Post of the Day
COP26 special report on climate change and health: the health argument for climate action
World Health Organization
The ten recommendations in this report propose a set of priority actions from the global health community to governments and policy-makers, calling on them to act with urgency on the current climate and health crises.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
Climate Change
Earth’s natural carbon sinks hold vital power in climate fight
Earth’s tropical forests, mountainous regions and the rapidly changing boreal zone have robust capacities to absorb excess carbon in the atmosphere due to a previously undiscovered slow release of nitrogen bound up in rocks. The result is a distribution of natural fertilizers around the world, allowing large areas of terrestrial habitat to take up carbon dioxide.
Indigenous Americans rally outside White House to demand greater climate action
These Indigenous Americans were ordered to disperse by police after they rallied outside the White House on Colombus Day to demand greater climate action.
Hunger in Madagascar’s climate change famine
This is the fourth year in a row that drought has devastated the Grand Sud region in Madagascar. More than one million people, or two out of five residents, require emergency food aid in what the UN call a ‘climate change famine’.
Millions impacted by slow moving disaster
Hundreds of millions of people around the world will be impacted in the coming decades due to sea level rises that are already locked in.
China’s plan to build more coal-fired plants deals blow to UK’s Cop26 ambitions
Renewed commitment to coal could scupper Britain’s aim to secure global phase-out pact at climate summit
‘Overwhelming’ backing for strong climate action, UK study shows
Biggest ever analysis shows public backs carbon tax on industry, flight levies and grants for heat pumps
Carbon tax the one thing Aussies won’t cop in climate battle
Australians are keen to see the government reach an agreement on net-zero but the government has ruled out a return to a controversial policy.
Climate change studies are twice as likely to focus on wealthier countries in Europe and North America than low-income countries like those in Africa and the Pacific Islands. That blind spot is a problem.
Greta Thunberg: I’m open to meeting Biden at Cop26 but don’t expect much
The activist says she will continue to repeat her message until governments take meaningful steps to address the climate crisis
Carbon capture and storage stirs from low level [$]
The pipeline of carbon capture and storage projects around the world is at its highest since 2011, but operational projects still cover only a tiny fraction of total global emissions.
More than 30 countries join U.S. pledge to slash methane emissions
The Biden administration has announced that 32 countries have joined the United States in a pledge to reduce methane emissions, part of an effort to set new targets to slow global warming ahead of a major United Nations climate summit in Glasgow next month.
COP26 special report on climate change and health: the health argument for climate action
World Health Organization
The ten recommendations in this report propose a set of priority actions from the global health community to governments and policy-makers, calling on them to act with urgency on the current climate and health crises.
Sarath Ranganathan and Maya Ranganathan
COP26 is a chance listen to our young people on climate change, but given recent trends, it may just mean empty words, according to one father and daughter
UN rights bodies take strong stance on climate crisis
Katharina Rall
Less than three weeks ahead of the global COP 26 climate summit in Glasgow, two key United Nations human rights bodies in Geneva have taken action to strengthen the human rights framework around the climate crisis.
National
Nationals to review Morrison climate plan ‘forensically’ when it arrives Sunday, Joyce says
Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce says his party room is wary of a repeat of the “sneaky little game” he alleges was played in the wake of Australia signing on to the Kyoto climate accord, where new rules against land clearing were used to offset national emissions.
What rising seas could do to our cities
Sydney’s Opera House and the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Melbourne could become virtual islands if sea levels continue to rise.
Most Australians support a net zero target via renewables, Australia Institute reveals
As the federal Coalition negotiates a climate policy ahead of the Glasgow COP26 summit, a new report says the majority of Australians support a target to achieve net zero.
More Australians than ever are worried about the climate crisis, annual survey suggests
A record 75% of voters are worried about climate and 69% want the PM to push for net zero, but Queenslanders are less concerned than the rest of the nation
Climate, cyber class actions are on the rise
As class actions in Australia reach an all-time high, cybersecurity and climate change are both spaces that will continue to experience an increase in class action cases moving forward.
US critical infrastructure isn’t ready for climate change
The United States’ infrastructure is not prepared to withstand the effects of the climate crisis. At all.
How Recovery from COVID-19’s impact on energy demand could help meet climate targets
The pandemic-related drop in greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 was likely the largest on record in a single year, but how our recovery might affect future emissions is less clear.
Nearly 6 million children are driven into severe hunger by the hot, dry shifts of a strong el Niño
Up to three times more children suffer severe hunger with each El Niño than from COVID-19. El Niño events provide a snapshot of the future under climate change and chronicle the lack of proactive policy action even when climate events are predictable.
The litigation and regulatory risks of ineffective climate change commitments
Corporate directors need to be aware of the risks associated with climate change-related litigation, according to this Greenpeace GC.
Industries to be shielded in federal bid for net zero
Big industries would be offered protection under a federal plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 using incentives for sectors like resources and farming to lift exports.
