Daily Links Mar 25

Very sound arguments here for the post-Corona period, assuming that we have leaders with wisdom and sustainability in mind. Here is a chance to banish the very concept of the ‘efficiency dividend’, so beloved of neo-liberals, that has diminished the public sector and our institutions. In fact, here is the chance to banish neo-liberalism. 

Post of the Day

Where pandemics come from — and how to stop them

As biodiversity disappears, the risk to human health increases. Experts say we need to protect wild spaces and species to help prevent future outbreaks.

 

On This Day

Mar 25

Feast of the Annunciation – Western Christianity

Ugadi – Telugu/Kannada Hinduism

 

Climate Change

Greta Thunberg says it’s ‘extremely likely’ she has had coronavirus

Activist says she self isolated and warns young people to take the outbreak seriously

 

Scientists just discovered a massive new vulnerability in the Antarctic ice sheet

The Denman Glacier is retreating into the deepest undersea valley in all of Antarctica. Nearly 5 feet of sea level rise are at stake.

 

U.N. shifts from climate change to coronavirus

The novel coronavirus pandemic is now the world’s top priority. Climate change will have to be put on the back burner, for now.

 

Impact of climate change: Bangladesh may see more floods

A UN report titled “World Water Development Report 2020” said apart from flooding, Bangladesh will also be the country worst hit by droughts due to increased concentration of pollutants and low-quality groundwater sources.

 

National

Solar, batteries, micro-grids and ISP should be added to Covid-19 response

Clean Energy Council adds voice to calls for Covid-19 response to include projects that deliver long term benefits, such as rooftop solar, batteries, and micro-grids.

 

Energy Insiders Podcast: Covid-19 and the electricity grid

Is there a better way to respond to Covid-19? Economist Matt Grudnoff on why the government stimulus package should lock in secondary benefits, the type you get from renewables.

 

Matt Canavan billed taxpayers $5,390 for charter flight to attend coalmine opening

The former resources minister used the occasion to give a speech attacking ‘self-indulgent’ environmentalists

 

When we rebuild our economy, we must do it with sustainability in mind

David Ritter

The bones of our nation’s future will be set by our response to the coronavirus.

 

Victoria

Solar and battery project delay reveals knock-on effect of Coronavirus

Approval of 200MW solar farm and battery storage project proposed for north-western Victoria delayed after council meeting postponed in response to Covid-19.

 

Wind industry calls on Victoria to set “bold” science-based emissions targets

Australian wind power heavyweights call on Victoria to stick to the science of limiting global warming to 1.5°C when setting state’s interim emission reduction targets.

 

Call to scrap rego and myki, charge commuters for how far they travel

Car insurance, registration and myki fees should be replaced with a pay-as-you-go system in a major shake-up of transport pricing aimed at easing peak-hour congestion on roads and railways.

 

Expensive, polluting and wasteful: Why more gas won’t help Victoria

Bruce Robertson

Times have changed, but the influence of the gas lobby hasn’t. We need a better plan for Victoria than reliance on a fossil fuel long past its use-by date.

 

New South Wales

Watchdog recommends water prices to rise and fall with dam levels

Sydney water bills would rise and fall along with dam levels causing a typical household’s bill to drop by as much as $120 a year when dams were more than 60 per cent full.

 

ACT

ACT government finally seal West Basin land deal, give up massive Curtin site in return [$]

The ACT government has finally sealed the deal which paves the way for the long-awaited redevelopment of the West Basin waterfront.

 

Queensland

Genex said to be “days away” from off-take deal for Kidston pumped hydro

Reports suggest Genex Power is days away from inking an offtake deal for its 250MW Kidston pumped hydro project in northern Queensland.

 

Go off the grid with The Veronicas [$]

Brisbane’s hottest sister act have gone off the grid at their new home – and are now showing fans how they can too.

 

Big changes for Brisbane public transport [$]

From today there will be big changes to how Brisbane commuters use public transport, in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus.

 

Northern Territory

Santos delays $8bn gas project as prices plunge [$]

Santos has delayed development of its $US4.7bn ($8bn) Barossa gas project and slashed spending for 2020 after describing the plunge in oil prices and rout in markets from coronavirus as a “one-in-100-year event”.

 

Kakadu and Uluru to close [$]

Parks close Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Parks will be closed to the public from Thursday 5pm

 

Western Australia

Woodside cuts 500 jobs at WA gas plants, Chevron considers cuts

Woodside Petroleum has cut up to 500 jobs at its Western Australia gas plants in the latest sign of strife for Australia’s energy industry as it grapples with the fallout from coronavirus and plunging oil prices.

 

Sustainability

Global offshore wind capacity hits 29GW after record 2019

The global offshore wind industry installed an impressive and record 6.1GW of new capacity in 2019, bringing the global total up to 29GW.

 

The fight to curb a health scourge in India: Noise pollution

A grassroots anti-noise movement aims to silence a serious urban health threat. Not everyone is on board.

 

Covid-19 economic rescue plans must be green, say environmentalists

Campaigners urge governments to tie any bailouts to aviation and cruise industries to requirements for climate action

 

How we can redesign cities to fight future pandemics

 “Buildings have to be the secret weapon in the future to combat infectious diseases.”

 

Could synthetic fish be a better catch of the day?

Start-ups are growing fish “meat” in labs and say it will be competitive with fish from the sea.

 

Giving up carbon for Lent

Some Christians have made the commitment to limit their consumption in service of the Earth, rather than themselves.

 

Overworked, underpaid and lonely: Conservationists find a new community online

Created by a 26-year-old Australian, a new online community called Lonely Conservationists is bringing together young and struggling conservationists.

 

Nature Conservation

Twin ring-tailed lemurs born at Chester zoo

Numbers of endangered primate thought to have shrunk by half in the last 36 years

 

Pablo Escobar’s ‘cocaine hippos’ show how invasive species can restore a lost world

Descendants of the drug lord’s pets bear similarities to extinct megafauna

 

Oil exploration at odds with peatland protection in the Congo Basin

A new report details an investigation led by the investigative NGO Global Witness into the exploration for oil in the world’s largest peatlands, found in Central Africa’s Congo Basin.

 

Could tribal honey hunters help save the bees and improve India’s food security?

With climate change and pesticide abuse threatening bee population across the world, the Nilgiri tribal people are following tradition to further bee conservation.

 

Where pandemics come from — and how to stop them

As biodiversity disappears, the risk to human health increases. Experts say we need to protect wild spaces and species to help prevent future outbreaks.

 

Africa’s mountain gorillas also at risk from coronavirus

As the coronavirus infects more people around the world, conservationists are warning of the risk to another vulnerable species: Africa’s mountain gorilla.

 

Now for something completely different
How to help keep your home free from coronavirus

As households prepare to bunker down across Australia, attention has turned to the best ways of protecting homes from coronavirus.

 

Pull the other one: drinking hot water and other dangerous myths about the virus

Chris Cooper

There’s a load of fake news about coronavirus, much of it spread with good intentions. We need Facebook and other platforms to answer to regulators.

 

Working from home: what are your employer’s responsibilities, and what are yours?

Robin Price and Linda Colley

Working from home changes your relationship with your workplace, but not the obligations you and your employer owe each other.

 

 

 

 

Maelor Himbury

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