Date: 11 October 2019 at 8:52:01 am ACDT
Subject: Daily Links Oct 11
Post of the Day
Energy bills will have to rise sharply to avoid climate crisis, says IMF
Fund says governments could use money to help vulnerable people or invest in green energy
Today’s Celebration
People’s Uprising against Fascism Day – North Macedonia
Arbor Day – Namibia
General Pulaski Memorial Day – USA
International Day of the Girl Child
Climate Change
Revealed: top UK thinktank spent decades undermining climate science
Institute of Economic Affairs has links to 14 members of Boris Johnson’s cabinet
How vested interests tried to turn the world against climate science
For decades fossil fuel majors tried to fight the consensus – just as big tobacco once disputed that smoking kills
Carmakers among key opponents of climate action
Lobbying in US and Europe has tried to block and delay moves to cut emissions, study shows
Climate crisis: what the carmakers have to say
Firms including Ford and BMW respond to data about how they are exacerbating the crisis
Energy bills will have to rise sharply to avoid climate crisis, says IMF
Fund says governments could use money to help vulnerable people or invest in green energy
It’s no accident that girls are leading the climate movement
Niamh O’Connor Smith
Girls possess a valuable quality of encouraging people to use their voices for what they believe in and empowering others around them. Not every girl has to lead, but through the many conversations they have every day, they spread the message and make people believe in a power everyone possesses inside of them.
Why Greta Thunberg going radical won’t help the planet [$]
Leonid Bershidsky
The Swedish teen’s climate message could end up as incoherent as the anti-globalist movement. That will not be good for the environment.
Climate sceptics are just as crazy as Extinction Rebellion [$]
David Penberthy
There’s a word for the gaggle of self-styled iconoclasts cherry picking or ignoring research to suit their own agenda. It’s time we call these cultists out for what they are.
National
Climate protesters accused of brushing off disability concerns
Extinction Rebellion protesters say they will take on board concerns that their demonstrations are disproportionately affecting people with disabilities, as police use power tools to separate activists in Melbourne and Brisbane.
Climate change a bigger danger than sexism and poverty, Australian girls warn
The ‘Greta effect’ is taking hold among young women and girls who say they aren’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in.
‘Sensible settlement’ or ‘strong action’: Labor divided on carbon emissions
Senior Labor figures are divided over whether the party should wind back its carbon emissions targets to match those of the Coalition moving forward.
Mining firms worked to kill off climate action in Australia, says ex-PM
Kevin Rudd says industry still has huge influence in a country beset by climate policy torpor
Josh Frydenberg refuses request for RBA deputy to speak on climate change
Queensland government had asked for Guy Debelle to speak to meeting of state treasurers on climate and monetary policy
Minerals Council says it will release a ‘climate action plan’ next year
‘A leopard doesn’t change its spots,’ says activist investor group, dismissing plan as effort to play for time
ACCC chief blows open rift with energy suppliers [$]
Suggestions from Rod Sims that electricity suppliers are delaying investments to keep power prices high have been rejected by companies and investors.
Analysts warn on energy’s ‘slippery slope of intervention’ [$]
Leading energy analysts warned lobbying by ‘rent-seeking’ gas buyers raised the risk of government intervention which would threaten investment in new supply.
Interventions push up power bills: Engie [$]
The CEO of the French-owned energy group has warned that an increasing amount of ”ad-hoc” intervention by the federal government is a bad sign for investors.
Investors say price uncertainty is driving up costs [$]
The Investor Group on Climate Change has called for a “narrowing of the spectrum of uncertainty” in energy investment.
Local market disconnected from global reality: BP [$]
The tyranny of distance melded with policy inertia on production driving many of the problems in eastern Australia’s gas market set it apart from the rest of the world.
BHP stares down climate pincer movement [$]
Church, Mammon and climate lobby push BHP on its association with the Minerals Council of Australia.
No ‘silver bullet’ to fix energy affordability crisis: ACCC’s Rod Sims
Rod Sims says energy companies must shoulder blame with policymakers for Australia’s energy affordability crisis, but there is no easy solution to spiralling power bills.
This is the indoor plant almost everyone in Australia has bought
The most popular plants in Australia show very little variation between the states, apart from the Northern Territory.
Peter Dutton wants disruptive climate protesters to foot the bill for diverting police resources [$]
Peter Dutton wants disruptive climate protesters to foot the bill for diverting valuable police resources and hopes “a lot” of them will be arrested today if protests continue.
Political ‘peace’ on climate helps industry [$]
The Australian Industry Group has welcomed Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon’s calls for a “sensible settlement” on climate change, declaring the opposition’s adoption of the government’s 2030 emissions reduction target would be “extremely helpful”.
