Daily Links May 28

Post of the Day

From today’s tragedy, let’s shape a new and valuable trajectory for people and our planet

Heather Grady

2020 was poised to be a “Super Year for Nature,” and it’s turned into a super year for pandemic instead. We can’t change what is – but with systemic thinking and action, we can change what will be.

On This Day

May 28

Ascension Day – Eastern Christianity

Coronavirus Watch

Confirmed cases: 7,139. Deaths: 103

Climate Change

Can planting a trillion trees stop climate change? Scientists say it’s a lot more complicated

Compared with cutting fossil fuels, tree planting would play only a small role in combating the climate crisis.

National

Could a ‘green army’ save not just the environment, but economy from COVID-19?

A coalition of groups want government stimulus funding for land care and environmental projects as part of the nation’s recovery from coronavirus

Cross-sector calls for clean energy in economic recovery plan

The Australian Energy Council, the Energy Efficiency Council and the Property Council of Australia are among fifteen major organisations from multiple sectors calling for investment in renewables in economic recovery measures to help build a stronger, cleaner post-pandemic Australia.

Renewables, gas or coal: Views sought on hydrogen ‘certification of origin’ scheme

The federal government is seeking views on the creation of a ‘guarantee of origin’ for hydrogen to track emissions and identify its source – wind, solar, gas or coal.

Morrison government has not modelled a zero emissions scenario

Morrison government has not modelled the economic impact of transitioning to a zero emissions economy, despite signing up to such a target under the Paris Agreement.

Prickly pear may soon be able to shed its weed image

Some types of prickly pear are considered a weed, but a researcher, who is also a farmer, believes there are potential health benefits from the plant that need to be explored.

Hundreds of species at risk of extinction after Australia’s Black Summer bushfires

More than 300 animal and plant species listed as threatened nationally were in the path of the Black Summer bushfires, with many at risk of extinction now.

When “the science” defies common sense and ignores real expertise

Mark Poynter

Recently, front page headlines in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald screamed “Logging likely had significant effect on summer fires: scientists”.

The Australian government has officially given up on climate action

Ketan Joshi

The ‘Technology investment roadmap’ is not about the presence of technology. It is about the absence of consequences.

Australia, you have unfinished business. It’s time to let our ‘fire people’ care for this land

David Bowman and Greg Lehman

The bushfire royal commission will look at incorporating Aboriginal knowledge into mainstream fire management. But in practice, what does that mean?

Victoria

Victoria’s Cohuna solar farm complete, joins queue for commissioning

Cohuna solar farm now complete and awaiting commissioning, as contractor Tempo says it is looking for more opportunities in the solar space.

State logging in endangered possum’s habitat broke law, court rules

Environmental lawyers say the case involving the critically endangered Leadbeater’s possum sets a precedent by applying federal threatened species protection law to the native forest logging industry.

Wildflowers project blooms for World Environment Day

It is World Environment Day on 5 June and a great time to celebrate the progress of one of Brimbank’s blooming conservation projects to re-introduce wildflowers in the Buckingham Reserve Urban Ecology Zone, in Sunshine West.

New South Wales

Huge Uungula wind project edges closer in NSW renewable energy zone

CWP Renewables lodges development application for 400MW wind farm proposed for NSW central-west Renewable Energy Zone, hoping for construction to begin in 2021.

Spark looks to expand Bomen solar farm and add big battery, wind also on horizon

Spark looks to add battery storage to Bomen solar farm, and expand capacity, and is also on lookout for wind and solar projects as international developers retreat from market.

Sydney beaches close as plastic containers, face masks wash ashore

Popular beaches across Sydney are covered in debris from shipping containers which fell off a cargo ship over the weekend, and swimmers have been warned larger items may still be submerged in the water.

‘Dinosaur trees’ partly damaged by bushfires but saved from ‘catastrophic’ destruction

The critically endangered prehistoric Wollemi Pines — whose location is a closely-guarded secret — suffered minor damage from last season’s fires but escaped major destruction.

Hazard reduction burn in Bundjalung National Park

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is conducting a hazard reduction burn on the 28 and 29 of May in Bundjalung National Park.

The 9-hectare burn will be carried out 17 kilometres south of Evans Head.

