Daily Links Mar 24

Peter Boyer’s South Wind prescription for post-Corona: we must renounce the ludicrous fictions on which capitalist economics is based: small government, endless growth, limitless wealth and the trickle down effect. And Mikel Jollett is onto it – how about the Gerry Harvey Shih Tzu Park?

Post of the Day

Coal exit benefits outweigh its costs

Coal combustion is not only the single most important source of CO2 — accounting for more than a third of global emissions, but also a major contributor to detrimental effects on public health and biodiversity. Yet, globally phasing out coal remains one of the hardest political nuts to crack.

 

On This Day

Mar 24

Feast of Blessed Oscar Romero – Catholicism

 

Ecological Observance

National Tree Planting Day – Uganda

 

Climate Change

Water is an under-used weapon in climate change fight, UN says

With water use rising by 1% a year, cutting down could help curb climate-heating emissions, says World Water Day report.

 

How the virus has hit the climate movement: Bill McKibben

The Tyee talks to the prominent activist and author about fighting on two fronts.

 

National

Bushfire royal commission to push ahead despite coronavirus outbreak

The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements is pushing ahead with its work but revising arrangements due to coronavirus health measures.

 

COAG’s new reliability threshold spooks renewables industry, regulators respond

Energy regulators provide clarity via Twitter as COAG introduces new reliability trigger that had solar and wind farm operators worried.

 

Solar, battery storage in demand as Coronavirus encourages shift to “self-reliance”

The COVID-19 impact on Australia’s solar and storage sector may not be all bad, particularly as homes and businesses look for ways to cut energy costs and increase self-reliance.

 

‘Time for discipline’: Santos cuts back as oil crash wipes billions

Santos, one of the nation’s largest oil and gas producers, has slashed its spending by $550 million and delayed a major new project in northern Australia as the worsening coronavirus outbreak and oil price crash rock the global energy industry.

 

Ancestor of all animals identified in Australian fossils

A team led by UC Riverside geologists has discovered the first ancestor on the family tree that contains most animals today, including humans.

 

Investing in a more sustainable energy future

Tim Buckley

With the economy coming to a stall, the Federal Government should remap Australia’s energy landscape

 

Morrison needs to be smarter, more creative, more sustainable with Covid-19 response

Giles Parkinson

It hasn’t taken much time for the Coalition government to dump everything it said was dear to its ideology in the face of Covid-19. Budget surpluses gone, Newstart allowances boosted, even the nationalisation of airlines is not ruled out.

 

Dumping the fictions and embracing real economics

Peter Boyer

The viral pandemic is opening doors to a new, reality-based economics.

 

Hypocrisy of our youthful indifference [$]

Renee Viellaris

The inconvenient truth is there for all to see: Many of our younger generation are happy to berate on climate change but ignore the crisis unfolding now.

 

Victoria

New seating rules on Melbourne’s buses and trams to curb virus spread

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union is calling for stricter measures for frontline transport staff.

 

Gas backflip puts national food bowl at risk

Fergus O’Connor

The Victorian State Government has announced that it will lift its ban on conventional onshore gas exploration and drilling – and for farmers like me, that’s bad news.

 

New South Wales

Push to get taxpayer funds for Vales Point coal plant upgrade rejected

Plant part-owned by Trevor St Baker was registered with emissions reduction fund but review said it should not qualify

 

Cotton farmers guilty of water theft during NSW drought [$]

One of the state’s biggest cotton-growing families is expected to fight fines of up to $500,000 after being found guilty of illegally pumping the equivalent of around 720 Olympic swimming pools from the battling Barwon River.

 

Queensland

North Queensland needs a new link to unlock massive wind and solar resource

There are strong arguments for a new link to unlock the massive wind and solar resources in north Queensland.

 

Schrinner to go it alone on first two green bridges if he is re-elected

The lord mayor said if re-elected he would fully fund the first two green bridges, at Kangaroo Point and Breakfast Creek.

 

South Australia

Control versus inertia: Lessons from South Australia’s latest separation

Latest separation of South Australia grid puts questions around use of synchronous condensers, and rule changes appear to have made big batteries less effective.