It’s time to end the energy blame game [$]
Chanticleer
EnergyAustralia chief executive Catherine Tanna is right to call for a moderate, thoughtful tone to solve what are big and crucial problems. But as these challenges become more urgent, it seems the solutions get further away.
When energy tribes fight, the big stick rules [$]
AFR view
A truce that sees energy and climate policy reconciled can’t be reached. Creeping re-regulation is the result.
Labor feels the heat in climate change grudge match
David Crowe
No issue can undermine party unity quite like climate change.
On every street, bridge or train track, Extinction Rebellion fails the test
Madonna King
Our democracy has been built on protest.
These minnows would besmirch the names of giants [$]
Henry Ergas
“Extinction rebellion” is not a protest against governments — it is a protest against the voters who elected them. And its message to those voters is as simple as it is manifestly undemocratic: adopt our policies or we will make your life impossible.
Hewson’s View: Morrison will have to act on waste and fuel
John Hewson
While the Morrison government has a “tin ear” when it comes to acknowledging the substance of the climate protests, and Morrison himself was even prepared recently to address the UN falsely claiming that Australia had basically dealt with the climate challenge, there are a couple of specific issues that are reaching crisis proportions the solution of which can indeed significantly reduce emissions, while also boosting our growth and jobs, particularly in regional Australia. These issues are waste and fuel security and Morrison simply can’t ignore them.
BoE chief Carney warns companies not to ignore climate reality [$]
Richard Gluyas
Australia should pay heed to Bank of England governor Mark Carney’s increasingly strident message on climate change, or risk being left behind as transition costs to a net-zero emissions world inevitably escalate.
Coal miners and urban greenies have one thing in common, and Labor must use it
Fabio Mattioli and Kari Dahlgren
Labor will not win an election by cozying up to coal or weakening its climate target. Instead, it must find the common ground uniting workers in the cities and the regions – job insecurity.
A little more confusion added to the climate policy debate
Michelle Grattan
The climate policy has become an article of faith within Labor, and among many supporters. It’s also a policy that in the election split voters Labor needed, attracting some but driving away others.
Time for tough decisions on dams [$]
Keith Pitt
It is time for the Commonwealth to take charge of delivering critical infrastructure and the first step in my view is to establish a new government-owned corporation whose sole job is building dams.
Extinction Rebellion has media frothing at the mouth [$]
Kishor Napier-Raman
It’s not just Kerri-Anne. The Australian media has had an overtly hostile response to the climate activists.
Victoria
E-waste social enterprise wins Premier’s Sustainability Award
The Premier’s Recognition Award was won at last night’s Premier’s Sustainability Awards by Enable Social Enterprises for their work employing disadvantaged people in a successful e-waste business.
Sunraysia doing its part to combat climate change with EUAs
Mildura Rural City Council is leading the way with its Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUA) program with 280 kilowatts of solar panels now installed on commercial and agricultural properties within the municipality.
Climate protests enter fifth day with blockade at mining giant offices
Climate activists are continuing their week of protests in Melbourne with a blockade at the global headquarters of mining giant BHP in the middle of the CBD.
Slow down: Plans for new 40km/h speed zones across inner-city suburbs
Melbourne City Council is set to expand 40km/h speed zones across inner-city suburbs including a 60km/h stretch of Lygon Street.
Radical council plan to drive cars out of Melbourne CBD [$]
Pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users would get priority and inner-city streets would be restricted to 40kmh under a radical City of Melbourne proposal to cut the number of cars coming into the city by 50,000 a day.
New South Wales
Group involved raising of Warragamba Dam accused of links to ‘questionable’ projects
A company involved in the controversial plan to raise Warragamba Dam has “an established history of abusing Indigenous rights across the globe”, according to a group non-government organisations and environmental bodies from across Asia.
Scott Ludlam has strict bail conditions dismissed after Extinction Rebellion arrest
A magistrate has torn up bail conditions imposed on ex-Greens senator Scott Ludlam that had banned him from being involved in Extinction Rebellion protests.
Elderly couple confirmed dead in ‘catastrophic’ NSW bushfires
An elderly couple has been confirmed to have died in the devastating blazes that destroyed at least 21 homes in northern NSW.
Rescue program for significant Central Park trees
A rescue program will begin tomorrow to save nationally significant trees in Armidale’s Central Park, using recycled water and a number of water-saving measures.
Coalmine would take 3.3bn litres of water a year from Sydney catchment, agency warns
WaterNSW says South32’s proposal to extend Dendrobium mine could cause cracking in the walls of two dams
Sydney’s T6 train line to close early next year
Sydney’s T6 Carlingford heavy rail between Parramatta Road and Carlingford will close permanently on January 5, 2020 to allow for the construction of the new Parramatta Light Rail.