Manyana bushland clearing halted as protest group launches federal court challenge

Developer Ozy Homes agrees to stop works and allow ecological experts to assess unburnt site

Queensland

Brisbane’s ‘spaghetti mess’ bikeways to be better connected as number of cyclists surge

There’s been 1 million more people using Brisbane’s bikeways since lockdown began, with some popular routes seeing traffic increase by 90 per cent, as coronavirus steers people away from public transport.

Pop-up bike lanes proposed for Brisbane CBD

The proposal, detailed by Bicycling Queensland, was presented to the council and the state government.

Huge costs bill hits activist group ahead of High Court hearing

New Hope Group is chasing an activist group for $700,000 in court costs as both sides ready for a High Court hearing next week.

South Australia

Gupta solar farm to employ innovative construction method to save ‘bonsai forest’

A new technique to preserve native vegetation and reduce dust will be rolled out during construction of the 280MW Cultana Solar Farm in South Australia.

Council opts for open space over shopping expansion [$]

For the past two years, Modbury residents have rallied against a plan to sell part of a local reserve for a shopping centre expansion. Last night, their council sided with them.

Ambitious rainbow trail to connect Parklands [$]

A colourful walking, running and cycling trail has been proposed to link the Adelaide Parklands, with bridges and tunnels, decorative lighting, wi-fi and CCTV cameras for safety.

Western Australia

Pansy remembers a time before iron ore. Now she’s fighting for what’s ‘rightfully ours’

Western Australia’s Pilbara region has been home to Pansy Sambo’s ancestors for centuries. But its mineral-rich expanses have now brought bitter community division and court dates. The latest, with billionaire Andrew Forrest’s company FMG, is set to play out in the High Court tomorrow. 

Rio Tinto just blasted away an ancient Aboriginal site. Here’s why that was allowed

Samantha Hepburn

It’s a devastating loss, but the destruction of a culturally significant Aboriginal site is not an isolated incident. Rio Tinto was acting within the law.

A sacred site showing 46,000 years of continual occupation and it’s completely legal to blow it up

First Dog on the Moon

Destroyed by people who probably don’t know who their ancestors were 300 years ago

Sustainability

Public parks guaranteeing sustainable well-being

An international team has demonstrated the fundamental importance of public parks based on nine “protected needs” that are essential for our well-being.

Coronavirus crisis slashes energy spending by most on record

The COVID-19 crisis has sparked the biggest fall in global energy investment in history with spending to plummet 20 per cent or $US400bn ($602bn) in 2020 in a move set to derail the shift to renewables, the International Energy Agency said.

Tired of plastic? These businesses have ideas for you

Companies are developing alternatives to single-use plastic, and with options including seaweed and mushroom tissue, consumer interest isn’t disappearing, even during the coronavirus pandemic.

American cities are built for cars. The coronavirus could change that.

Wider sidewalks and no-car zones are the new hot commodity. They could even help businesses reopen.

How corporations make pandemics deadlier

Lethal new diseases are springing up at alarming rates, and modern globalized capitalism is behind it.

Bayer said to reach deals on many of 125,000 Roundup suits

Bayer AG has reached verbal agreements to resolve a substantial portion of an estimated 125,000 U.S. cancer lawsuits over use of its Roundup weedkiller, whose active ingredient is the chemical glyphosate.

The remarkable power of the prickly pear

A stalwart of the Mexican landscape is finding a second life powering up buildings in the desert, and it is proving to be an unusually sustainable biofuel.

The demise of oil may have been greatly exaggerated

Andy Critchlow

The pandemic sent shockwaves through the oil industry but there are reasons to believe the worst has passed.

From today’s tragedy, let’s shape a new and valuable trajectory for people and our planet

Heather Grady

2020 was poised to be a “Super Year for Nature,” and it’s turned into a super year for pandemic instead. We can’t change what is – but with systemic thinking and action, we can change what will be.

Nature Conservation

Research: ‘Substantial quantities’ of microplastics from tyres contaminating rivers and oceans

Vehicle tyres have been confirmed as a leading source of microplastic pollution in the ocean and rivers, according to scientists.

A new plan for the Amazon

Saving the Amazon rainforest is not just about raising alarms but also about finding ways to make harvesting its trees more profitable than tearing them down.

Forests vs. climate change: Researchers race to understand what drought means for the world’s trees

We’re already seeing signs of accelerated forest mortality around the world. And it’s not just arid regions that may see forest die-offs, new research finds.