Post of the Day
Don’t rush to compromise on Australia’s environment
Suzanne Milthorpe
Last week, federal Labor announced it was willing to cut a deal with Prime Minister Scott Morrison to slash approval times for major projects under Australia’s national environment law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. But a fast decision is not the same as a good one.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
Coronavirus Watch
Confirmed cases: 7,461. Deaths: 102
Coronavirus fight enters ‘phase 5’, but experts look ahead to what comes next
With cases on the rise again in Victoria, COVID-19 has delivered a sharp lesson in vigilance. But thoughts are already turning to the future, as health experts turn their focus to what comes next.
Rethinking your living arrangements because of COVID-19? Don’t forget this
Making a tree-change, sea-change, or adding a home office in an extension? Make sure you take this into consideration before you commit.
Climate Change
Why climate change is a race issue
Black, brown and indigenous people around the world are already bearing the brunt of the environmental crisis, showing how racial and climate justice are inseparable.
Slip-up reveals Chevron ties to architect of climate attack
An audacious messaging campaign accused white environmentalists of hurting black communities by pushing radical climate policies. It accidentally left a trail leading to Chevron.
National
Koala recovery plan five years overdue as populations are ‘smashed’
A recovery plan to help bring koala populations back to health is five years overdue, despite warnings from experts that new research shows the species faces fresh challenges to cling on to its remnant habitat.
Vehicle emission gains stall even as electric car sales leap ahead
Improvements in the carbon emissions intensity of new cars sold in Australia have all but stalled, with a shift to large pick-up trucks mostly nullifying a leap in demand for electric cars.
Miners back roadmap to reduced emissions [$]
The lobby group representing Australia’s largest resources companies will commit to “decarbonising” the economy as it stares down pressure from its members to take more action on climate change.
Australia’s summer of extremes pushed grid to the limit, AEMO says
Australia’s energy operator says the electricity grid barely made it through last summer’s extreme temperatures and bushfires without major outages, with resilience to be further tested in the future.
The coal curse: fuelling division on land rights and climate change
Judith Brett
The fight against Indigenous land rights gave fossil-fuel miners the weapons and the political influence to divide and conquer on climate change.
Don’t rush to compromise on Australia’s environment
Suzanne Milthorpe
Last week, federal Labor announced it was willing to cut a deal with Prime Minister Scott Morrison to slash approval times for major projects under Australia’s national environment law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. But a fast decision is not the same as a good one.
Rooftop solar panels help power national energy grid
Audrey Zibelman
In the time it takes to finish your morning coffee, another Australian household will have connected a new rooftop solar photovoltaic system and effectively removed itself from daytime grid demand.
How to avoid cars clogging our cities during coronavirus recovery
Iain Lawrie and John Stone
As COVID-19 restrictions are eased, cities face crippling congestion if people shun crowded public transport. More frequent and faster services, using innovations like pop-up bus lanes, can avoid this.
Judith Brett
The federal government has shown during the pandemic that it is prepared to impose great financial burdens for the sake of our health. We need them to do the same for another crisis: climate change.
Ban on toxic mercury looms in sugar cane farming, but Australia still has a way to go
Larissa Schneider et al
Australia has failed to ratify an international treaty to reduce harmful mercury emissions. Mercury exposure can cause kidney damage and brain impairment, especially in children.
Victoria
Yarra River ‘safeguarded’ against overdevelopment
The Planning Minister has approved tough controls along the riverbank to impose mandatory height limits.
Hazelwood ‘pit lake’ proposal lacks environmental tick: residents
Gippsland residents have urged the state’s planning minister to order an environmental assessment of a proposal to turn the vast Hazelwood mine pit into a lake, which would take up to 25 years to fill and require almost twice the amount of water Melbourne consumes in a year.
Foreign ownership of Victorian water hits whopping high
A shocking report has revealed just how much of our water is now owned by overseas interests, with China continuing to buy up to buy up precious Australian resources.
New South Wales
Endangered native mouse survives Australian bushfires
More than 90 per cent of the habitat of the Smoky Mouse was destroyed by the Australian bushfires.
How Sydney is returning to work, step by sterilised, staggered step
More of us would be keen to return to the office if it didn’t involve public transport, an ABS survey has shown.
Sydney Harbour parklands have been a great deal for taxpayers, so why not finish the job?
Linda Bergin
A growing Sydney needs to treasure its Harbour parklands. Completing the job must be a priority.
Lack of transparency plagues planning approval process
David Paull
NSW Government’s recent decision to approve additional longwall coal mining directly under a major Sydney water catchment has again highlighted serious institutional failings that have plagued NSW planning for over a decade.
ACT
A possible sacred Indigenous site is about to be cleared to build 200 homes and a private tennis court
Ngambri man Shane Mortimer says the foothills of Mount Ainslie in Canberra are an important men’s business site, but developers are about to clear it to build a series of apartments.
South Australia
Besieged power grid on brink of blackouts [$]
We always knew summer was going to be risky for power supply. Now market analysis shows increasing breakdowns of power plants and connectors – and how we’ll need to shore up the system to stay on for the next summer.
Flood project told to ‘re-look’ at plan to axe trees [$]
A $25.5 million plan to raze about 120 trees in the parklands has been sent back to the drawing board in another set back to the Brownhill Keswick Creek upgrade project.
Spike in COVID trash sounds environment alarm [$]
Life in lockdown has caused a Christmas holiday-level spike in landfill rubbish and now households are being urged to pick the right bin to help the environment – and even create jobs.
Tasmania
Launceston City Council looks to ban single use plastics by 2022 [$]
UTAS Stadium will become the first sports stadium in Tasmania to make the permanent switch to reusable beer and wine cups if the City of Launceston council passes a new policy phasing out single use plastic on Thursday.
Council considers $5m kunanyi proposal [$]
A contentious new visitor centre for Mt Wellington will be among the agenda items discussed at Monday’s Hobart City Council meeting.
Sustainability
Even the oil giants can now foresee the end of the gasoline age
The fall in fuel use during the pandemic has caused Shell and BP to fundamentally reappraise their future profitability
Pope says coronavirus should spark new environmental awareness
The drastic reduction in pollution during coronavirus lockdowns around the world should lead to greater concern for the environment as restrictions are lifted, Pope Francis said on Sunday.
Farmed shellfish is not immune to climate change
Touted as a sustainable source of protein, shellfish aquaculture may reach a tipping point by 2060.
Environmental racism scholar on pollution as ‘violence’
Ingrid Waldron never expected to collaborate with a famous actress on a Netflix movie about environmental racism.
The transition to green energy has dirty side effects for human rights
The global transition to renewables could lead to human rights abuses and risks exacerbating inequalities between the West and the developing world.
Climate council urges Macron to hold referendum on making destruction of nature a crime
A citizens’ council set up by President Emmanuel Macron to explore measures for cutting carbon emissions urged the French leader to hold a referendum on making the destruction of nature a crime.
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