Queensland
Protesters stage mock funeral and block streets as Extinction Rebellion hits Brisbane CBD again
Police arrest dozens of people in Brisbane’s CBD as protesters stage a series of demonstrations which include dumping a catamaran on George Street and holding a mock funeral outside State Parliament.
Fracking fears grow for rivers in Queensland’s channel country
Labor pledged to reinstate ‘wild rivers’ protections, but is yet to follow through, angering Indigenous and environmental groups
Serial protester to face court, 33 others arrested in Brisbane
Brisbane protester Eric Herbert locked himself to a car at the base of the Queensland.
Extinction Rebellion protester Eric Serge Herbert will face charges on Friday after locking himself to a car for five hours.
‘Asking politely hasn’t worked’: railway climate activist
The man who chained himself to train tracks in Brisbane says he acted alone out of frustration over climate change.
Another firm cuts ties with Adani over Qld mine
Cardno will no longer work with the company, saying the Carmichael mine is ‘a contentious issue’ for its customers and staff.
Heavy rainfall to help douse bushfires
Rain forecast for the end of the week could give firefighters some reprieve from about 30 bushfires still burning across the state.
Jobs in renewables sector Labor’s interim climate focus, says Plibersek
Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek says her party must press home the benefits of job creation in the booming renewables energy sector as it debates its future climate policy in the fall-out from its May 18 federal election loss.
Time for tough decisions on dams [$]
Keith Pitt
It is time for the Commonwealth to take charge of delivering critical infrastructure and the first step in my view is to establish a new government-owned corporation whose sole job is building dams.
South Australia
Rising tides could spark need for coastal retreat [$]
Suburbs around Port Adelaide face stark storm surge risks as sea levels rise over the next century. And SA is missing key equipment to measure what’s happening.
Government surges on with GM crop reform [$]
Regulations allowing genetically-modified crops to be grown in South Australia have been gazetted – but a disallowance motion could still throw a spanner in the works.
Dancing climate rebels unleash the Nutbush [$]
Adelaide’s small contingent of Extinction Rebellion climate protesters were out again today. This time with a peaceful song and dance on Flinders St.
Rubbish behaviour is pushing up costs [$]
Days after East Waste suggested fines for people putting their rubbish in recycling bins, they’ve shown how much the problem is increasing.
Tasmania
New coal mining exploration is getting support from the Tasmanian Government, but some farmers say they are not being adequately informed about potential developments on their land.
Tasmanian Fire Service to conduct Legana reduction burn
The burn will start on Saturday, weather permitting.
Angus Taylor announces microgrid studies funding
Small and remote Tasmanian communities might benefit from a $50 million scheme to investigate new power generation options.
River raking trial not a waste of money: state government
A raking trial of the Tamar River estuary, which did not work, was necessary to understand the complexities and issues, the state government say.
Firefighters union calls for remote team extraction plan to be completed
If a major bushfire happened tomorrow Tasmania Fire Service would not be ready, a key union says.
Western Australia
First Australian farmer sues Monsanto, claiming Roundup caused his cancer
For the first time in Australia, a farmer is taking legal action against Monsanto — the manufacturer of Roundup — claiming it caused his cancer.
Water use spikes amid record dry conditions, but no new desal plant confirmed for WA
A sharp rise in water use has prompted warnings from a former WA state water minister that the Government may need to bring forward construction of a desalination plant, putting significant upward pressure on household water bills.
New WA lithium plant whirs to life but expansion plans still on ice
Nestled in picturesque state forest in the middle of WA’s South West region, Talison’s Greenbushes lithium mine has been a quiet achiever compared to its bigger iron ore cousins to the north.
Equinor to explore for oil, gas near WA’s Dorado discovery [$]
Norwegian energy giant Equinor has joined the hunt in WA’s rich North West Shelf oil and gas region, picking up acreage near Santos’s Dorado discovery and suggesting it may seek to boost its presence on the open market.
Don’t disrupt our lives to make a climate change point [$]
Basil Zempilas
Yes, climate change to some degree is probably real. But most of us don’t think the world is about to end. And we most certainly don’t want our daily lives held to ransom.
Sustainability
Feel blue? See green: How spending time in nature can improve your mental health
Growing amounts of research suggest spending time in nature can improve your mental health, but it’s not always easy to escape to the wilderness in this modern world.
Oil firms to pour extra 7m barrels per day into markets, data shows
Projected production surge in next 12 years to be led by Shell despite climate crisis
Nobel recognises transformative battery technology benefits billions [$]
The batteries developed by scientists who have won the Nobel prize have made storing energy from renewable sources more feasible.
Nature Conservation
Mysterious Brazilian oil spill could be ‘criminal,’ Bolsonaro says
Brazilian officials are investigating the source of an oil spill spanning 1,500 kilometres of Brazil’s northeast coast.
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