Post of the Day
The delusion of infinite economic growth
Chirag Dhara and Vandana Singh
Let us imagine the “perfect” EV: solar powered, efficient, reliable and affordable. But is it sustainable?
On This Day
International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice
Ecological Observance
Arbor Day – Cuba
Climate Change
UN blasts world leaders for failing to seal £72bn-a-year deal on climate
Financial aid ‘critical’ to help developing countries limit fossil fuels – and make Cop26 a success, says UN
We need to help people see that climate change is increasingly connected to their lives in complex and surprising ways.
Biden’s new climate change momentum has its limits
Robert C Stowe
China, India and others will continue to address climate change based on their own analysis and their own domestic political imperatives, not on what they see as fickle and illusory US leadership.
National
Marise Payne stops short of clarifying emissions policy amid Nationals tensions
Australia’s Foreign Minister says it is “sensible” to work towards reaching net-zero emissions as soon as possible but, asked about the government’s policy on the net zero by 2050 target, the senator skirted around a definitive answer.
From suburbia to the bush; Australia, these are your hopes, dreams and fears
Climate, the cost of living, housing education — there are many things to worry about in the future. We visited three families in three different parts of the nation to find out what’s going on.
Rare footage of endangered kowari
Rare footage has been captured of the vulnerable kowari, a carnivorous desert marsupial endemic to the arid regions of Queensland and South Australia.
The federal Greens will on Monday attempt to force the Senate to vote on a bill that would penalise states and territories that enact taxes on electric vehicle users.
Nationals should lead rural Australia into the energy future
AFR editorial
Dumping Michael McCormack for reheated former leader and rural populist Barnaby Joyce would be a backward step for the party of regional Australia, the Coalition government and the nation.
We’re a pragmatic mob, happy to ride with PM on climate [$]
Jennifer Oriel
Under-promise and over-deliver is Scott Morrison’s climate change creed.
Why I’m knitting for climate action
Vikki McDonough
My heart broke as I started knitting the part of the scarf representing 2019 – it was the year my first grandchild was born and Australia’s hottest on record. The scarf was for Knit for Climate Action, a project led by Common Grace inviting Christians from across Australia to knit a scarf with 101 stripes.
Landcare volunteers save hundreds in healthcare due to physical and mental benefits
Doug Humann
Never has there been a greater need for passionate, tireless Landcarers. As the country faced drought, devastating bushfires, floods and the impacts of a global pandemic, volunteers have continued to deliver support, care and comfort to Australian communities and local environments.
Top economists call for budget measures to speed the switch to electric cars
Peter Martin
Australia’s top economists overwhelmingly back government measures to speed the transition to electric cars in order to meet emission reduction targets.
New South Wales
NSW plan to incentivise electric vehicle use wins praise from environmental, urban policy groups
Purchases of new electric vehicles in NSW will come with cash rebates and a stamp duty exemption under a new state government plan.
Revolt over China’s grip on Port of Newcastle [$]
Fifteen Coalition MPs are demanding Josh Frydenberg impose tougher controls on the half-Chinese owned Port of Newcastle because they fear its monopoly powers could be exploited to impose “punitive costs” to hurt Australian coal exporters.
‘Irrigation hunger games’: Battle over Australia’s food bowl soon to heat up
In the heartland of the Riverina, where farmers famously burned copies of the government plan to cut their water allocations a decade ago, scepticism is mounting that the $13 billion effort has been worth it as the clock ticks down towards a major review.
Grim climate forecasts point to shrivelling rivers in northern NSW
Dams will fill less frequently, farmers will face water cuts and rivers will cease flowing more often as the climate warms and dries, according to draft water strategies released by the Planning Department.
‘Act of vandalism’: Plan to cut down trees in Parramatta Park under fire
Residents are fighting a plan to remove 60 trees at Parramatta Park to make way for 130 parking spaces, in a move labelled an ″act of vandalism″.
Barilaro’s ‘brumby bill’ has been a catastrophe for the high country
Clive Hamilton
Despite the many warnings, political bloody-mindedness over the culling of feral horses in the Kosciuszko National Park has created an environmental disaster.
