Date: 17 September 2021 at 8:56:26 am AEST
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Subject: Daily Links Sep 17
Post of the Day
Younger generations are the most fatalistic about climate change
The idea that younger generations care the most about the climate while older people downplay the issue and refuse to take action is a widespread myth, according to new research.
Today’s Celebration
Ecological Observance
Climate Change
United Nations says world likely to miss climate targets
The pace of climate change has not been slowed by the global COVID-19 pandemic and the world remains behind in its battle to cut carbon emissions, the United Nations says
Climate experts fear Aukus will dash hopes of China emissions deal
Timing of defence deal, ahead of Cop26 summit where China will be key player, dismays campaigners
Glasgow climate summit at risk of failure, U.N. chief warns
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said a critical meeting on climate change later this year in Scotland is at risk of failure due to mistrust between developed and developing countries and a lack of ambitious goals among some emerging economies.
Earth’s ozone layer hole larger than Antarctica
The Southern Hemisphere ozone layer hole grows considerably after an average start to spring when it appears every year.
Younger generations are the most fatalistic about climate change
The idea that younger generations care the most about the climate while older people downplay the issue and refuse to take action is a widespread myth, according to new research.
Exxon helped cause the climate crisis. It’s time they owned up
Mark Hertsgaard
The Cop26 climate summit will be an opportunity to put fossil fuel companies on trial through the court of public opinion
National
Wondering why people are talking about nuclear submarines? Here are the basics
Are you wondering why there’s so much fuss about Australia’s decision to acquire nuclear submarines? Here’s what you need to know.
AUKUS alliance: Nuclear-powered ‘does not mean legalising nuclear energy’
One of the Morrison government’s biggest advocates for nuclear energy has warned against linking the nuclear submarines deal to legalising the electricity source.
What does nuclear submarines announcement mean for Australia?
The Australian Conservation Foundation’s Dave Sweeney explains what today’s announcement – that Australia’s next submarine fleet will be nuclear-powered – might mean for Australia.
New rooftop solar rules to ‘force bottom dwellers to get out or clean up their act’
The federal government says rooftop solar customers will be the winners as it announces increased regulation to stamp out dodgy operators.
Do Aussie rules players really care more about climate change than those in rugby league?
Lance Franklin and Daisy Pearce are among 183 people from the Australian rules community listed on a climate change petition. So far, just 14 have signed up from rugby league.
Australia’s population growth close to zero
The impact of international border closures due to COVID-19 on overseas migration resulted in Australia’s population growth slowing to a near stand-still in the year to March 2021, according to the latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
“Missing markets”: Why energy storage projects are being sidelined in Australia
ESB chief Kerry Schott plays down concerns around proposed ‘capacity mechanism’ telling forum its not designed to keep coal operating.
Morrison’s lack of ambition putting Australia’s green hydrogen potential at risk
Labor’s Chris Bowen not opposed to hydrogen from fossil fuels, but says Morrison government shouldn’t ‘bastardise’ clean energy agencies in pursuit of it.
Australia’s breakthrough solar technology – Solar Insiders podcast
Australia has a chance to set up its own solar manufacturing industry after new benchmark in solar cell efficiency.
Battery storage will force us to rethink network tariffs and structures
David Leitch
Last mile networks are much more valuable than our biggest generators. We need to rethink pricing and regulations to get the best out of distributed energy.
Morrison has gone nuclear — and there’s no turning back
Andrew Probyn
The geostrategic wrestle between Washington and Beijing is one for the ages and Australia is now to play an even bigger role — in a stealthier and speedier bit of nuclear kit
Morrison makes soothing noises about nuclear non-proliferation, but what of future governments?
Helen Caldicott
Our democracy is now relatively uninformed about the implications of all things nuclear, including these submarines.
Corporate ‘greenwashing’ a major obstacle in climate change fight
David Ritter
Businesses must stop “greenwashing” and take concrete steps to tackle climate change.
Why we should build nuclear power plants
Terry McCrann
Now that Australia’s submarine program has gone nuclear, will we accept the logic of also buying and building 21st century nuclear power stations?
Morrison says sub deal won’t lead to nuclear power push in Australia. Don’t believe him
Giles Parkinson
Morrison says he has no plans for nuclear power plants despite nuclear subs deal. But conservatives and the pro-nuclear lobby won’t stop trying.
Who should pay the network costs of neighbourhood batteries?
Bruce Mountain and Kelly Burns
Regulatory agencies differ on whether small batteries should pay network charges when they withdraw electricity from the grid.
Victoria
Electric car drivers launch High Court challenge against Victorian levy
Electric vehicle owners are taking action in the High Court against a levy introduced by the Victorian government.
‘Drawing a line’: Victoria to oppose special payments for coal plants
Victoria’s energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio says her state will reject electricity market changes that prop up fossil-fuel power stations, and any changes aimed at keeping the lights on must prioritise zero-emissions technologies.
Andrews’ controversial VicRoads change to go ahead [$]
After spending a year considering whether to bring the private sector into VicRoads, the Andrews government will push ahead with the contentious plan.
EnergyAustralia calls for partners for what could be country’s biggest battery
EnergyAustralia seeks a partner for the massive Wooreen big battery in Victoria, part of its plans to replace the Yallourn brown coal generator.
New South Wales
Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley approves a mine extension, after she was ordered to consider the potential harm to young people from the mine’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Coal miners ‘chucked in the gutter’ as BHP delivers ultimatum ahead of sale
As BHP moves to sell NSW’s largest coal mine, 80 workers are being told to transfer interstate or resign from their positions.
