Date: 23 September 2021 at 8:55:14 am AEST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links Sep 23
Post of the Day
Climate change: How to plant trillions of trees without hurting people and the planet
Large tree-planting initiatives often fail – and some have even fueled deforestation. There’s a better way.
Today’s Celebration
Climate Change
Adani calls for global unity in managing climate crisis
Addressing the JP Morgan India Investor Summit, he also spoke about Adani Group’s vision and its role in shaping India’s future with global coordination
China, US unveil separate big steps to fight climate change
While this is a big step it is not quite a death knell for coal, said Byford Tsang, a policy analyst for E3G. That’s because China last year added as much new coal power domestically as was just potentially cancelled abroad, he said
Climate change ravaging crops in Guatemala, leaving millions on brink of starvation
Farmers in Guatemala are facing rapidly deteriorating crop conditions, triggered by extended periods of drought followed by torrential rains, and more catastrophic weather events as the climate warms. Climatologists warn it will only get worse, and disproportionately impact impoverished countries.
Metals supercharge promising method to bury harmful carbon dioxide under the sea
Researchers have found a way to supercharge the formation of carbon dioxide-based crystal structures that could someday store billions of tons of carbon under the ocean floor for centuries, if not forever.
Climate change: EU-backed study shows alarming state of oceans
Ocean temperatures and water levels are continuing to rise as a result of human intervention. This is having a widespread impact on sealife and weather patterns.
It’s climate week again, but the calendar is running out
A slow transition away from carbon will be costlier than a fast one, but each year that we keep spewing carbon is a year in which fossil-fuel companies’ current business models stay intact.
China just entered a major international climate agreement. Now comes the hard part
Under the Kigali Amendment, Chinese chemical companies must stop emitting a super-pollutant called HFC-23. The challenges are enormous.
Democrats may be on the verge of climate disaster
The party’s climate measures suddenly face a tough battle in Congress.
Nation at centre of global energy transformation [$]
Australian editorial
China coal ban will drive competition for gas and new technologies.
China delivers “killer blow” to coal as Morrison courts Joe Biden
China deals “killer” blow to Australian coal exports, Biden doubles global climate finance, while Morrison announces he has a plan for a plan.
Scott Morrison defends Australia’s action on climate change as he meets Joe Biden
Scott Morrison has again defended Australia’s track record on climate action after coming under sustained pressure from allies to do more to reduce emissions.
AGL gets climate action lesson from angry investors and inspired teenager
A majority of AGL shareholders support motion calling for a Paris aligned business transition, as bid by teenager for board seat falls short.
Australia “ripe” for floating wind farms, as 4GW earmarked for NSW coal ports
New study says Australia is “ripe” for offshore wind, and could use its expertise to tap into floating platforms and use coal plant infrastructure.
How Australia Post brought its focus to sustainability
We sat down for a conversation with Susan Mizrahi, Australia Post’s chief sustainability officer, about how one of Australia’s most trusted brands approaches sustainability.
Funding available for clean hydrogen industrial hubs
Funding is available to develop hydrogen hubs in regional Australia.
Investment flow powers Australia’s clean energy transition [$]
Australia’s big challenge is to apply its skills in energy innovation to pivot into a global leadership position on clean energy, a transition that offers major opportunities for investors.
Nationals need a credible climate policy, including a net zero by 2050 target, Darren Chester says
Former Coalition frontbencher says it would be madness to rule out a conversation when there could be opportunities for regional Australia
The transition out of coal and fossil fuels needs to happen as “fast as possible”, one of Australia’s chief negotiators for the upcoming UN climate summit has said.
Australia under pressure to boost climate targets on path to 2050 [$]
Energy Minister Angus Taylor says Australia is on track to ‘meet and beat’ its 2030 targets, but it may not be enough to satisfy the global community.
Macquarie urges Australia to seize hydrogen opportunity [$]
Macquarie Group chief executive Shemara Wikramanayake has singled out green hydrogen as an area where Australia can capitalise on its natural advantages and make real progress on emissions reductions as well as open up opportunities for investment.
Focus on buildings’ energy use means less expense and more benefits [$]
Buildings can be made a lot more energy efficient and save their owners a lot of money. That’s where the National Australian Built Environment Rating System can help.
