Post of the Day
Transmission lines to play a big role in clean energy future
Lesley Hughes
When people think about climate action, they picture solar panels and wind farms, but there’s another less well-known but just as crucial ingredient in Australia’s clean energy shift.
On This Day
Climate Change
Volcanoes are destructive and explosive, but could their eruptions actually have benefits?
The eruption on the Canary Island, La Palma, has captured the world’s attention recently after causing thousands of residents to evacuate. But can a volcanic eruption have a positive impact? Scientists studying an active subantarctic volcano seem to think so.
One farmer’s seaweed discovery could help slow methane emissions — and change the world
On Prince Edward Island in Canada, farmer Joe Dorgan’s unlikely discovery has the potential to change the world.
The climate change impact of Manchin’s “no” on Biden plan
Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) decision Sunday to oppose President Biden’s signature climate and social policy legislation imperils the administration’s climate goals.
Activists demand Indonesian climate leadership during G20 presidency
Indonesia should use its year-long Group of 20 presidency to lead member countries in the delivery of their climate commitments, youth activists have said.
Africa cannot confront climate change alone
The African continent is already contending with more frequent climate-related disasters, hotter weather, erratic rainfall, and rising sea levels, all of which bring human tragedy, social upheaval, and economic disruption.
Humanity should not test whether Antarctica’s ice will hold out
Washington Post editorial
Humanity should not test whether unrestrained warming will catastrophically reshape the world’s coastlines. As is the case with so many other potential climate consequences, allowing this gamble to play out is not worth the risk.
Peter Dykstra
Unlike downpours, droughts, hurricanes, typhoons and more calamities, there isn’t a clear, undebatable link between climate change and tornadoes.
National
High-priced coal and LNG sets Australia up for $380 billion windfall
After reaching a record $310 billion last year, exports of minerals and energy through 2021-22 are now tipped to reach $380 billion, thanks to high prices.
Greens’ all-time top donor considers switch to climate independents
The Greens’ biggest-ever donor is increasingly frustrated the party’s support has stalled and is considering throwing his support behind climate independents at the next election.
Make our power bills simpler. Do it, says regulator [$]
Consumers are being turned off by the “doublespeak” of power retailers, the energy regulator says – and it has to be easier for us to find the best deal.
Environment boss ‘a Chinese Communist Party adviser’ [$]
Australia’s top environment bureaucrat is an adviser to a Chinese Communist Party body that lauds the country’s climate credentials and promotes Xi Jinping’s “Green Belt and Road Initiative” to the world.
Aurizon shares fall to earth while it reassesses its coal links [$]
The scramble by investors over the past two years to ditch shares in companies with links to fossil fuels has hurt the rail group, despite prices soaring for both thermal and metallurgical coal this year.
When will coal exit the NEM? [$]
Coal-fired power is on its slow march out of the nation’s energy mix, but there remains the big question of when exactly it will exit the energy grid.
With a warming climate driving weather to new extremes, the Herald’s chief photographer Nick Moir spent much of the year battling giant hail, floods, huge waves and even tornadoes.
No time for car battery to die [$]
Matthew Benns
The world is racing to the wrong conclusions with electric vehicles and our government is going along for the ride.
We’ll vote for a steady hand to steer us back to prosperity [$]
Jennifer Oriel
Climate policy will affect the election campaign, but bread-and-butter issues are the main game as the government tries to lead the country out of the pandemic.
Transmission lines to play a big role in clean energy future
Lesley Hughes
When people think about climate action, they picture solar panels and wind farms, but there’s another less well-known but just as crucial ingredient in Australia’s clean energy shift.
‘Do nothing’ approach to climate change disastrous
Letters
The Morrison government and Labor should both heed the advice of the Climate Council’s latest report to commit to halving Australia’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030.
Victoria
Major disruption: City Loop to shut down for long-overdue safety fix
The entire City Loop will be shut down for an undefined period in coming months to fix safety faults identified a decade ago at a cost that has blown out to hundreds of millions of dollars.
New South Wales
NSW Premier reveals major cabinet reshuffle
Treasurer Matt Kean will now only be responsible for energy. Manly MP James Griffin takes over from Mr Kean as Minister for Environment and Heritage.
ACT
There are questions over the capacity of the ACT’s wastewater treatment system, after partially treated sewage was repeatedly released into the Murray Darling catchment during recent heavy rainfall.
Queensland
Great Barrier Reef could face another mass bleaching by end of January, forecast says
Scientists are hoping La Niña conditions might yet stave off threat from predicted heat accumulation in northern and central reef
Northern Territory
‘Bloody hell, you’ll cook’: After putting the heat on bureaucrats, this family is the first in NT public housing with rooftop solar
Turning on the AC in summer often plunges thousands of Indigenous families into the sweltering dark, but Norman Frank’s “trailblazing” fight is changing government policy.
Western Australia
Polly’s getting pickled: Parrots getting drunk after eating fallen, fermenting mangoes
It is the end of the mango season and fallen fruit is fermenting in the Kimberley sun, resulting in a boozy — but potentially fatal — treat for the local wildlife.
Cook loses health for tourism in cabinet shake up
Left faction power broker and current Environment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson will take on health and mental health duties with her environment portfolios given to Minister Reece Whitby.
The WA government is demanding the Commonwealth “step up” and stop illegal foreign fishermen from harvesting seafood in a pristine marine park.
Sustainability
The year’s top 10 science stories, chosen by scientists
Billionaires in space, an end-date for deforestation, facing up to racial bias in healthcare – we asked scientists to share the most important developments of 2021.
Blue-sky thinking: net-zero aviation is more than a flight of fantasy
Emma Rachel Whittlesea and Tim Ryley
As international air travel rebounds after COVID-19 restrictions, greenhouse gas emissions from aviation are expected to rise dramatically – and with it, scrutiny of the industry’s environmental credentials.
Blue whales showing signs of malnutrition, climate warning says CDU researcher
Blue whales that pass through the waters off Timor-Leste each year are showing signs of malnutrition according to a Charles Darwin University (CDU) researcher who has been studying the animals for almost a decade.
Rare and frightening footballfish washes up in California – again
Curiously, the Pacific football fish, with spiny teeth and a bulb on its head, is the third to wash ashore this year
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