Post of the Day
Bushfires, not pandemic lockdowns, had biggest impact on global climate in 2020
The devastating bushfires in Australia had a larger impact on the world’s 2020 climate than the pandemic-related lockdowns, as plumes of smoke cooled global temperatures and pushed tropical thunderstorms northward. The new research by NCAR scientists indicates that regional wildfires can have far-reaching climatic effects that are comparable to a major volcanic eruption.
On This Day
Climate Change
G20 Climate and Energy Ministerial meeting adopted joint communiqué
The G20 Ministers in charge of Energy and Climate met in Naples on July 23rd, 2021, and adopted – for the first time – a joint final communiqué, which gives momentum to the common mission of the G20 Countries to preserve the global climate and ensure a clean and inclusive energy transition.
US, European and UK diplomats meet to encourage Australia to ramp up climate action
Diplomats have had multiple meetings in Canberra to discuss ways to engage with Australia on setting stronger climate targets
Bold climate goals are great, but implementation is better
Setting ambitious corporate climate goals is great because it forces companies to aim high and initiate innovation. However, they are seldom easy to reach.
Governments must agree to end use of coal power, says UK’s Cop26 president
Alok Sharma ‘disappointed’ after ministers from more than 50 countries closed two-day meeting without full agreement
Enlist the ocean in combatting climate change, experts and advocates argue
Climate scientists and marine advocates are calling on governments worldwide to look beyond green policymaking when it comes to climate change. They say a critical shade is missing in the fight against global warming. Blue.
Could a super-outbreak of fire thunderstorms be like a nuclear winter?
Once exceptionally rare, now fire thunderstorms are near daily events in North America and a top Australian fire scientist has teamed up with US defence researchers to ask the difficult question: If a ‘super-outbreak’ of them would rival a nuclear winter.
Bushfires, not pandemic lockdowns, had biggest impact on global climate in 2020
The devastating bushfires in Australia had a larger impact on the world’s 2020 climate than the pandemic-related lockdowns, as plumes of smoke cooled global temperatures and pushed tropical thunderstorms northward. The new research by NCAR scientists indicates that regional wildfires can have far-reaching climatic effects that are comparable to a major volcanic eruption.
Droughts may increase in South America by the end of the century, study suggests
If greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current level, the average temperature will tend to rise by as much as 4 °C in some regions. Under this scenario, extreme weather events will be more intense and frequent, according to IPCC.
Our planet won’t wait. We have to act now
Gavin Newsom
2021 is the year that we change the narrative on climate.
Don’t blame men for the climate crisis – we should point the finger at corporations
Arwa Mahdawi
Male spending – on petrol and meat – is apparently worse for the environment than women’s. But it’s the system, not individuals, that needs to change
The floods show London is now on the frontline of the climate emergency
Sadiq Khan
From strengthening flood defences to creating low-traffic neighbourhoods, our city is taking bold action
National
Nearly one in six charities believe they could have faced deregistration in the past year if the controversial new regime had been in place
Solar tax survey slammed by energy experts for “misleading” consumers
Two leading energy experts slam a survey by an industry-funded consumer body on the “solar tax”, saying respondents were misled.
Twenty micro-grid projects get funding, including communities hit by bushfires
The federal government will fund 20 microgrid projects, to boost strength of regional grids during natural disasters and increase renewables use.
‘The unsung heroes of Australian fauna’: how quolls can help us understand the modern world
For author Harry Saddler, a small Australian mammal has become the catalyst for larger questions about colonisation, parenthood and climate crisis
Disasters such as Black Summer will become more frequent and more dangerous, experts say
Experts have revealed why many Australian communities are at extreme risk of a repeat of the devastating Black Summer of 2019/20.
Sussan Ley keeps environment a national emergency
Sue Arnold
Environment Minister Sussan Ley continues her record of destruction to Australia’s endangered flora and fauna for now and future generations.
The “Solar Tax:” Are we having the wrong debate?
Alan Pears
Rooftop solar exports are subsidising others, and we should stop treating this technology as if they were big fossil fuel generators.
