Post of the Day
The world’s richest one per cent emit more carbon pollution than the poorest half of humanity
New research reveals that just 63 million people – the world’s richest “one per cent” – took up nine percent of the carbon budget since 1990.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
National Tree Day – Canada
Meat Free Week (until Sep 27)
Coronavirus Watch
‘The risk is real’: Scientists warn Parkinson’s Disease could ‘explode’ after COVID-19
The loss of smell and taste are worrying COVID-19 symptoms because they indicate possible damage to the brain. Researchers are warning the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a “wave” of serious conditions like Parkinson’s disease in the future.
Climate Change
High temperatures shrink Arctic Ocean ice cover to near-record levels
Ice in the Arctic Ocean melted to its second-lowest level on record this summer, triggered by global warming along with natural forces, say US scientists.
‘Warlike footing’ needed to tackle climate change, warns Prince Charles
A long-time advocate for nature, the British royal said climate change was rapidly becoming a “comprehensive catastrophe” that would dwarf the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has faced off against National leader Judith Collins in their first televised debate before the 17 October election.
The world’s richest one per cent emit more carbon pollution than the poorest half of humanity
New research reveals that just 63 million people – the world’s richest “one per cent” – took up nine percent of the carbon budget since 1990.
Action on climate change divides on party lines in the United States. As the election nears, the two presidential candidates have opposing stances.
China pledges to become carbon neutral before 2060
Unexpectedly forthright pledge will boost UN efforts to galvanise action on climate crisis
Meet the doomers: why some young US voters have given up hope on climate
Politically active young people are often championed as the Earth’s great hope to reverse the climate crisis – but many believe we’ve already passed the tipping point
This won’t be the climate election after all. So what?
This could have been the year of the first real climate change election. It probably won’t be. But at least some environmental advocates are not sweating people being focused on other priorities.
Noam Chomsky’s Climate Crisis and the Green New Deal takes on capitalism and politics
Several books on the Green New Deal have been released in the past year or two, but none boasts a more illustrious set of authors than Climate Crisis and the Green New Deal, by Robert Pollin and Noam Chomsky.
New soil documentary promises a powerful solution to the growing effects of climate change
The makers of ‘Kiss the Ground’ explain how our actions to improve soil and food in the next 20 years will shape a thousand years of human civilization.
Climate explained: humans have dealt with plenty of climate variability
Frédérik Saltré and Corey J. A. Bradshaw
We have had to adapt to several changes to our climate since we started our migration out of Africa many thousands of years ago.
In the UK, climate isn’t a political issue. That’s a problem
Daniel Judt
We cannot tackle the climate crisis on the sly. We must change our lives, and how we propose to do that becomes, unavoidably, a question about what kind of society we wish to create and how we wish to create it.
National
Scathing assessment of Australia’s readiness for bushfires and floods heard at royal commission
The former director-general of emergency management delivers a scathing assessment of Australia’s readiness for bushfires and floods. He also warns the nation is “past a tipping point”, with natural disasters now far more common.
Turnbull lashes Government’s energy plans as ‘crazy’ and ‘fantasy’
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says the Government’s focus on a gas-led economic recovery is “a fantasy” and “crazy stuff”.
Medical groups are urging Greg Hunt to include climate change in 10-year health strategy
Medical groups are astonished climate change isn’t mentioned in the consultation paper to develop a 10-year national preventative health strategy.
Technology without a target isn’t climate action
In response to the federal government’s Technology Investment Roadmap, Australian Conservation Foundation climate change program manager Gavan McFadzean said: “The goal of net zero emissions by 2050 is backed by every state and territory government, the federal opposition and every major industry body, including the Australian Energy Council, Business Council of Australia, Australian Industry Group and National Farmers Federation, yet the Morrison government refuses to set a destination for its roadmap.”
Labor commits to ‘environmentally sustainable’ gas development
Party’s draft platform backs ‘science-based and safe’ gas development amid internal division over energy policy
Morrison’s rejection of 2050 net zero emissions target is at odds with Paris agreement, experts say
Australia’s commitment to limit global heating to between 1.5C and 2C requires a mid-century net zero target, according to latest science
Censored: Australian scientists say suppression of environment research is getting worse
Survey finds that many researchers are banned from speaking about their work or have had their research altered to downplay risks.
Energy Minister Angus Taylor defends investing in ‘controversial’ carbon capture technology
Energy Minister Angus Taylor has defended plans to invest potentially billions more taxpayer dollars in carbon capture and storage technology, amid criticism it has failed to live up to its promise.
Explainer: How does carbon abatement work?
Peter Brewer
Australia’s continuing reliance on coal and gas to provide its baseload energy comes at a cost to our greenhouse gas emissions.
Technology-led plan to lower emissions, lower costs and support jobs
Media release – Angus Taylor
The Morrison Government is committed to investing in the next generation of energy technologies that will deliver lower emissions, lower costs and more jobs.
By 2020 standards, Angus Taylor’s low-emissions technology statement is not really a climate policy
Adam Morton
Australians are just expected to trust the minister and his advisers to successfully pick winners deserving a crack at $18bn in taxpayers’ money
The Coalition’s plan to use gas to stimulate manufacturing will fail
Guy Dundas
Even if the government could swim against the economic tide and miraculously reduce gas prices, the benefits of doing this have been oversold
There are more horses in the energy race, but are they fast enough?
Nick O’Malley
The ideas outlined in the energy road map may well one day reduce Australia’s carbon emissions, but critics say the plan lacks the urgency crisis required.
It pays to be energy efficient: Here’s how to make some big savings
Joel Gibson
With the pandemic driving record-high winter electricity bills and the recession only just starting to bite, you need to claim every dollar of taxpayer help available.