 

Murray irrigators brace for low flow [$]

Murray water users are questioning the looming allocations despite higher rainfall in the past month.

 

Indigenous people call this place ‘Big Evil’. Standing at ground zero, it’s easy to see why

Mike Ladd

Outback South Australia still bears the scars of nuclear bomb tests that took place six decades ago. Visiting ground zero, I discovered lesser known parts of this history — like Project Sunshine, which involved exhuming the bodies of babies.

 

Tasmania

‘Heavy heart’: Airwalk forced to close again [$]

The owner of the Tahune Airwalk says he is still the “supreme optimist”, despite being left with no choice but to close the major tourist attraction and stand down staff just three weeks after reopening.

 

Western Australia

COVID-19 bans on Kimberley, regional areas flagged [$]

New restrictions barring West Australian travellers from entering the Kimberley — and potentially other regional areas — are under consideration and could be in place within days.

 

Sustainability

Electric cars produce less CO2 than petrol vehicles, study confirms

Finding will come as boost to governments seeking to move to net zero carbon emissions

 

What’s more hygienic – hand towels or air dryers?

Studies have found hand dryers can disperse pathogens into the air. But does this really matter for the average person?

 

Banks are still funneling billions of dollars into fossil fuels

Bank financing for companies that are planning new coal, oil, and gas extraction increased 40% from 2018 to 2019, despite warnings that we need to stop burning these fuels.

 

A new low-cost solar technology for environmental cooling

A study conducted by the Politecnico di Torino (Italy), in collaboration with the National Metrological Research Institute (INRiM) and recently published on Science Advances, proposes a new technology for space cooling. No electricity is needed, but rather salty water possibly produced exploiting solar radiation

 

Coal exit benefits outweigh its costs

Coal combustion is not only the single most important source of CO2 — accounting for more than a third of global emissions, but also a major contributor to detrimental effects on public health and biodiversity. Yet, globally phasing out coal remains one of the hardest political nuts to crack.

 

Concrete solutions that lower both emissions and air pollution

Air quality and climate change intertwine in unexpected ways; a concrete example

 

Nature Conservation

‘A manatee is worth more alive’: the mission to save Africa’s sea mammals

Once branded ‘rogue animals’, the elusive creatures were on the brink of extinction, but hope is rising for their survival

 

The good news about reforestation efforts

Forests cover about one-third of the world’s land area — an expanse that has been dwindling for decades. But many countries are undertaking ambitious efforts to bring back the trees.

 

New debate over just how much the chytrid fungus affecting is affecting amphibians

Scientists agree that amphibians are in trouble. But a battle over the details underscores a larger debate within the scientific community.

 

UM scientists play a direct role in identification of forests for protection in Borneo

An international team of researchers, including two from the University of Montana, are working to help identify priority forest areas for protection on Borneo.

 

Arctic light pollution affects fish, zooplankton up to 200 metres deep

If artificial light shines into the Arctic Ocean during the polar night, does it matter? A new paper in Communications Biology says the answer to this is a strong yes.

 

Counteracting a legacy of extinctions

Now a new study, comparing the traits of introduced herbivores to those of the past, reveals that introductions have restored many important ecological traits that have been lost for thousands of years.

 

Pangolins And Pandemics: The Real Source Of This Crisis Is Human, Not Animal

Thom van Dooren

Our dysfunctional relationships with animals and the broader environment are creating the conditions for disease like COVID-19. We can only expect more to come

 

Make way for the zombies of the sea

Asta Bowen

Oceans are warming, starfish are dying, and purple sea urchins are taking over.

 

Now for something completely different
6 strategies to juggle work and young kids at home: it’s about flexibility and boundaries

Ruchi Sinha

Flexibility and planning are key to managing boundaries if you’re working from home and have to look after kids.

 

State-by-state: how Australia’s new coronavirus rules will affect you

Sunanda Creagh and Wes Mountain

The regulations clearly proscribe some activities but are silent on others. So we asked two infectious disease researchers to reflect on some common scenarios.

 

Coronavirus: how to access the medicines you and your family need

Nial Wheate and Andrew Bartlett

Pharmacies are essential services and will remain open, but some people will still have problems accessing medicines. Here’s what you can do.

 

 

 

Maelor Himbury

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