Date: 1 November 2019 at 8:48:20 am AEDT
Subject: Daily Links Nov 1
Post of the Day
Six biggest coalminers in Australia produce more emissions than entire economy
Big emitting companies should be held responsible for the burning of their coal overseas, report says
Today’s Celebration
Revolution Day – Algeria
Independence Day – Antigua and Barbuda
Druk Gyalpo Coronation Anniversary – Bhutan
D. Hamilton Jackson Day – US Virgin Islands
Day of the Dead – Mexico
Self-Defense Forces Commemoration Day – Japan
Arbor Day in Samoa
Revival Leaders’ Day in Bulgaria
All Saints’ Day – Western Christianity
International Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Awareness Day
Climate Change
Firm launches plan to reduce global carbon emissions
An international law firm has announced a plan to significantly reduce its global carbon emissions over the next decade, as part of its wider sustainability strategy and support of United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The dead can’t escape climate change
Climate change is a problem for cemeteries. Bigger floods flush coffins from their graves, headstones disintegrate in wildfires and melting permafrost swamps caskets.
How to understand natural disasters in a climate change age
How are we supposed to know which disasters are fated because of the stars, and which are fated because of 100 years of global CO2 emissions?
Two million-year-old ice provides snapshot of Earth’s greenhouse gas history
Two million-year old ice from Antarctica recently uncovered by a team of researchers provides a clearer picture into the connections between greenhouse gases and climate in ancient times and will help scientists understand future climate change.
Abrupt shifts in Arctic climate projected
Researchers project that as the permafrost continues to degrade, the climate in various regions of the Arctic could potentially change abruptly in the relatively near future. Their research also suggests that as the permafrost degrades, the severity of wildfires will double from one year to the next and remain at the new and higher rate for regions in the Northwestern Territories and the Yukon.
Spain offers to host UN climate conference after Chile cancellation
Spain has offered to host the COP25 UN climate conference in December after weeks of violent protests forced the Chilean government to cancel both the global environmental meeting and next month’s Apec trade summit.
Climate engineering should not be considered a public good, new research shows
According to researchers, including faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York, calling climate engineering a public good misrepresents the technical definition of a public good and doesn’t account for the potentially negative impacts of climate engineering.
Hail, cyclones and fire: Extreme weather risks on the rise
Sydney and Melbourne will likely be exposed to more intense hail storms, tropical cyclones will track further south and bushfire risks will rise in most of Australia as the climate warms, new research indicates.
National
Renewable energy target now overshot by nearly 1GW, says regulator
Australia has already overshot 2020 RET by nearly 1GW since accumulating enough completed and committed projects to meet the goal in late August.
Electric vehicles will drive 20-fold lift in battery storage capacity by 2030, says AGL
AGL says it anticipates a 20-fold increase in behind the meter battery storage capacity in Australia over the next 10 years, driven by the influx of electric vehicles which it says will account for half of all new car sales by 2030. And it intends to tailor its business accordingly.
‘Indulgent’ climate activists and boycotts threaten mining, Scott Morrison warns
The PM will use a speech to say he’s looking at ways to outlaw businesses from refusing to provide services like banking or insurance to the mining industry.
Right environment for sustainable investment
Sustainable investing is becoming far more prominent in the funds management community.
Six biggest coalminers in Australia produce more emissions than entire economy
Big emitting companies should be held responsible for the burning of their coal overseas, report says
Doubts remain as AGL embraces costly energy transition [$]
AGL is determined to adapt to the changing energy market but the market sees challenges ahead.
The science of drought is complex but the message on climate change is clear
Ben Henley et al
Drought has both natural and human causes, but deep cuts in our greenhouse gas emissions are urgently needed, regardless.
Richard Flanagan
The fairy penguins under my shack are gone, and soon the forty-spotted pardalotes and swift parrots will join them. Our children knew these birds; their children will not
Australia’s aluminium sector is on life support. It can and should be saved
Simon Holmes à Court
Technology and leadership could save thousands of jobs and accelerate Australia’s energy transition
Hewson’s view: Climate reality
John Hewson
The basic failing of the climate debate has been the at times overwhelming attempt to make the issue a political issue when it is not, and certainly shouldn’t be.
Our environmental laws should be judged by one outcome
Suzanne Milthorpe
On Monday, Environment Minister Sussan Ley launched the long-awaited statutory review of Australia’s beleaguered national environment law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Ms Ley has set streamlining regulation as the key test of success for the review. But by far the more enduring test will be whether the Australian government can deliver on its core responsibility to protect our wildlife and iconic natural places and end the major threats to their survival. Right now, it just can’t.
Investing in keeping lights on [$]
Australian editorial
As air conditioners are serviced, pool filters adjusted and freezers stacked for summer, the phrase “grid reliability’’ will resonate among households with grim memories of blackouts on sweltering days.