Tweed Toad Busters to tackle cane toad problem
Tweed Shire Council has joined forces with not-for-profit community environment group Watergum to launch the Tweed Toad Busters program aimed at stopping the advance of cane toads on the Tweed Coast before they have a chance to breed and multiply.
Endangered birds spotted nesting on south coast
Rare pictures of an endangered Pied Oystercatcher preparing her nest confirms the start of shorebird season on the NSW South Coast.
‘Inadequate’: Experts take aim at gaps in Beaches Link documents
The state’s transport agency has failed to adequately assess the risks posed to groundwater, creeks and seawater by the proposed multibillion-dollar Beaches Link motorway tunnels in northern Sydney, independent experts have warned.
‘It’s spectacular’: Flannel flowers burst into bloom after bushfires and floods
Native flannel flowers are creating an amazing display in a northern NSW nature reserve, the largest seen there in decades. The prolific wildflowers have emerged in the wake of severe bushfires followed by flooding rains.
Euan Ritchie et al
What do koalas, barking owls, greater gliders, southern rainbow skinks, native bees, and regent honeyeaters all have in common? Like many native species, they can all be found in vegetation along fences and roadsides outside formal conservation areas.
Let us take you along the Darling, our forgotten river
Tom Melville
When I first visited the NSW Far West last year a lot of the region was still in drought. Lake Menindee was bone dry, and had been since 2017. The Darling/Barka was still pooling in places, I noticed shrubs growing in the river bed as I crossed the bridge at Wilcannia.
Queensland
How to score free native plants as eco fair goes digital [$]
Four pop-up locations across Brisbane are offering free native plants next week as a part of the Green Heart eco fair, with aims to encourage a greener future.
Extinction Rebellion: Great Barrier Reef is in terminal decline
Extinction Rebellion organised a snap action on the unceded lands of the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples outside Queensland Parliament on September 15.
South Australia
Susanne lives in the shadow of SA’s naval hub, and is nervous about nuclear subs being made nearby
Residents on Adelaide’s Lefevre Peninsula — home to the nation’s naval construction hub — have mixed feelings about the federal government’s new nuclear submarine deal.
SA rare bird’s population nosedives
The state’s first aerial survey of protected Cape Barron geese in 20 years has found the rare bird’s population has plunged by an estimated 30 per cent.
Tasmania
Tasmania pledges 10-year ‘reset’ for $1 billion salmon industry
Tasmania’s heavily scrutinised salmon industry will undergo a “reset” under a state government plan to increase land-based fish farming and operations in deeper waters.
‘Three thimble con trick’: Flanagan blasts ten-year salmon plan [$]
Writer Richard Flanagan has called the Tasmanian Government’s new ten-year salmon plan a “sham”.
Lake Malbena case could be headed to High Court [$]
The proponents of a controversial luxury helicopter tourism development are keeping mum on whether they intend to take their case to the High Court, following another setback.
Tasmania’s salmon industry detonates underwater bombs to scare away seals – but at what cost?
Benjamin J. Richardson
Australians consume a lot of salmon – much of it farmed in Tasmania. But as Richard Flanagan’s new book Toxic shows, concern about the industry’s environmental damage is growing.
Wind farm at Stanley is simply nuts [$]
Charles Wooley
They wouldn’t build them down in Hobart. But Stanley, five hours drive away, is just about near enough.
Northern Territory
Northern Territory forestry ready for take-off
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud says the Territory’s forestry industry is primed to expand, export and create jobs.
Consortium to safeguard Indigenous forestry
A consortium of Indigenous forestry enterprises and experts have received a $616,363 grant from the Australian Government to boost biosecurity in Northern Australian forests.
No retrial for wrongly acquitted fracking protesters, court rules [$]
Anti-fracking protesters charged with drilling holes in the Parliament House lawns were wrongly acquitted, a court has ruled.
Western Australia
Andrew Forrest marks land mass the size of Portugal in WA for ‘exploration’
Australia’s richest man has applied for mining exploration leases in the Gascoyne and Kimberley which covers about 91,650 square kilometres of land in proximity to proposed hydrogen and renewable energy projects.
Forrest hails Fortescue joint venture with Indigenous group [$]
Fortescue Metals Group chairman Andrew Forrest says a $500 million joint venture with the Eastern Guruma people to co-manage the development of new mines in the Pilbara represents the biggest ever contract signed with an Indigenous business organisation and a new framework that will guide the way FMG works with its Native Title partners.
Sustainability
Researchers infuse bacteria with silver to improve power efficiency in fuel cells
A team of engineers and chemists has taken a major step forward in the development of microbial fuel cells — a technology that utilizes natural bacteria to extract electrons from organic matter in wastewater to generate electrical currents.
Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and several senior government officials are found guilty of environmental negligence for failing to deal with Jakarta’s chronic air pollution
Good for groundwater – bad for crops? Plastic particles release pollutants in upper soil layers
Environmental geoscientists have now determined that the plastic particles release the pollutants in the upper soil layers: they do not generally contaminate the groundwater, but have a negative effect on soil microbes and crops.
Fashion faces a stark choice: stop flogging cheap clothes or go out of style
Jess Cartner-Morley
Unless the industry starts taking sustainability seriously, it risks becoming the thing it most dreads – uncool
Weaponization of water in South Asia
Amzal Hossan
During the middle of the holy month of Ramadan, when I started writing this essay, my native Bangladesh was confronting the COVID-19 pandemic with a nationwide lockdown.
Nature Conservation
Reforestation could help save coral reefs from catastrophe
Increasing reforestation efforts in coastal regions could substantially reduce the amount of sediment run-off reaching coral reefs and improve their resilience, a new study has found.
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