Clean energy jobs pledge for regions to woo Nationals
The looming federal climate policy lifts spending on hydrogen projects in a bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
News Corp’s Andrew Bolt says his company’s climate campaign is ‘rubbish’
Commentator adds voice to backlash against Mission Zero editorial project which has been criticised by some longtime supporters of climate action
Dan Ilic raises $140,000 for satirical campaign ridiculing fossil fuel-supporting Australian politicians ahead of the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow
Victor Steffensen delivers keynote speech at Forestry Australia conference
The role of Aboriginal cultural burning in preventing catastrophic bushfires was a focus of the second day of Forestry Australia’s national conference.
Carbon tariffs pose massive job risks for Australia: Climate Council report
Australia faces thousands of job losses and a multibillion-dollar economic hit if exports are slapped with carbon tariffs as a consequence of the Morrison government’s climate policies, new research shows.
Secret deal behind Australia’s nuclear ban [$]
The powerbroker who proposed the 1999 nuclear power ban has broken her 22-year silence on the little deal that changed Australia in a big way.
‘Climate emergency is Australia’s jobs opportunity’ [$]
Chris Bowen will today reveal a major repositioning of Labor’s climate stance, which will place blue-collar workers front and centre.
‘Spinning a big lie: Nuclear beats renewables’ [$]
A new Sky News documentary will lift the lid on renewable energy, and reveal why nuclear power is the answer to Australia’s energy challenges.
Union boss: China threat means we must go nuclear [$]
The nation’s top blue collar union has declared a nuclear industry is essential to protecting our sovereignty and achieving net zero emissions.
Four pillars: The NAB’s green derivative is new for Australia [$]
Sustainable finance has a huge role to play in achieving net-zero emissions by providing companies with the funding and insurance to manage physical and transition risks.
Australia’s continued love affair with coal – Full Story podcast
As the world begins to move away from coal, with more countries vowing to be coal-free by 2030, Australia stands in stark contrast.
Unions lead on nuclear but Labor yet to follow [$]
Telegraph editorial
With the Australian Workers Union now affirming its support for nuclear energy, it now must be asked what the federal Labor party will do.
Tim Buckley
Forrest and Mukesh Ambani, the richest men in India and Australia respectively, have just gone public with renewable energy deals on a scale previously unthinkable.
Net zero by 2050 means eliminating fossil fuels from the grid by 2035
Giles Parkinson
If Australia joins others in committing to net zero emissions by 2050, it will need to have a zero carbon grid by around 2035 to get there.
At least one group expects Morrison in Glasgow, but will he go?
Michael Mazengarb
Morrison still hasn’t landed a 2050 target as the Nationals state their demands – but there’s at least one sign Morrison will head to Glasgow.
Why do some Nationals still fear signing on to net zero by 2050?
Kath Sullivan and Jane Norman
Not for the first time, the 21 members of the Nationals party-room find themselves as the centre of Australia’s climate change debate, with some adamant to refuse a net zero target regardless of what policy is behind it.
Barnaby Joyce keeps his political hands clean on the road to net-zero target
Michelle Grattan
The line from Scott Morrison’s office that he’s “more likely than not” to attend what Prince Charles dubs a “last chance saloon” (aka COP26) reflects the PM’s apparent confidence he’ll be able to secure an agreement from those pesky Nationals.
Never more important to learn from the past
Letters
Age readers have their say on climate change policy.
Backflips and double-speak from climate converts
Letters
Never mind the underlying principle of doing the right thing, it’s clear that the latest likely converts to net-zero carbon emission targets are motivated solely by what it might mean for profits for their mega-businesses, or votes for their political parties.
Evidence mounts that Australian business and voters agree on climate
Nick O’Malley
Businesses, politicians and media companies are climbing on board with cutting emissions, and it appears voters are too.
How to navigate ESG products to build a greener portfolio
Annika Bradley
Many investors now consider sustainable and ESG-centric products the way forward – not only in terms of the social contract but also the investment opportunity itself.
Energy crisis darkens door to the last chance saloon [$]
Jennifer Hewett
The likelihood of a deal with the Nationals now suggests the Prime Minister will go to the Glasgow climate summit. But the energy crisis in Europe makes for a perfect political storm.
Turmoil in climate change politics [$]
Paul Kelly
It is the paradox that will plague the conservative parties. Scott Morrison, acting in the national economic interest and cognisant of global pressure on Australia, is leading the Coalition parties to a new realism on climate change – yet this necessity will threaten his survival.
The net-zero bandwagon is gathering steam, and resistant MPs are about to be run over
Geoff Cockfield
Prime Minister Scott Morrison appears to be moving towards securing Coalition agreement for a net-zero emissions by 2050. It comes weeks out from the crucial COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, where Australia’s record on global climate action will be heavily scrutinised.
Reds Under Bed: Barnaby and Keith’s plot for Australia to subsidise China
Michael West
The Coalition’s election war-chest will be brimming with fossil fuel donations thanks to demands by Barnaby Joyce and Keith Pitt to transfer $250bn from Australia to Chinese and other coal and gas companies.
Glasgow group project – cartoon
David Pope
Glasgow: Nothing to wear – cartoon
Cathy Wilcox
New South Wales
Perrottet backs Australia’s biggest hydrogen plan to power state’s future
The strategy involves up to $3 billion in government incentives but will help grow the NSW economy by more than $600 million by 2030, Dominic Perrottet said.