Victoria
Consortium proposes 80MW solar farm and green hydrogen facility in Victoria
Consortium seeks to leverage Govt funds to examine feasibility of hydrogen export facility near Portland in Victoria that could grow to a $1B investment opportunity.
Explainer: What is Victoria’s plastic bag ban and what does it mean for me?
Those thin plastic bags that shoppers have used for years are officially banned in Victoria from today. The new law prevents any person or business from giving away lightweight bags. So what does it mean for your weekly shop and what happens if you forget to bring your bags?
Instructor escapes ban on Grampians ban [$]
Parks Victoria has retreated from indigenous demands that a high-profile climbing instructor be banned from teaching in the Grampians National Park before mediation with traditional owners over her opposition to widespread bans in the region.
Mysterious bug spreads along Vic coastline
A flesh-eating bug has spread from the Mornington Peninsula to Victoria’s Surf Coast, prompting health authorities to roll out testing.
Police to review tactics after violent clashes with anti-mining protesters
Victoria Police will review the actions of specialist officers who are accused of using heavy-handed tactics during two days of violent clashes with protesters outside an international mining conference.
Protests mar mining talkfest where rival tribes aren’t listening
London-based Julian Treger tried to tell protesters in Melbourne why his latest copper investment was good for the environment. The conversation didn’t go well.
Meet the people behind the mining protests [$]
They glue themselves to sidewalks, hurl abuse and some have been accused of striking police horses. But they represent a diverse cross section of Melbourne and share a love for the environment. These are the people behind the mining protests.
Protesters win on points at IMARC [$]
Guy Rundle
Melbourne is becoming losing territory for climate destroyers. As the crisis intensifies, this kind of protest will be more and more common.
Five stops in, the train is already uncomfortably full…
Miranda Dawe
Twice a week, I board the 7:43am service from Lilydale train station towards Melbourne’s CBD. This service is a popular one, allowing commuters to arrive anywhere along the train line before 9am.
New South Wales
How Lord Howe Island went from 360,000 rodents to almost none in just four months
A controversial program to eradicate rodents from the remote island off northern New South Wales is declared a success, with the last of 22,000 baits being laid today — but residents won’t know for sure until another two years.
‘Rip the bloody thing up’: NSW threatens to withdraw from Murray-Darling plan amid drought
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro says he has asked for legal advice on whether the government can walk away from the plan.
Sydney choked by bushfire smoke until Sunday as air quality hits ‘hazardous’ levels
Northerly winds are blowing bushfire smoke into Sydney and health authorities are warning people to cut back or avoid outdoor activities.
Dingoes found in New South Wales, but we’re killing them as ‘wild dogs’
Kylie M Cairns et al
There is a myth that dingoes are extinct and wild dogs are all that remain in Australia. Our results show dingoes in New South Wales persist despite some mixing with domestic dogs.
Something fishy about dam water release [$]
Anna Caldwell
The release of water down the Lachlan River to save populations of fish and shellfish, instead of struggling farmers, is creating a political headache as the drought bites.
ACT
Just a few roadblocks to a two-wheeled life
Living in the inner north has its advantages if you want to go car-free, but even then, cycling can occasionally get just too hard.
Fyshwick not an appropriate area for waste handling, say local businesses
Two large waste-handling and transfer facilities planned for Fyshwick have raised the ire of the local business association.
Queensland
Adani opens Queensland solar farm and says it’s proof it “gets climate change”
Adani uses official opening of Queensland Rugby Run solar farm to stress that it “gets” climate change. Meanwhile, over in the Galilee Basin…
New green-energy supplier could cut Qld power bills by $70 a year, says Jackie Trad
As CleanCo comes on line, the Treasurer plays up its potential to cut power bills.
Elevated fast rail along M1 has ‘merit’: transport minister
Rail planners have been urged to think more strategically about fast train technology and the protection of potential south-east Queensland transport corridors from developers.
LNP’s multibillion-dollar plan to drought-proof Qld [$]
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has thrown down the gauntlet one year before the state election, with an ambitious multibillion-dollar scheme that would transform Queensland forever.
PM to read riot act to climate activists [$]
Scott Morrison will use a Brisbane visit to draw a line in the sand and put “apocalyptic” climate change activists on notice.
South Australia
Tilt says batteries next focus as wind earnings jump in Australia
Tilt says battery next development priority, as higher LGC prices and a halving in curtailment from South Australia lifts earnings in latest half.
Call to review policy allowing Crows’ park lands HQ bid
Adelaide City Council will consider banning companies from pitching developments on the park lands, as the Adelaide Football Club progresses with its bid to build a multi-million dollar headquarters on Park Two.
