Date: 29 August 2020 at 9:03:08 am AEST
Subject: Daily Links Aug 29
Post of the Day
The pandemic is forcing us to rethink the future of cities
John Kemp
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of densely populated cities with crowded accommodation and public transportation systems to the transmission of airborne viruses.
On This Day
Day of Ashura – Islam
Ecological Observance
Arbor Day – Argentina
International Day Against Nuclear Tests
Coronavirus Watch
Confirmed cases: 25,448. Deaths: 583
Climate Change
Another Trump term would mean severe and irreversible changes in the climate
David Roberts
No joke: It would be disastrous on the scale of millennia.
Jeff Goodell
Maybe it’s just a failure of human imagination to understand what is coming.
National
Rapid fall to parity predicted for Australian renewable hydrogen costs
ANU study says cheaper solar and wind, combined with falling costs for electrolysers, will mean green hydrogen will soon beat fossil fuel alternatives.
“Crazy”: How Taylor plans to co-opt CEFC funds into unprofitable gas projects
Legislation reveals how Angus Taylor will co-opt one of Australia’s most successful clean energy investment bodies to pour taxpayer funds into unprofitable gas projects.
“Chaos and confusion” as regulators fast-track rules to switch off solar PV
The Clean Energy Council has warned of “chaos and confusion” in the rooftop solar industry, particularly in South Australia where authorities are scrambling to define and put in place new standards and protocols to help manage the growing share of rooftop PV.
Younger adults call capital cities home
Adults aged 20 to 49 years accounted for just under half (45 per cent) of the population living in Australia’s capital cities in 2019, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The hearings to debate the future and fate of Australia’s cats
Your pet cat may seem harmless. But each domestic cat kills, on average, 73 animals each year. And they’re just the tip of the iceberg.
‘Taking an eraser’ to Australia’s wildlife: ad blitz planned to fight environment law
Coalition accused of ‘breach of faith’ as it seeks to introduce almost exact replica of failed Abbott government legislation
First-generation Australians are the changing face of the climate fight
Migrants are no stranger to adaptation, as making a new home is no small feat. But now they’re being challenged to adapt again as Australia’s changing climate throws up new pressures.
2020 Electricity statement of opportunities: A report for the National Electricity Market
Australian Energy Market Operator
The Electricity Statement of Opportunities (ESOO) forecasts electricity supply reliability in the National Electricity Market (NEM) over a 10-year period to inform decisions by market participants, investors, and policy-makers.
As states negotiate transmission debacle, it’s radio silence from the Feds
David Leitch
Federally, there is no policy, no plan for policy, and no decent process for policy development. Neither is there much support for all the work everyone else does.
More bushfires, less volcanoes: young Australians need to learn about more relevant disasters
Annette Gough and Briony Towers
In a recent survey, 64% of youths said they’ve experienced bushfires, heatwaves and drought in the past three years. But 88% believe they’re not taught to protect themselves and their communities.
Tony Abbott and the ‘people’s revolt’ against Gillard’s climate policy [$]
Margot Saville
In her new book ‘The Carbon Club’ Marian Wilkinson exposes the truth behind Australia’s inaction on climate change.
Changes to environment laws and clean energy funding make the Coalition’s plan clear
Fiona Armstrong
While the federal Health Minister has his hands full with the COVID-19 pandemic, his cabinet colleagues are quietly at work making his job much harder.
Ending animal exploitation in circuses
Emma Hurst
With Melbourne back in lockdown, many of us are dreading the prospect of having to do the same. But for animals in circuses, every day is a day in “iso”.
Scaremongering on population doesn’t help anyone
Crispin Hull
There was more fearmongering, self-serving and flawed guesstimates over population this week – this time from the quintessential accountant and consultant to big business and government, KPMG.
Despite bats being critically important to our ecology AND adorable, we treat them with disdain
First Dog on the Moon
We don’t want them in our parks and nice places because they behave like the wild animals they are
Victoria
Australia’s first commercialised native edible fungus has a ‘sweet lobster flavour’
The first native Australian mushroom to be commercialised, named snowflake, is becoming a hit with top chefs in Melbourne, says mushroom forager and grower John Ford.
List of Melbourne suburbs affected by storm-contaminated water grows to 99
Hundreds of thousands of households are being told to boil their water after storms yesterday caused widespread damage to Melbourne and parts of Victoria, including water infrastructure.
AGL says floating gas project won’t hurt wetlands on Mornington Peninsula
The floating gas plant will see up to 180 Olympic swimming pools worth of chlorinated water discharged every day into Western Port, with AGL admitting it will exceed safe levels for marine life.
Victoria’s summer bushfire clean-up complete [$]
Drone footage has revealed an amazing transformation across Victoria’s bushfire-ravaged regions, with the clean-up of more than 700 properties razed this summer now complete.
Tunnel boring machine breaks through at Parkville Station [$]
A massive 1100-tonne tunnel boring machine has broken through at the site of the future Parkville Station in another milestone for the Metro Tunnel project.
New South Wales
Little bug tracker schoolkids a boost for biodiversity
Sydney schools students have teamed up with scientists to track bees, butterflies for biodiversity project.
‘Big alarm bell’: Concerns as half the state’s bushfire plans years out of date
Critical plans meant to protect communities from bushfires are years out of date for nearly half of NSW, including bushfire-prone parts of Sydney.
Sydney could soon lose its title as Australia’s most populous capital
But Population Minister Alan Tudge has cautioned growth is likely to be lower for longer with the government now set to focus on attracting “job-making migrants” to help rebuild the economy.