China coal cull won’t hurt us, says Pitt [$]
The outlook for Australian coal is positive despite China no longer funding the construction of overseas coal-fired power stations, Resources Minister Keith Pitt says.
Neighbourhood issue: climate costs and risks to councils
Climate Council
No community within Australia remains untouched by climate change. Our country is highly exposed to impacts including record breaking heat, more dangerous bushfire seasons, coastal flooding and supercharged storms. These extreme weather events are worsening, and the impacts are reverberating throughout our communities.
Explainer: what exactly is the Quad and what’s on the agenda for their Washington summit?
Ian Hall
On Friday, the leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the US will meet in Washington for the first in-person Quad summit.
Morrison Government re-election would be an environmental catastrophe
Sue Arnold
If the Morrison Government wins the next federal election, Australia can kiss goodbye to our unique, irreplaceable wildlife.
Climate change: Councils doing heavy lifting for Australian communities
Portia Odell
As the level of government closest to the community, councils are at the heart of responding to climate impacts. When disaster strikes, local governments work closely with communities to cope and respond. They are also often left with the task of cleaning up – and paying for – the mess, while delivering the essential services many residents rely on.
Environmental showstopper: AGL has its Greta Thunberg moment
Elizabeth Knight
AGL has been squeezed by the pincer of big emissions and plunging profit – enough to upset any shareholder, including young student Ashjayeen Sharif.
Climate change is back on top of the global agenda
SMH editorial
Joe Biden and Xi Jinping used the UN General Assembly to make serious new pledges, highlighting Scott Morrison is out of step with the global consensus.
UN climate official warns low ambition is costing Australian growth
Nick O’Malley
Australia’s climate stance is causing international confusion and could hurt its economy and reputation as the world ramps up its reduction targets.
Emissions strategy should be a countdown to zero [$]
Tony Wood
Australia is well-positioned to achieve net zero by 2050. But action must be taken now.
Why Australia is a renewables test lab [$]
Matthew Warren
Australia is a medium-sized economy with a big backyard. We punch above our weight in resources and energy, tourism before COVID, wool and Wi-Fi.
Subs snub to ratchet up pressure on climate [$]
Robert Gottliebsen
French anger over the cancellation of the submarine contract threatens to force Australia into a different climate policy.
Real reason behind the death of coal [$]
Tom Minear
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was so keen on coal that he brought a lump of it into parliament – but the reality is he won’t be able to save coal-fired power stations.
Victoria
Coal power generators, EPA taken to court over climate pollution
In a test of Victoria’s climate change laws, owners of Victoria’s coal-fired power generators and the state’s environmental watchdog are being sued for allegedly failing to limit pollution.
New South Wales
Serious concerns over Western Harbour Tunnel logged at parliamentary inquiry
Green Left speaks to Gabi Brown, who gave evidence behalf of Rozelle Against WestConnex to a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry into the controversial Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Links projects.
Ex-Liberal MP to front corruption inquiry
A former NSW minister will appear before a corruption inquiry again to deal with new material he provided in relation to allegations.
Labor member to run as independent in Hunter to protest ‘captain’s pick’ of Daniel Repacholi
Other enraged party members demand rank and file preselection ballot in outgoing federal MP Joel Fitzgibbon’s NSW seat
Dead in the Water author Richard Beasley, SC, on why Australians should care about the Murray-Darling – Forgotten River podcast
In his 2019 South Australian royal commission report on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, Commissioner Bret Walker, SC, used terms like “maladministration”, “gross negligence” and “nonsensical in a policy sense” throughout his 746-page analysis of the drafting and implementation of the plan.
Regulator takes Tesla big battery to court for failing to properly back up broken coal plant
Regulator takes Tesla big battery at Hornsdale to court over its alleged failure to deliver promised FCAS services when the country’s biggest coal unit tripped.
Environmentalist fears $420k Adani legal bill could bankrupt him
Adani took the Brisbane man to court seeking compensation for business losses from his campaigns against contractors on its central Queensland mine with the protest group Galilee Blockade.
Local council has power to decide fate of Clive Palmer’s company’s coal-fired power station project
Clive Palmer’s company Waratah Coal is quietly seeking approval from Barcaldine Regional Council for a new coal-fired power station in Central Queensland.