Kurri Kurri: The generator on gas rations
Ted Woodley
The Kurri Kurri gas generator makes no sense: It has only six hours storage and can’t compete against faster, cheaper, cleaner batteries.
Queensland coal generator pivots to renewable hydrogen, powered by solar and battery
Queensland government-owned coal generator to build a solar and battery-powered hydrogen electrolyser near Chinchilla on the Darling Downs.
Rio Tinto flags possible wind and solar deals to power huge Gladstone smelter
Australia’s second biggest aluminium smelter now has a brighter future after Rio Tinto flags it could be powered by wind and solar.
Teachers could join students for climate change protests
Queensland teachers are considering whether they should walk out of the classroom and strike with students for action on climate change this week.
Queensland backs net zero by 2050 as pressure mounts on Scott Morrison
Queensland will officially back a target of net zero emissions by 2050, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has confirmed.
Fraser Island fire team weighed up potential legal backlash by ‘disgruntled’ community
Fire-control strategies considered amid the blaze on K’gari last year included a “do-nothing” option that referenced the risk of litigation from the island’s tourism industry and community.
Cost blowouts, delays: Perfect storm threatens Cross River Rail [$]
Some of Queensland’s biggest projects, like the Cross River Rail or Bruce Highway upgrades, are at risk of cost blowouts and delays due to a shocking shortage of skills and labour.
Hero to net zero: Queensland’s biggest energy user goes green [$]
Queensland’s net-zero credentials have been boosted by the state’s biggest energy user pledging to transition to renewables.
What would it cost Australia’s poorest state to help a mining magnate launch a hydrogen hub?
Emily Baker
Mining magnate Andrew Forrest has pledged to spend “well over” $500 million on a 250-megawatt green hydrogen plant. What hasn’t been discussed is how much the plan could cost the state
We don’t have to choose between Glasgow and Gladstone [$]
Jim Chalmers
Recent events are showing the resource regions of Queensland can look forward to a bright future with green energy.
South Australia
Inquiry launched into Attorney-General’s decision to reject deep-water port on Kangaroo Island
Days after the defection of Liberal MP Dan Cregan, South Australia’s government has lost a number of votes in Parliament, including one to stop an investigation into the conduct of the Deputy Premier.
Tasmania
Granville Harbour Wind Farm in Rystad Energy’s top 10
A West Coast wind farm has been named the nation’s top performer.
Magnate tells Tasmania to get with the hydrogen program [$]
Mining magnate politely tells Tasmanian Government to pull its finger out if it wants him to invest in a hydrogen plant at Bell Bay.
Northern Territory
Documents released under Freedom of Information reveal the Northern Territory government’s mining department proposed an even bigger reduction of a massive lead and zinc mine’s environmental security bond before it was controversially slashed last year.
Western Australia
Banjima take Wittenoom clean-up fight to WA Parliament
Deadly contamination from the mining of blue asbestos at Wittenoom has spread outside a 46,000 hectare management zone. Banjima Traditional Owners say it can’t be ignored any longer.
Sustainability
The United Nations General Assembly agreed on the way forward for plans to host an international meeting at the highest possible level in Stockholm next June, during the week of World Environment Day. The event will commemorate the 50 years since the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and serve as a contribution to accelerate action towards a more sustainable society.
France aims to lead in green energy, small nuclear reactors with $47b plan
France wants to be a leader in green hydrogen by 2030 and build new, smaller nuclear reactors as part of a road map aimed at decarbonising the country’s industry, its president says.
Hedge funds snap up uranium in bet on green energy shift [$]
A global energy crunch has highlighted the role of nuclear power in a transition away from fossil fuels.
Fairy Creek, climate change and the lawyer battling to redefine public interest
Lawyer Chris Tollefson says civil disobedience is a ‘symptom of democratic failure’ and in long-fought environmental battles ‘victory comes in a lot of different forms.’
Metal-eating bacteria that can eat a nail in three days found in the Andes
Starving microorganisms that were able to eat a nail in just three days could help clean up waste left over from mining.
China singling out Australian coal is a sign of their influence on global energy markets
Alex Turnbull
When China has shortages or surpluses of gas, coal or electricity they spread rapidly across the world
Ken Calvert
Plastic can be put to so many helpful and efficient ways. Waste plastic should be burnt by municipalities.
Nature Conservation
Insects in the light of land use and climate
Urbanisation appears to be another key factor for insect decline. This is shown by a study in which the impact of climate and land use on insects was disentangled for the first time.
‘Crimes against nature’: Brazil’s President should face probe over Amazon policies, lawyers say
A group of environmental lawyers calls for the International Criminal Court to investigate Jair Bolsonaro for possible crimes against humanity over his government’s Amazon policies.
Deep seabed mining is risky. If something goes wrong, who will pay for it?
Mining will likely cause widespread damage, scientists say, but the legal definition of environmental damage when it comes to deep-sea mining has yet to be determined.
Halting extinction is an issue we actually agree on
Margaret Renkl
People on both sides of the aisle can work together to prevent future calamities from unfolding.
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