Greens MP cleared of failing to obey police because ‘he never said no’
Greens MP David Shoebridge and two other climate protesters arrested outside Kirribilli House last year have had their charges dismissed, after a magistrate found they were not given sufficient time to respond when they were directed to move on.
Battle weary: as fire season looms, volunteers still coping with the last one
While a political battle over the findings of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry brews, those who survived last summer’s fires are still processing what happened.
ACT
National Wattle Day blooming in Canberra next week – where to celebrate the golden icon
The golden stands beaming from the bush in and around Canberra are a reminder spring is almost here, as is National Wattle Day, a celebration of Australia’s floral emblem.
Construction under way on Australia’s largest community-owned solar farm
Canberra will soon be home to Australia’s largest community-owned solar farm.
Queensland
Shine Energy gets ‘first milestone payment’ of $3.6m grant for Collinsville coal plant
Move comes despite warnings payment prior to disallowance vote on controversial grant could be ‘improper’
Adani quietly rebranding Abbot Point terminal as company hit with $107m damages bill
Queensland supreme court says company engaged in ‘unconscionable conduct’
Plastic straws, knives, forks to be thrown out for good in Queensland
Disposable plastic straws, plates and cutlery are close to being banned in Queensland after a parliamentary committee gave the proposal the green light.
Straddie millionaires furious over land clearing [$]
Destruction of bushland behind Point Lookout’s most sought-after street has angered residents, who fear the island is becoming lawless.
Tipping point: Just 1 per cent off new water restrictions [$]
Southeast Queenslanders will be encouraged to cut water usage to 150 litres per person per day if dam levels fall just one more per cent.
Adani’s civil action drags it deeper into a battle where nobody wins
John McCarthy
Even if Adani wins its civil action against one of its most vocal critics, the controversial miner will lose in the court of public opinion.
South Australia
Renewable alternatives set to slash industrial gas use – sooner rather than later
University of South Australia team says its own R&D – and that of many others – on renewable heat-to-power technology will slash industrial gas use by up to 80%.
Tasmania
The draining of Waratah Dam may make locals angry, but ‘it’s in a very poor condition’
A timeline for the decommissioning of Waratah Dam in Tasmania’s north-west is released, showing it will take years, and continuing to anger locals who want to save it.
Long-hidden Tasmanian tiger pelt comes to light, reveals new secrets
The well-preserved pelt of a thylacine, kept in a draw for decades, is unearthed to reveal the “rich” beauty of the now-extinct carnivore.
A report summarising the views of close to 150 Tasmanians who were part of the Thriving Tasmania virtual conversation series has called for a greater emphasis on sustainability, technology, inclusion and innovation as part of the state’s recovery plans now and over the long term.
New Tassie program led by artists set to showcase our best walks [$]
The Tasmanian Walking Company and the Handmark Gallery are offering a unique wilderness experience to walk in nature and get creative with acclaimed artists
54,000-strong population of wild deer labelled ‘sustainable’
Tasmania’s massive wild deer population may have left out the exclusion of the World Heritage Area, but critics are questioning whether the feral population is sustainable.
Media release – Guy Barnett, Minister for Primary Industries and Water
The Tasmanian Liberal Government has significantly strengthened Tasmania’s cat management arrangements through amendments which were passed by the Lower House today.
Tall trees lured me from Silicon Valley to Huon Valley. Why does Tassie not promote its giants? [$]
Yoav Daniel Bar-Ness
Trees lured me from the land of the redwoods but Tasmania still plays down its wonders.
Northern Territory
Bats to blame for big jump in power outages caused by wildlife
Power outages caused by wildlife have almost tripled this July and August, the Power and Water Corporation has reported – and bats appear to be the main culprits.
Western Australia
Marcia Langton calls for reparations for Traditional Owners following Juukan Gorge destruction
Professor Marcia Langton has called for Rio Tinto to apologise to its staff following the destruction of 46,000 year-old rock shelters at Juukan Gorge, and for Traditional Owners to receive reparations for the destroyed cultural heritage.
Calls for high-level ‘personnel changes’ at Rio Tinto after Juukan Gorge destruction
Top anthropologist has serious concerns about mining firm storing 7,000 Aboriginal heritage items in a shipping container
Pipeline near WA’s Ningaloo ‘on hold’
Environmentalists have claimed another victory in their bid to protect the world-heritage listed Ningaloo area in Western Australia after a proposed oil and gas pipeline was delayed until 2021.
The fight for the future of the Pilbara
Robert Wood
While some regard the Pilbara as a site rich in iron ore, we must remember the importance of the land as sacred to Indigenous Elders.
Sustainability
Environmental impacts of the cut-flower industry
Carbon emissions associated with cut-flower production can be as high as 3kg CO2 per flower. Why not grow your own?
Move over, sustainable travel. Regenerative travel has arrived
Can a post-vaccine return to travel be smarter and greener than it was before March 2020? Some in the tourism industry are betting on it.
The 3 scariest chemicals to watch out for in your home
They’re everywhere and can impair fertility and interfere with child development.
The pandemic is forcing us to rethink the future of cities
John Kemp
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of densely populated cities with crowded accommodation and public transportation systems to the transmission of airborne viruses.
Bleak milestone: 500 major fires detected in Brazilian Amazon this year
The number of fires in the Brazilian Amazon has risen dramatically in recent weeks.
How Mauritius is cleaning up after major oil spill in biodiversity hotspot
The spill released a new type of low-sulfur fuel, and its ecological effects aren’t well studied.
481 and counting: Norway’s whaling catch hits four-year high
Norway continues its commercial whaling operation despite the IWC placing a global moratorium on commercial whaling in 1982.
Maelor Himbury
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0432406862
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