Residents evacuated as bushfire threatened Loxton [$]
Residents had to be evacuated after a bushfire threatened the town of Loxton overnight. The fire has now been contained, while a severe fire danger warning has again been issued for Metropolitan Adelaide and other parts of the state.
Tasmania
Hydro Tasmania pushes “battery of the nation” plan, will unlock wind and solar
Hydro Tasmania pushes “battery of nation” plan with new paper suggesting it could replace Yallourn and unlock thousands of megawatts of wind and solar projects.
Request to refer Ecclestone Road subdivision to environment department
A development application which seeks to clear about 13 hectares of land at Ecclestone Road has been asked to be referred to the Department of Environment and Energy.
Several shacks in Tasmania’s remote Central Highland are under threat from an out-of-control bushfire which has sparked an emergency warning.
Emergency warning for Interlaken and Lake Crescent [$]
The emergency warning for Interlaken and Lake Crescent has been downgraded to a watch and act alert as an uncontrolled bushfire continues to rage near Bothwell.
Reduce heights, rein in growth [$]
A report released today has found imposing strict building height in Hobart would likely stifle development prospects.
Northern Territory
The importance of leaving Uluru alone
Binoy Kampmark
Looking back on the history of Uluru, it’s clear as to why the decision to ban climbing is an important one.
Western Australia
What happens to an Australian coal town as the country turns to renewable energy?
Coal industry workers facing jobs cuts in Western Australia are demanding the federal government takes action to secure a future for regional communities. It’s going to be a long road ahead, those involved say.
Sustainability
Pollution is killing the young lungs: Doctors
It is the young lungs, especially under five years of age, that suffer the maximum damage when air pollution levels peak, say doctors.
Roundup weedkiller: 42,000 plaintiffs sue Bayer over glyphosate
Lawsuits against Bayer are on the rise over claims that the company’s weedkiller causes cancer. The legal cases have taken a toll on Bayer’s share price and reputation.
Oil and gas wastewater used for irrigation may suppress plant immune systems
A new Colorado State University study gives pause to the idea of using oil and gas wastewater for irrigation. The CSU team conducted a greenhouse study using produced water to irrigate common wheat crops. Their study, published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters, showed that these crops had weakened immune systems.
Pacific Island airlines sign up for carbon emissions reduction [$]
Despite the very real effects of climate change in the Pacific Islands, it took some convincing for local airlines to sign up to a carbon emissions’ reduction target.
Shedding new light on the charging of lithium-ion batteries
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have discovered a photo-excitation process that speeds up the charging of lithium-ion batteries. If commercialized, such technology could be a game changer for electric vehicles.
Promising discovery could lead to a better, cheaper solar cell
McGill University researchers have gained tantalizing new insights into the properties of perovskites, one of the world’s most promising materials in the quest to produce a more efficient, robust and cheaper solar cell.
Ghana’s government has faced significant backlash over the proposal.
New technique lets researchers map strain in next-gen solar cells
Researchers have developed a way to map strain in lead halide perovskite solar cells without harming them. Their approach can image the grain structure of a perovskite solar cell, showing that misorientation between microscopic perovskite crystals is the primary contributor to the buildup of strain within the solar cell. Crystal misorientation creates small-scale defects in the grain structure, which interrupt the transport of electrons within the solar cell and lead to heat loss.
Life on Earth is groaning under the weight of humanity. Do we hear it?
Robert Gebelhoff
Climate change never takes a pause; humanity’s excesses endanger Earth’s biodiversity. It’s time we recognized that we’re putting ourselves at risk as well.
Mind Matters: Doomsday Predictions
John Malouff
There is nothing like an approaching doomsday to help us appreciate life.
Nature Conservation
Fishery collapse ‘confirms Silent Spring pesticide prophecy’
Common pesticides found to starve fish ‘astoundingly fast’ by killing aquatic insects
Eek! Bat populations are shrinking. Here are a few ways to help
The tiny mammals are essential to human comfort; without them, we wouldn’t have things like avocados, chocolate, and tequila.
In Southeast Asia, illegal hunting is a more threat to wildlife than forest degradation
A new study suggests that for ground dwelling mammal and bird communities, illegal hunting using indiscriminate snares may be a more immediate threat than forest degradation through selective logging.
Environmentalist who first calculated the damage caused by clearing tropical rainforests to raise cattle for hamburgers
Microplastics are clogging the most remote corners of the Arctic
Plastics travel on ocean currents and through the air to the far north and accumulate—sometimes inside the animals that live there.
Now for something completely different …
Victorian dinosaurs may have headed to Queensland for a lifestyle change
Paleontologists in Victoria have unearthed dinosaur fossils that are almost identical to ones already discovered in western Queensland.
[Some things never change]