Post of the Day
Coronavirus stimulus plans are an opportunity for bold climate action, experts say
Governments and financial institutions should incorporate climate change action into their COVID-19 economic recovery plans, said the head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol.
On This Day
Naw Ruz – Baha’i
Ecological Observance
Climate Change
Coronavirus stimulus plans are an opportunity for bold climate action, experts say
Governments and financial institutions should incorporate climate change action into their COVID-19 economic recovery plans, said the head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol.
Germany has an unholy new alliance: climate denial and the far right
Bernhard Pötter
The AfD are using the climate crisis strategically to distance themselves from the established parties
National
Australia sleepwalking to an even bigger financial disaster: $283 billion cost
As Australia grapples with the economic fallout of COVID-19, an even bigger financial disaster is on the horizon, with drug-resistant bacteria set to cost the nation up to $283 billion by 2050.
Smoke from Australia’s bushfires killed far more people than the fires did, study says
Poor air quality contributed to 400 deaths and more than 4,000 hospital attendances, research in Medical Journal of Australia shows
Energy giants enact disaster plans to keep lights on in pandemic
Australia’s big energy generators are escalating crisis-response plans across their operations as concerns deepen about the threat of a coronavirus outbreak in their workforces jeopardising the country’s power supply.
COAG forms Energy Coordination Mechanism to oversee COVID-19 response
Energy ministers establish new “Energy Coordination Mechanism” to meet weekly and ramp-up reliability standard to manage coronavirus response.
Australia’s population grows by 1.5 per cent
ABS Demography Director Beidar Cho said: “The population at 30 September 2019 was 25.5 million people, following an annual increase of 371,100 people.”
There’s nothing like a crisis to remind us to listen to the experts
Crispin Hull
Let us not, in six months’ time, praise a government for acting decisively on expert advice in response to the COVID-19 crisis without asking the more important question: why don’t governments act on expert, impartial advice all the time? Or at least respect it and let it be the major consideration?
The case for Endgame C: stop almost everything, restart when coronavirus is gone
John Daley
Although unpleasant, stopping almost everything for eight to twelve weeks might be the best way to bounce back quickly.
Gas is burning any hope of science-based climate policy for Australia
David Shearman
The argument that Australia’s LNG is good for global emissions – pushed by Santos chief Kevin Gallagher – cannot be substantiated.
Covid and climate: Can Morrison listen to experts to flatten that “other” curve?
Sophie Vorrath
Here’s the good news. Prime minister Scott Morrison is not, it turns out, against listening to the experts and taking heed of their advice.
Victoria
Government steps in to stop ‘reckless’ council taking ‘wrecking ball’ to award-winning street
The Victorian Government seizes control of a Geelong street in order to stop the local council spending $2 million to rip up parts of an award-winning green spine project.
Brimbank calls for Land Contamination Taskforce for Melbourne’s West
Council is calling on the State Government to take a western region-wide approach to addressing legacy contamination issues impacting the people of the West.
Tourist sites shut as Victoria’s virus tally reaches 150
Five of Victoria’s top outdoor tourist attractions are now closed to visitors as the state’s coronavirus case total tops 150. It follows the global pandemic’s spread to the state’s regional centres, while a slight glimmer of hope is emerging from the chaos.
Queensland
Miners exposed to more dust than previously thought, study finds
From working on site all day, to sleeping at camp or a nearby town, coal miners are being exposed to more harmful dust than previously thought, according to new analysis.
Queensland’s CleanCo cleared to sell electricity directly to large users
The Queensland government-owned CleanCo has received approval from the Australian Energy Regulator to provide retail electricity services to large commercial and industrial customers from its growing portfolio of renewables…
Brigalow, the little solar farm that could, sending power to grid in Queensland
The Impact Investment Group-owned solar farm that fought the Queensland government in the Supreme Court is now sending power to the grid.
Viral meltdown a win for the green Left [$]
Des Houghton
Greens politicians must be exceedingly happy at the coronavirus crisis gripping Queensland and the world.
Tasmania
Wind output overtakes hydro power for first time in Tasmania
Wind output overtakes hydro for first time in Tasmania as state Liberal government plots path to “200 per cent” renewables.
Northern Territory
All non-essential travel to 76 remote NT communities banned
All non-essential travel to 76 Indigenous communities in the NT will be banned under new travel restrictions that may also require remote residents to self-isolate before returning home
‘Closing Uluru climb was a mistake’, says ex-ranger [$]
It was a decision that captivated the nation and brought thousands of people to the Red Centre for their final chance to climb Australia’s most iconic rock. And now the man who oversaw much of that says it was wrong.
Sustainability
Why not encourage cycling during the coronavirus lockdown?
Bikes allows people to maintain isolation but provide important respite from being indoors
India’s power plant stocks reach record levels even as electricity demand weakens
India has experienced a landmark 25TWh reduction in coal-fired power generation in India, highlighting speed of the energy transition, and its reduced reliance on imports.
We broke the rules – and coronavirus is our punishment
Elizabeth Farrelly
We know what the rules are. And we break them at our peril. When we attack nature, eventually nature fights back.
A pandemic, planetary reckoning, and a path forward
10h Paul R. Ehrlich
In addition to great concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m also disappointed.
Nature Conservation
Mexico’s deadly toll of environment and land defenders catalogued in report
At least 83 murdered in 2012-2019, with a third of attacks targeting opponents of energy mega-projects
‘Nature is taking back Venice’: wildlife returns to tourist-free city
With the cruise ships gone and the souvenir stalls closed, the coronavirus lockdown has transformed La Serenissima’s waterways
Plastic pollution’s rapidly mounting toll
The number of marine species affected by plastic is over 900.
With temperatures rising, can animals survive the heat stress?
A growing number of studies show that warming temperatures are increasing mortality. Researchers warn that heat stress could become a major factor in future extinctions.
Why did Ecuador’s tallest waterfall suddenly disappear?
Experts hypothesize that the hydroelectric plant located upstream is indirectly related to the waterfall’s demise.
Now for something completely different
What makes coronavirus worse than the flu?
No, coronavirus is not ‘just like the flu’. Here’s why.
Why six is the magic coronavirus number [$]
As Australian governments undertake unprecedented peace time civil and economic interventions, what is the key number to track to see how successful all the measures are? Health experts say it is the doubling rate — the time in days it takes for the number of people infected to double. In Australia our doubling rate is tracking at between three and four days. In simple terms, the initial aim is to get that doubling rate up to about six days.
Maelor Himbury
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