Post of the Day
Coalition is aiming to change Australia’s environment laws before review is finished
Sussan Ley says work is already under way to speed up environmental assessments of projects
On This Day
Ecological Observance
National Arbor Day – USA
Coronavirus Watch
Confirmed cases: 6,661. Deaths: 75
Last Week: Confirmed cases: 6,468. Deaths: 63
In Wuhan, doctors are unsure why there is a growing number of cases in which people recover from COVID-19 but continue testing positive up to 70 days later without showing symptoms.
Easing of restrictions on the cards, Chief Medical Officer hints
The Chief Medical Officer spent nearly two hours answering questions from senators about Australia’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Here are all the key points you need to know.
Climate Change
Tackle virus and climate together: Thunberg
Greta Thunberg said that people need to tackle both the coronavirus pandemic and the climate crisis together.
What lockdown loneliness taught me about climate change
Lou Del Bello
A fast-changing world can be a lonely place. But can isolation during the pandemic give us clues about how to overcome the slow-burning crisis of climate change?
National
Coalition is aiming to change Australia’s environment laws before review is finished
Sussan Ley says work is already under way to speed up environmental assessments of projects
Santos calls for national strategic gas reserve [$]
Santos has urged the federal government to create an emergency stockpile of gas to help ride out potential supply shocks, as producers prepare for an oil price rout to be extended for months.
ESB paints future of two-sided electricity market – but what does it mean for consumers?
What. exactly, is a two-sided wholesale electricity market? And will it really be good for consumers, or just sound like it?
Wind, solar help push grid emissions to record low, prices to four year low
The huge additions of rooftop solar and large scale wind and solar projects combined to help drive emissions from Australia’s main grid to a record low in the first quarter, and helped push average wholesale prices to their lowest point in four years.
Angus Taylor can’t resist a deal, even amid a global pandemic [$]
Georgia Wilkins
As the bottom falls out of the global economy, Australia’s energy minister, ever the entrepreneur, has seen an opportunity.
Victoria
As climate heats up, burrows could help penguins stay cool
After hundreds of Phillip Island’s little penguins died of heat stress, artificial burrows are being used to protect them.
Action looms over ‘steep, unexplained’ spike in power plant pollution
Operators of coal-fired power stations in Victoria and NSW are facing legal challenges after new data revealed huge increases in dangerous pollution.
Portland aluminium smelter survives new Alcoa cuts
Victoria’s Portland aluminium smelter has survived the latest round of closure announcements by Alcoa, but the global aluminium and alumina giant warned shareholders on Wednesday night its business was being badly affected by the global economic downturn.
Solar Victoria expands battery rebate scheme to pave way for VPPs
Solar Victoria says it will expand its home battery rebate scheme starting July to encourage the aggregation of distributed battery systems and pave the way for VPPs in the…
New South Wales
NSW govt spends $20mln on urban parklands
The NSW government will spend $20 million to create new public spaces and cycle paths in Sydney’s inner west.
State government backs big batteries and solar to drive recovery
Residents will be able to install larger solar PV systems on roofs without council approval and NSW may get its first big battery as part of planning changes.
ACT
Million dollar bushfire recovery works provide boost for rural ACT
The ACT Government has brought forward major works to try to boost the economy as it flounders under the virus crisis.
Queensland
Queensland scientists develop new technology to prevent coral bleaching
Cloud brightening is a technique that could cool the oceans and prevent further coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef.
Proposed Queensland coal-fired power plant under cloud over emissions and financing
New information casts doubt on claims about environmental merit and commercial viability of Collinsville station
Brisbane backburn under way as bushfire memories flicker
The first of 35 controlled burns planned for Brisbane’s backburning season has started in 2.7 hectares of bushland at Drewvale near Logan.
South Australia
Illegal asbestos dump containing thousands of tonnes of waste to be removed
A month-long operation is about to begin near a small South Australian township to remove thousands of tonnes of contaminated waste more than two years after it was illegally dumped.
Tasmania
Weather permitting, the Parks and Wildlife Service will be conducting a 145ha fuel reduction burn.
Battery of the Nation plan to help state’s economic recovery [$]
Innovative power production, transmission and storage through pumped hydro developments can help Tasmania rebound from the economic blow delivered by COVID-19, a white paper shows.
Northern Territory
Southern states may get a drenching this winter but Australia’s Top End is having another dry wet season
As southern parts of Australia look set for a wet winter, the northern part of the NT is grappling with its second poor wet season in as many years.
Rehabilitating Australia’s notorious Ranger uranium mine: can it be done?
At the end of 2020, Energy Resources of Australia will embark on an ambitious five-year project to rehabilitate the Ranger uranium mine. The controversial mine must be restored to a standard that would allow it to be incorporated within the surrounding Kakadu National Park, but can it be done?
Sustainability
Blue skies over megacities: can they last?
Blue skies displacing the smog over megacities are one silver lining as lockdowns send economies into tailspin.
Overview collects photographs that show our impact on the planet
From parking lots to copper mines, Overview collects aerial photographs that show our impact on the planet.
Will the sustainable travel movement survive coronavirus?
Travel experts say the pandemic won’t stop environmentalists’ call for slower trips and fewer flights.
The race to design a rain jacket that won’t kill the planet
Outdoor apparel companies have been slower to remove harmful chemicals from waterproof jackets, as performance concerns keep them from going totally green.
Trump officials eye blocking uranium from Russia, China to help U.S. nuclear industry
Trump administration officials on Thursday recommended granting U.S. energy regulators the ability to block imports of nuclear fuel from Russia and China and detailed plans for setting up a government stockpile of uranium sourced from domestic miners.
Pollutionwatch: why has particle pollution increased under lockdown?
Air pollution from traffic has dropped but particles also come from gas heating and agriculture
Oil and gas methane emissions in US are at least 15% higher than we thought
Methane emissions are vastly undercounted at the state and national level because we’re missing accidental leaks from oil and gas wells, according to a new study.
Planet of the Humans review – contrarian eco-doc from the Michael Moore stable
Jeff Gibbs’ film, produced by Michael Moore, takes a pop at green, liberal A-listers such as Al Gore – but doesn’t dare criticise Greta Thunberg.
Heal the Earth: Flatten other curves
Dawn Stover
We need to flatten the curves of climate change, overpopulation, and overconsumption. Via COVID-19, perhaps Earth sent us all to our rooms to think about what we’ve done—and how we can fix it.
Will we build a better world out of the coronavirus recovery?
Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carna
Having experienced the social and economic trauma of this crisis, we should decide not to tempt our fate any further.
Nature Conservation
New research pours cold water on ‘insect apocalypse’ fears
New research has found that the average rate of insect decline around the world is much lower than has been previously reported, and some insect populations are actually increasing. But there is still cause to be concerned.
These 50 animals are in peril. Here’s how you can help
From conserving water to shopping more wisely, here are some simple tips to help save the world’s animals from extinction.
Don’t let those animal comeback photos fool you. Nature is still under siege
Spare the sentiment. It’s time to get angry about saving the earth.
UK coronavirus lockdown is good news for nature, bad news for nature reserves
While goats run riot in Welsh villages and Oyster Catchers flock to Norfolk shores, Britain’s lockdown is not all good news for wildlife.
National parks could become privatized. What does that mean?
The National Park Service shoulders a $12 billion deficit; some argue private companies should step in. Could COVID-19 affect the debate?
It’s time for a Project Drawdown for conservation
Leah Gerber
The organization Project Drawdown has done a great job of identifying and sharing the most viable solutions to climate change. We need to do the same thing for biodiversity.
Maelor Himbury
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