Tasmania
Deer numbers increase 11.5% per year with half of Tasmania suitable habitat, research argues [$]
Fallow deer have the potential to double their range in Tasmania with 56 per cent of the land mass providing suitable habitat, a new research paper has argued, with numbers increasing about 11.5 per cent per year for 35 years.
Rivulet in Hobart suburb contaminated with toxic chemicals [$]
A rivulet that runs through a Greater Hobart suburb is contaminated with PFAS chemicals – and one local landowner has been told to stop eating food produced on their property.
Northern Territory
Post-mining era heralded as first Aboriginal rangers graduate in Kakadu
With the fourteen new rangers’ graduation the Traditional Owners are looking forward to a future focused on tourism and conservation.
Scientists and parents unite against potential changes to emmission offsets in NT
Parents groups and climate scientists are appealing to the NT government not to ditch its commitment to offset all the emissions from a new fracking industry, a move it has foreshadowed in its greenhouse gas policies.
‘Grave mistake’: climate scientists issue dire warning over Beetaloo Basin fracking plans
Gas projects must be halted if the Northern Territory government cannot meet promise to fully offset emissions, scientists say
Environment Minister Eva Lawler claims 2030 emissions target is ‘on track’
The government has tabled its annual report into climate change in the Northern Territory, saying the NT needs to brace for hotter temperatures.
Western Australia
Water Corp could face $24m bill after failing to meet clean energy promise
For a decade, Water Corp failed in its obligation to offset its desalination plant after not procuring enough renewable energy.
Twiggy’s climate quest draws on ‘Netflix culture’ for a workplace with no bosses
Andrew Forrest’s green hydrogen team has thrown out the HR rule book to attract talent in its quest to decarbonise the economy.
Sustainability
Gautam Adani says group to invest $20 billion on clean energy technology in 10 years
Gautam Adani has earlier expressed his ambitions of making the group the world’s largest renewable power company by 2030
Repeal of coal mine leases again; now Adani Power loses Jitpur block
The cancellations of the leases of these large mines cast a shadow over the prospects of the liberal policy regime put in place by the Modi government to attract private investments into the sector.
Infants have more microplastics in their feces than adults, study finds
Microplastics — tiny plastic pieces less than 5 mm in size — are everywhere, from indoor dust to food to bottled water. So it’s not surprising that scientists have detected these particles in the feces of people and pets. Now, in a small pilot study, researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters discovered that infants have higher amounts of one type of microplastic in their stool than adults. Health effects, if any, are uncertain.
#GameZero: Premier League giants score goals for the environment
Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are using the power of sport to promote a zero carbon future
Maritime rope could be adding billions of microplastics to the ocean every year
A new study by the University of Plymouth’s International Marine Litter Research Unit is the first to explore the potential for rope to become a source of microplastic pollution in the marine environment
Plastic recycling is clear example of disinformation in context of toxics
The Human Rights Council this afternoon held an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on hazardous substances and wastes, who said that plastic recycling was a clear example of disinformation in the context of toxics as less than 10 per cent of plastics were actually recycled, while recycling concentrated the myriad toxic substances that were added to plastics.
Leaders call for full decarbonization of international shipping
Full decarbonization of international shipping is urgent and achievable. This is the clear message from more than 150 industry leaders and organizations representing the entire maritime value chain, including shipping, cargo, energy, finance, ports, and infrastructure.
WHO slashes guideline limits on air pollution from fossil fuels
Level for the most damaging tiny particles is halved, reflecting new evidence of deadly harm
Sustainable pet food can help fight climate change. Here’s how
Despite what scientists call the ‘yuck factor,’ bugs could be a sustainable secret ingredient for the booming pet food industry.
Zimbabwe: Dire lack of clean water in capital
Residents of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, face a potable water crisis three years after a deadly cholera outbreak. Harare’s long unresolved water crisis is a ticking time bomb of magnified health risks.
Pollution: Spain to ban sale of fruit and vegetables in plastic wrapping from 2023
The sale of fruit and vegetables in plastic wrapping will be prohibited in Spain’s supermarkets and grocery stores starting in 2023. This is one of the measures in a decree being drafted by the Ministry for Ecological Transition, according to sources familiar with the initiative.