Newcastle coal port must serve producers’ interests [$]
Australian editorial
Partnerships with foreign investors have been a cornerstone of Australia’s economic development and living standards for more than 200 years.
NSW on a slow track to fast trains: promised regional rail upgrades are long overdue
Philip Laird
We have seen a succession of reviews, plans and election promises of faster and better train services for regional New South Wales, home to one third of the state’s population, in recent years.
ACT
Canberra drivers to face tougher penalties for injuring cyclists, pedestrians
Drivers who injure cyclists, pedestrians and other road users who aren’t in cars could face tougher penalties under a bill to introduced by Greens MLA Jo Clay this week.
Queensland
Shhhh, here come Brisbane’s first oh-so-quiet electric buses
Drivers say they will take time to get used to the location of mirrors and “riding the clutch” on Brisbane’s new whisper-quiet electric buses, but Brisbane’s carbon footprint has dropped by 7 per cent since 2017.
Claims that power generators are behind electricity price spikes
Small electricity retail firm Enova claims that major power generators are withholding supply during peak demand in order to drive up wholesale electricity prices.
Tasmania
When this farmer walked into a forest, he knew he’d be arrested within hours
Tasmania’s Rosebery mine needs to build a new tailings dam or risk closure, costing 500 jobs. But some are standing against the weight of public opinion and likelihood of arrest to protect the environment.
Community effort has protected Low Head’s penguin population
George Town and Low Head communities are hopeful that dog attacks on little penguin colonies are no longer a major threat after a series of recent efforts, but experts remain concerned about the future.
Tasmania Police express regret over jailing protester for three days
Tasmania Police has said it regrets the three-day detention of a Bob Brown protester last May for an assault charge it has since dropped.
Parliamentary inquiry established to look at renewable energy transmission and storage in Australia
TasNetworks has told a House of Representatives committee examining the future need for dispatchable energy generation the proposed Marinus Link will be vital for bringing new skills to the energy development workforce.
Huon Aquaculture talks down prospects of moving salmon farming entirely onshore in Tasmania
Entirely land-based salmon in Tasmania ‘economically unviable’
Huon Aquaculture says there is no likelihood of salmon farming ever becoming entirely land-based in Tasmania for economic and environmental reasons.
Exporter sets sights on Tassie wallabies
A meat exporter has revealed an ambitious plan to harvest and sell the meat, skins and fur of 150,000 Tasmanian wallabies each year.
Western Australia
‘We’ll fight it out’: Bad blood threatens to flare over World Heritage park’s unresolved ownership
These stunning “beehive” formations amaze visitors but a standoff between groups claiming native title may be stopping the site from reaching its full tourism and cultural potential.
Every year in the Kimberley they fight fire with fire, but is it doing the land more harm than good?
Fire has been part of the northern Australian landscape for millennia but concern is growing that modern fire management techniques are doing irreparable damage.
Sustainability
Shell gets greener, even as climate advocates say, ‘go faster’
Royal Dutch Shell, though still reliant on profits from fossil fuels, is investing more in renewable energy. Critics say the changes have to come quicker.
The delusion of infinite economic growth
Let us imagine the “perfect” EV: solar powered, efficient, reliable and affordable. But is it sustainable?
Ready for a little good environmental news?
Peter Dykstra
Keystone XL opponents notch a win – and other rare (and not-so-rare) cases of never-ending futility ending with a rainbow.
Bee-friendly urban wildflower meadows prove a hit with German city dwellers
Countrywide scheme is flourishing after being set up to reverse a 75% decline in insect populations
New oilfield in African wilderness threatens lives of 130,000 elephants
Exploratory project in Botswana and Namibia is threat to ecosystems, local communities and wildlife, conservationists say
As climate warms, a rearrangement of world’s plant life looms
Previous periods of rapid warming millions of years ago drastically altered plants and forests on Earth. Now, scientists see the beginnings of a more sudden, disruptive rearrangement of the world’s flora.
Bill Laurance
Wild elephants are awe-inspiring — even if they’re trying to kill you, as I discovered in 2004.
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