Post of the Day
Australia’s biggest climate poll shows support for action in every seat
The survey of 15,000 Australians found 67pc believe the government should do more to tackle climate change, including a majority in all 151 national seats.
On This Day
Krishna Janmashtami – Hinduism
Gaura Parva – Nepal
Ecological Observance
National Beach Day – USA
National
Zoo breeding programs suffering because of COVID-19 border closures
Much has been made of the need for intimate partner bubbles during COVID-19 lockdowns — and they are proving as important for threatened animals as they are for people.
Australia’s biggest climate poll shows support for action in every seat
The survey of 15,000 Australians found 67pc believe the government should do more to tackle climate change, including a majority in all 151 national seats.
Top scientist says APRA climate risk guidance ‘flawed’
An acclaimed climate scientist has warned the country’s largest banks, super funds and insurers could be preparing for the financial costs of climate change based on misleading and flawed advice from the prudential regulator.
Former Wallabies captain David Pocock is spearheading a call to arms as some of Australian sport’s biggest stars team up to stop climate change in its tracks.
A chance to profit as climate forces a governance rethink [$]
Will Symons and Pradeep Philip
This month’s IPCC report ups the ante for Australian business, particularly our boards, to make climate governance a priority, quickly.
The first mention in Australian media of global warming gestured to future
Bob Carr
Fifty years ago in an ABC TV studio, US ecologist Paul Ehrlich said the world’s growing population was degrading the planet’s life-support systems. The prophet had spoken.
Poll suggests the debate over coal is ‘electorally dead’
Nick O’Malley
The largest poll of Australian climate politics to date shows broad support for more climate action and a rejection of new fossil fuel. It’s not going to end the debate.
Energy mix ‘a must to stop cuts’ [$]
Geoff Chambers
Wind droughts and solar energy shortages must be offset by faster and more reliable alternatives such as gas and hydro, with Australia’s largest single-energy user warning if the power switches off for more than three hours “the business folds”.
Victoria
Traditional owners in Murray-Darling Basin take fight for water rights to governments
Indigenous group seeking to restore Victorian wetland demands ‘cultural flows’ in case that could provide a template for others wanting water justice
First Nations land rights deal in limbo after Federal Court decision
The National Native Title Tribunal’s refusal to register a key element of a $34 million land rights agreement between the Taungurung people and the Andrews government has reopened a bitter territorial dispute between Aboriginal clans.
Reversing ‘aqua nullius’: Traditional owners seek cultural water rights
The Tati Tati traditional owners have developed Australia’s first plan to deliver cultural flows of water to their country in the Murray-Darling basin. And they say the proposal could be template for other Aboriginal communities.
‘We don’t want to be collateral damage’: Coal country concerns grow as climate reality hits
Fifth-generation grazier Kyle Beale hails from a long line of staunch Liberal National voters. In a break with family tradition, the farmer says the role climate change has played in years of successive droughts would likely see him vote Labor for the first time come the next federal election.
New South Wales
Cycleway construction under way for eastern suburbs ‘goat track’
A missing cycling link between Sydney’s east and the CBD will be completed by early 2022, with construction beginning on a new $3.75 million bike lane next to Queens Park.
ACT
Canberra researchers trial superb parrot nests amid habitat loss, climate change threat
Canberra researchers are embarking on a new initiative to help find homes for a rare “fussy” parrot under threat by tree clearing and climate change.
Water restrictions for Canberra considered despite full dam capacity
Minor water restrictions are being considered by Icon Water as a potential option for water security measures, despite Canberra’s dams being 100 per cent full.
State of Environment now targeted at ACT school students
A major ACT environmental report will now be targeted at school children as part of new efforts to teach students about Canberra’s biodiversity and climate change.
Queensland
Support for Queensland to manage navua sedge and feral pigs
The Australian Government is providing $998,000 to Queensland for two projects to improve the landscape scale management of navua sedge and feral pigs, through a Federation Funding Agreement with states and territories as part of the $30.3 million Established Pest Animals and Weeds Management Pipeline Program.
South Australia
Environment report cards track SA’s big challenges [$]
From bushfires and air quality, to vegetation and the health of the Murray, here’s how SA’s environment has changed since 2018. And sadly, there’s not a lot of good news.
SA scientists’ controversial plan to stop mouse plagues [$]
Adelaide scientists are experimenting with a new weapon in the battle against pest animals – and even one of the project’s leaders says people may find it “concerning”.
River Murray the star of new $16m trail [$]
A new $16m walking and riding trail stretching more than 450km will celebrate the River Murray, Lakes and Coorong waterways.
Bikeway project gets $12m boost [$]
The state government and city council have launched 11 new bikeway projects, set to cost $12 million.
Tasmania
Fish farms not to blame for ruined rivers, says ecologist
Fish farms are being unfairly blamed for the poor condition of many of the state’s rivers, an ecologist claims, saying he knows exactly which industries are really at fault.
Northern Territory
Kakadu report delayed by lockdowns after relationship fracture
A report investigating how to fix the management of Australia’s largest national park after a falling-out between the federal government and Aboriginal traditional owners has been delayed until at least the end of the year.
Western Australia
Ningaloo natural beauty under threat if Woodside has its way
Corinna Elaine
If a precedent is set, allowing Woodside Energy to improperly dispose of a poorly maintained, toxic oil-rig, Australians may lose the chance to protect wild places like the Ningaloo Coast.
Sustainability
‘Energy patriots’ bringing electricity to Indonesia’s remote villages
For millions of villagers in Indonesia’s remote areas, a 12-hour-per-day erratic electricity supply is the norm. But a recently launched UN-led initiative could change that, thanks to a group of Indonesians dubbed “energy patriots” who have been tasked to boost the use of clean energy resources.
Single-use plastic plates and cutlery to be banned in England
Polystyrene cups will also be banned but campaigners say action to cut plastic waste is ‘snail-paced’
North Korea appears to have restarted Yongbyon nuclear reactor [$]
North Korea appears to have resumed operation of its plutonium-producing reactor at Yongbyon in a move that could enable the reclusive country to expand its nuclear-weapons arsenal, the UN atomic agency said.
If we stop burning fossil fuels, will we end up with more plastic and toxic chemicals?
Shifting away from using fossil fuels for energy is essential for our climate future, but if we aren’t careful we may unintentionally encourage a shift that is also unsafe and unsustainable.
The women on the front lines of safeguarding the Amazon
Mongabay‘s special reporting project, “Amazon Women,” shares their victories, visions, and struggles via a wide-ranging series of reports, interviews, videos and podcasts.
Greece’s deadly wildfires were sparked by 30 years of political failure
Yanis Varoufakis
The climate emergency and state neglect caused this disaster
The Observer view on the pros and cons of deep-sea mining
Observer editorial
There may be merits to mining the seabed, but investing in alternative green technologies on land should be the priority
—
return email, delete it from your system and destroy any copies.