Scooping plastic out of the ocean is a losing game
Open ocean cleanups won’t solve the marine plastics crisis. To really make a difference, here’s what we should do instead.
Engineers discover way to turn organic waste into renewable biofuel additives using radiation
The renewable proportion of petrol is set to increase to 20 per cent over the coming years, meaning the discovery of a new production pathway for these additives could help in the fight to cut carbon dioxide emissions and tackle climate change. Engineers propose a process to generate one such additive, solketal, using waste from both biochemical and nuclear industries — termed a nuclear biorefinery.
Wind energy can deliver vital slash to global warming
Implementing advance wind energy scenarios could achieve a reduction in global warming atmospheric average temperatures of 0.3 to 0.8 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, according to new research.
How green is your food? Eco-labels can change the way we eat, study shows
While food labels are nothing new, a different type that calculates the environmental cost has had a surprising effect on consumers.
Climate change: How to plant trillions of trees without hurting people and the planet
Large tree-planting initiatives often fail – and some have even fueled deforestation. There’s a better way.
Paul Hawken’s ‘Regeneration‘ explains how you can support climate solutions
You may be sick of hearing over and over to recycle more or use a reusable bag. A new book called ‘Regeneration’ explains how you can support the changes that are truly needed.
Boris Johnson’s fate rests on Russia and China in energy crisis
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
Without gas storage, Britain can pray for mild weather, a recession in China or help from Putin to get through the winter.
Ana Estefanía Carballo et al
Thousands of demonstrators rallied across the Serbian capital Belgrade this month, protesting the US$2.4 billion (A$3.3 billion) Jadar lithium mine proposed by global mining giant Rio Tinto. The project, Rio Tinto’s flagship renewable energy initiative, is set to become the largest lithium project in the European Union.
China’s exit from offshore coal is at once momentous and insufficient
Nick O’Malley
China’s decision to stop funding offshore coal projects is good news in a warming world, but prompts more questions about its growing domestic coal fleet.
Children learn science in nature play long before they get to school classrooms and labs
Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles et al
The number of preschools pursuing learning through nature play is growing fast worldwide. However, the effectiveness and impacts of this approach is largely untested, and we recently completed the first large-scale study in the world to explicitly research nature play in early childhood education.
Jack Heinemann et al
Legislators around the world are being asked to reconsider how to regulate the latest developments in gene technology, genome editing and gene silencing.
Nature Conservation
City flights: birds flocked to urban areas as Covid kept people home, study finds
Birds, and perhaps other animals too, benefitted from a respite in human activity in North America, research suggests
Anti-ivory campaign turns into global sale of ‘outsider art’ [$]
Leonard Joel chairman John Albrecht will auction works from disabled artists around the world as he looks to turn his pioneering anti-horn stance into money for elephants.
Too much of a good home is bad for panda mating, say scientists
Success of species tails off if more than 80% of an area is ideal habitat, in line with Goldilocks principle
Tiger trafficking: the murky world of America’s big-money big cat trade
US backyards are home to more tigers than India with experts drawing a line between the popularity of cubs as pets and the market in tiger products for traditional Chinese medicine.
Countering Bolsonaro’s UN speech, Greenpeace releases Amazon deforestation photos
Hours after Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro painted a rosy picture of his administration’s environmental record during a United Nations speech, Greenpeace and other environmental groups released a set of photos showing continued deforestation and fires in Earth’s largest rainforest.
Climate change: Wildlife and plant species decline ‘a crisis’
Stopping the decline in wildlife and plant species is as important as tackling climate change, the head of Natural Resources Wales has said.
Animals’ limbs are stretching and warping because of climate change
Like a real-life body horror movie, animals are evolving warped limbs and beaks to adapt to climate change.
Functioning of terrestrial ecosystems is governed by three main factors
A large international research team has identified three key indicators that together summarize the integrative function of terrestrial ecosystems: 1. the capacity to maximize primary productivity, 2. the efficiency of using water, and 3. the efficiency of using carbon. The monitoring of these key indicators will allow a description of ecosystem function that shapes the ability to adapt, survive and thrive in response to climatic and environmental changes.
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