basin’s north.
Military and government figures have been wargaming to prepare for climate change — they’re worried
The most powerful bureaucrats in Australia have been wargaming to prepare the country for “national-scale systemic climate risks” that could affect “the full spectrum of human activity”.
Australia Institute
The annual Climate of the nation benchmark report has tracked Australian attitudes on climate change for over a decade. This report shows concern about climate change impacts has returned to record highs, large numbers of Australians are experiencing the impacts of climate change right now, and there is broad community support for alternative energy solutions.
Joëlle Gergis
This is playing out much faster than many of us scientists ever imagined
Fires are burning where they never used to burn
Greg Mullins
As climate change extends the bushfire season, the consequences are far-reaching.
Australia’s most liveable cities are only liveable for some [$]
Benjamin Clark
Australian cities’ celebrated ‘liveability’ is being hoarded by a lucky few. Until we focus on growing urban disparity, this won’t change for generations.
Everyone’s business: why companies should let their workers join the climate strike
Ian McGregor
Ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s will close its Australian stores for this month’s global climate strike and pay staff to attend the protest, telling customers “if it’s melted, it’s ruined”.
Graham Richardson
Technology can achieve great things but clever as the human race may be, it is no match for nature.
Time for PM to insert himself into energy [$]
AFR view
Rolling blackouts in Victoria would be the start of a much longer-lived crisis.
Why consumers need to pay to keep coal plants open [$]
Angela Macdonald-Smith
German consumers paid for eight coal power stations to be available for emergencies for four years. Australia may be heading the same way.
Victoria
Sacred trees protesters stop traffic over Western Highway duplication
More than 500 protesters stop traffic outside the Victorian Parliament to rail against the planned destruction of trees sacred to Aboriginal people in Victoria’s west.
Trees blocking the path to treaty [$]
A bitter dispute between indigenous groups over trees is threatening to derail Victoria’s treaty with traditional owners.
Rule switch planned to keep afternoon gloom out of parks, playgrounds
Melbourne has Victoria’s first lieutenant-governor, Charles La Trobe, to thank for the city’s substantial inner-ring parks; it was his vision that made Melbourne a garden city. But many of these parks are now facing a shadowy threat.
Outer suburb transport a priority for RACV [$]
The RACV is urging Infrastructure Australia to list Melbourne’s outer suburbs as a priority project, as the city’s population outgrows its transport networks.
Plans floated for $1.2bn, 550MW Gippsland solar and battery “energy park”
Victoria’s Gippsland region earmarked for massive $1.2 billion “renewable energy park,” that would combine up to 550MW of solar and 550MWh of battery storage.
New South Wales
Lids for limbs: Plan to print prosthetics for kids from recycled plastic
What started as a school project to make art from drink bottle lids has ended up with 3D-printed prosthetic limbs made from recycled plastic.
Strong winds to calm as bushfires continue to tear through northern NSW
Firefighters are facing improved conditions across northern NSW on Wednesday as they seek to get on top of two bushfires burning out of control.
‘Amplifying’: Sydneysiders match rural counterparts in water worries
Sydney residents are as stressed about fresh water supplies as their rural counterparts, and are almost as supportive of recycling water, including for drinking.
A plan to trap wild horses roaming the high country has been described as ‘too little, too late’
Wild horses roaming nearby alpine areas will begin to be removed and re-homed from the Kosciuszko National Park in the next four to six weeks ahead of the appointment of a community advisory panel to oversee the program.
State energy Minister Matt Kean says coal is here to stay [$]
The state government is prepared to legislate to embrace new coal mines and prolong the life of coal fired power stations in a move which will anger greenies but ensure power supply.
Trees can add $50,000 value to a Sydney house, so you might want to put down that chainsaw
Sara Wilkinson et al
Greater urban density is making it harder to preserve, let alone increase, tree cover. It’s vital, then, to demonstrate the full value of green infrastructure for healthy liveable cities.
Pollies learning the hard way about coal’s future [$]
Telegraph editorial
NSW environment minister Matt Kean is rightly prioritising reliable and inexpensive coal-delivered power over expensive and unproven renewables.
ACT
Meet air attack supervisor Nadia Rhodes, Canberra’s eyes in the sky this bushfire season
This incoming bushfire season, Nadia Rhodes will be Canberra’s eyes in the sky.
Canberra light rail stage 2A business case approved by ACT government
Work on stage two of Canberra’s light rail system could begin next year and include three new stops in the city and raising London Circuit, the ACT government says.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison gives Canberra’s light rail project support
Chief Minister Andrew Barr says Prime Minister Scott Morrison gave him an encouraging endorsement of light rail stage two, supporting the timely approval of the project.
Queensland
Council to subsidise water costs for Brisbane sports clubs
Sports clubs across Brisbane paying high water charges to keep their fields green can access grants of up to $5000 to help ease the cost, Brisbane City Council has announced.
‘Extreme, irrational’ ruling on mine overturned
One hundred and fifty coalminers could be redundant within days after a judge’s “extreme and irrational” feelings toward a mine expansion resulted in the project being sent back to square one after 12 years of legal battles.
Why Australia’s biggest battery said no to an offer too good to refuse
Giles Parkinson
Last week, the Queensland state government generation company CS Energy – which has been feasting on record earnings over the last few years – was offered considerably more than a single “wafer-thin” incentive to begin pumping water from what it says are the largest hydro machines in the country at its Wivenhoe pumped hydro storage facility near Brisbane.
South Australia
SA investment firm denies “water hoarding” during record drought
SA-based investment firm Duxton Water has denied allegations it is “hoarding” water at the expense of struggling farmers during this year’s punishing drought.
Ex-MP warns city council against Crows’ park lands HQ
Former Labor deputy leader Ralph Clarke has warned the city council against “being led down a path they will not be able to retreat from” over the Adelaide Football Club’s bid to build a multi-million dollar new headquarters at the site of the Aquatic Centre, branding it “commercial encroachment” on the park lands.
Thermal battery producer heats up storage market
CCT Energy Storage is on track to install its first commercial Thermal Energy Device (TED) at a mobile phone base station in Adelaide, South Australia, before the end of the year following an in principle agreement with an Australian infrastructure provider.
Biggest wind farm in Australia announced for Burra [$]
A new wind, solar and battery project will be revealed for South Australia’s Mid North today, bringing 300 construction jobs for each of its three stages.
Tasmania
Clean Up Local takes on Tailrace to help Tamar River health
The Clean Up Local crew were at it again, this time picking up litter and rubbish at the Tailrace Park on Sunday.
Sustainability
Japan may have to dump radioactive Fukushima water into the sea, minister says
The operator of the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is expected to run out of room to store radioactive water by 2022 and may have to dump it into the Pacific Ocean.
Climate explained: regenerative farming can help grow food with less impact
Troy Baisden
Regenerative agriculture has the potential to build production and reducing pollution, but it needs a clearer definition.
Future of electric cars: One common chassis, many range extenders
Alan Pears
A simple chassis that allows different bodies to be ‘plugged’ on will capture economies of scale, while range extenders provide a ‘security blanket’ to overcome range anxiety.
Nature Conservation
Climate crisis may be disrupting the ‘great orgy’ of coral spawning
Study finds breakdown in annual spawning synchrony in Red Sea, threatening some species with extinction
Can we save the world, one tree at a time?
Van Badham
The battlefront is not only to save the forests we have left, but to revegetate the spaces humanity has already taken over
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