Money talks, BS walks: It’s global comedy hour, with a special Australian segment
David Leitch
The federal government energy and climate policy has turned into complete farce.
Angus Taylor’s tech roadmap is fundamentally flawed — renewables are doable almost everywhere
Mark Diesendorf
The Morrison government on Tuesday revealed the five low-emissions technologies it will prioritise for investment. The so called “technology roadmap” offers scant support for renewable energy, for reasons that do not stand up to scrutiny.
Infrastructure or infra dig? It’s time to get politicians out of building [$]
Bernard Keane
Infrastructure spending decisions are too important to be left to politicians. We need the infrastructure equivalent of an independent central bank.
What ScoMo means by ‘transition’: a quick guide to climate change spin [$]
David Hardaker
The prime minister’s words promoting fossil fuels are loaded with meaning — they just don’t mean what they say.
Decoding the government’s energy-speak. Does the blather ring true?
Georgia Wilkins
The PM’s messaging is very carefully cobbled together, but experts say it comes dangerously close to misinformation.
Always was and always will be Aboriginal water
Scott Hamilton and Stuart Kells
If we really care about closing the gap we need a serious discussion about Indigenous water rights and Indigenous voices in water management
Energy politics transition from coal to gas [$]
Matthew Warren
Scott Morrison has broken up with coal, but is trying to keep the Coalition’s conservative base united by pushing gas-fired power.
Victoria
Australia’s first big solar battery discovers highs and lows of energy market
Gannawarra battery has made money and provided valuable services to the grid, and also discovered some potential problems, such as hefty network charges and limitations of market rules.
Wetlands project aims to protect significant Gippsland Lakes
A unique wetlands project is seeing native wildlife return to Gunaikurnai Country on the Gippsland Lakes region of eastern Victoria.
New South Wales
What is planned for Sydney’s mysterious new mega-agency?
A new agency will oversee some of Sydney’s most important parklands but we know little about what it’s doing or whether it will be enshrined in law.
Controversial floodplain harvesting exemption blocked in upper house
Irrigators in the northern Murray-Darling Basin will face tighter regulation over water they capture during floods after a disallowance motion secured a decisive 22-16 win over the NSW Coalition.
Murray-Darling Basin Authority ’incompetent’, says Minister
Water Minister Melinda Pavey will plead for changes to the Murray Darling water-sharing plan at an appearance before a senate inquiry on Wednesday.
ACT
The planned Molonglo commercial centre would be gas free under a Greens plan to create what they say will be Australia’s first all-electric shopping district.
Queensland
LNP vows to defund Queensland Environmental Defenders Office
Queensland Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington says she wants to reduce “green tape” and the EDO is anti-jobs because it works “against the approvals process for many construction and resources projects”.
Tasmania
Lobsters are susceptible to low-frequency aquatic sounds.
Not only are lobsters at risk from seismic testing, a new study has shown noise pollution is also causing them to go deaf.
Explainer: Pilot whales: mass stranding of a curious, social species at Macquarie Harbour
One of Australia’s leading researchers into whale biology says mass strandings of pilot whales are not unheard of, given the species’ curious and social nature that results in them travelling in large pods.
How Tasmania can adopt circular economy in COVID-19’s wake [$]
Harry Murtough
Financially and environmentally sustainable: the circular economy and Tasmania
With the fluid nature of COVID-19 continuing to shape how businesses operate in Tasmania, many are looking at different and new avenues to ensure they stay operational.
Western Australia
Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation trying to prevent destruction of 124 sites in Rio Tinto’s path
The Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation has told the inquiry into Rio Tinto’s destruction of ancient rock shelters at Juukan Gorge they are trying to prevent the mining giant from destroying 124 heritage sites on their Country.
Sustainability
Save energy to slash emissions and create jobs, say major companies
Ten major companies are signing up to ambitious commitments on smarter energy use today, including China’s Changzhou New Wide – a textile manufacturer and supplier to major international brands including adidas, Anta, Decathlon, Lululemon, PVH, and Walmart.
Saudi Arabia says any nuclear deal with Iran must preserve non-proliferation
Saudi Arabia said that any nuclear deal with Iran has to preserve non-proliferation and continue efforts aimed at making the Middle East a zone free of mass destruction weapons, state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday.
Coal’s last refuge crumbles with China’s renewables plan
China’s plan to derive 20 per cent of its primary energy from non-fossil fuels may be brought forward by five years from 2030.
As concerns over climate change rise, more developers turn to wood
With environmental benefits and lower labor costs, mass timber has grown into a market that could rival steel and concrete in the construction industry.
Inducing plasma in biomass could make biogas easier to produce
Producing biogas from the bacterial breakdown of biomass presents options for a greener energy future, but the complex composition of biomass comes with challenges.
Report: Plant science must innovate over next 10 years
The Plant Science Research Network (PSRN) has released its Plant Science Decadal Vision 2020-2030, a report that outlines innovative solutions to guide investments and research in plant science over the next 10 years as scientists tackle pressing global issues, including climate change, food insecurity and sustainability.
Animals lose fear of predators rapidly after they start encountering humans
Most wild animals show a suite of predator avoidance behaviors such as vigilance, freezing, and fleeing. But these are quickly reduced after the animals come into contact with humans through captivity, domestication, or urbanization, according to a new study.
40% of O’ahu, Hawai’i beaches could be lost by mid-century
The reactive and piecemeal approach historically used to manage beaches in Hawai’i has failed to protect them. If policies are not changed, as much as 40% of all beaches on O’ahu, Hawai’i could be lost before mid-century, according to a new study.
Forest margins may be more resilient to climate change than previously thought
A warming climate and more frequent wildfires do not necessarily mean the western United States will see the forest loss that many scientists expect. Dry forest margins may be more resilient to climate change than previously thought if managed appropriately, according to researchers.
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