Australia’s biggest battery registered, but battery storage supply crunch looms
Australia’s biggest battery is ready to begin production with its Tesla Megapacks, but Elon Musk has warned of looming supply crunch.
New South Wales
More than a year after severe storms damaged property in Collaroy, construction of a long-awaited sea wall is underway.
ACT
Council warns Brickworks residents could face huge costs should gas be allowed
The ACT branch of the Conservation Council have called on the developer of the Canberra Brickworks in Yarralumla to exclude gas from all buildings.
Queensland
Reef minister cools on criticism of China
Australia’s environment minister is toning down criticism of China after securing a win on the Great Barrier Reef.
Solar use climbs as concerns about usage and bills wanes
Queenslanders’ rapid adoption of solar energy has come with a problem – a decline in the effort to reduce energy from the grid.
The Great Barrier Reef extortion scam
Graham Young
The Australian Institute of Marine Science has just revealed that Great Barrier Reef coral coverage has recovered to be as good as, or better, than the average since 1985.
Sweet and sour: Why two banks have sustainable beef on (and off) the menu
Brad Cooper
Divergent approaches taken by two Australian banks towards beef production in the past week highlight the challenge ahead for the livestock sector to keep public opinion on the positive side of the ledger.
Tasmania
Dolphin rescuers take cues from whale stranding to move mother and calf to clear water
A pair of bottlenose dolphins beached in Tasmania is successfully set free using a technique developed during Australia’s largest mass whale stranding last year.
‘Too large, too much’: Hobart City Council says no to cable car bid for kunanyi/Mount Wellington
After years of community division, debate and a record number of public submissions, the Hobart City Council has voted to reject a controversial proposal for a cable car on kunanyi/Mount Wellington.
Unique Tasmanian plants could go extinct sooner than we think [$]
It could take just decades to lose iconic plant species like Huon pine and King Billy pine if emission trends continue on the same trajectory, an expert has warned.
Northern Territory
Turf club falsely declared it monitored environment after applying 60,000 litres of oil to track
Internal documents show the Darwin Turf Club falsely declared it had conducted mandatory environmental monitoring after mixing 60,000 litres of oil into its track at Fannie Bay. The EPA has stopped short of fining the club and instead ordered an environmental audit.
Sustainability
Third blow to China as thermal coal prices soar
First it was iron ore that soared, then coking coal, now thermal coal is riding a wave with prices reaching nine-year highs as China suffers once again from its trade ban with Australia.
Going green: BHP trumps Twiggy in nickel deal, Rio to build $3.3b lithium mine
The world’s biggest miners are accelerating their push into metals poised to benefit from the green-energy transition.
British court reopens $9.4 billion lawsuit against BHP over deadly dam collapse in Brazil
The collapse in 2015 of the Fundao dam, owned by a joint venture between BHP and Brazilian mining giant Vale, killed 19 people and obliterated villages as a torrent of more than 40 million cubic metres of mining waste swept through.
Smart cars will get smarter [$]
Charles Eagan
One hundred years ago, standardisation radically transformed how cars were made and consumed. Today, the automotive industry stands on the brink of another revolution. By standardising the digital ecosystem in vehicles, the automotive industry can offer exciting new products and features that will improve the driving and passenger experience.
Texas outages made transmission upgrades look cheap
Julian Spector
Can framing grid investment as a way to prevent disasters convince more people to support it?
Nature Conservation
Cultural biases impact native fish, too
A study published in Fisheries Magazine, a journal of the American Fisheries Society, explores how colonialist attitudes toward native fishes were rooted in elements of racism and sexism. It describes how those attitudes continue to shape fisheries management today, often to the detriment of native fishes.
South Korea is bringing back bears in a country of 52 million people – I went to find out how
Joshua Powell
Even in small, densely populated countries, reintroducing large wildlife is possible
Darcy Watchorn et al
Wildlife worldwide is facing a housing crisis. When land is cleared for agriculture, mining, and urbanisation, habitats and natural refuges go with it, such as tree hollows, rock piles and large logs.
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