Post of the Day
Species at risk of extinction in Victoria
Thousands of animals and plants could become extinct in Victoria thanks to climate change, invasive species and habitat loss, a parliamentary inquiry has found.
Today’s Celebration
Feast of Saint Francis Xavier – Catholicism
Ecological Observance
Climate Change
Climate modeling confirms historical records showing rise in hurricane activity
New results show North Atlantic hurricanes have increased in frequency over the last 150 years.
Aircraft reveal a surprisingly strong Southern Ocean carbon sink
New study relies on airborne measurements of carbon dioxide to estimate ocean uptake
Climate cost study authors accuse Bjørn Lomborg of misinterpreting results
Graham Readfearn
A key claim in a column by the Danish thinktank head frustrates scientists who modelled reducing emissions
National
Indigenous Party of Australia officially registers with eye on First Nations issues
Born out of campaigns to protect the Baaka, the party’s main aim is to protect all sacred lands and waterways right across Australia.
Could Australia produce 3,000 per cent renewables? Experts say it might be necessary
A massive ramp up of renewable energy production is key to cutting the costs of decarbonised products, like green steel, aluminium and hydrogen.
Satellites discover a huge cloud of undisclosed methane emissions over Australia, experts claim
Methane is a powerful, invisible gas that might be a key driver of global warming. Now satellite imagery is raising questions over whether Australia has been accurately reporting its emissions to international bodies.
If solar is now so cheap, why is my power bill still so high?
After years of increases, power prices are set to fall, thanks largely to cheap solar. So how cheap can solar get? And what does this mean for your electricity bill?
Resources and energy export earnings continue to rise
Australia’s resources and energy exports continue to surge, latest trade data confirmed today, despite the challenges of the past 12 months.
Labor to unveil raft of climate policies including higher 2030 emissions reduction target
Anthony Albanese set to present his most significant, and electorally risky, policy gambit to date
This report was sent to the Australian Government on 29 October 2021 and publicly released on 1 December 2021.
Australia has a heritage conservation problem. Can farming and Aboriginal heritage protection co-exist?
Michael Westaway et al
Rio Tinto’s destruction of the 46,000 year old Juukan Gorge rock shelters has led to recommendations by the Parliamentary Inquiry on how Australia can better conserve Aboriginal heritage sites.
Six Australian birds you may never have heard of … and may not be heard from again
Sean Dooley
A landmark study has found one in six Australian birds are now threatened. Here are some of the species most likely to be headed to a museum, unless more is done
Bill Hare
The controversial Scarborough gas project off Western Australia will cause a substantial rise in greenhouse gas emissions at a time when the world must rapidly decarbonise, new analysis released today shows.
What can we gain from open access to Australian research? Climate action for a start
Lucy Montgomery et al
The COP26 meeting has sharpened the world’s focus on climate change. To adapt and thrive in a world of reduced emissions, Australian businesses and communities need access to the technologies and innovation made possible by the nation’s researchers. But most Australian research is locked behind publisher paywalls.
Albanese to come clean on emissions targets, but a carbon price is still hush-hush
Richard Holden
The Australian Labor Party is set to announce its target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions today.
Charities muzzled when climate action advocacy is most needed
Lucy Hamilton
Blocking charities from lobbying on “political” issues such as climate change is a blow to a liberal democracy and to our children’s futures.
Victoria
Species at risk of extinction in Victoria
Thousands of animals and plants could become extinct in Victoria thanks to climate change, invasive species and habitat loss, a parliamentary inquiry has found.
Victorian government pressed to deliver promised funding for threatened plants and animals
Critically endangered grasslands on Melbourne’s outskirts should be immediately protected, parliamentary inquiry says
Victorian motorists to pay as they go [$]
Drivers will face a distanced-based road user charge after the state government backed a major long-term fee overhaul.
Melbourne gridlock as bad as it was pre-pandemic [$]
Motorists are facing major traffic headaches across the city – and one freeway is busier than it was before Covid.
There’s an enormous geothermal pool under the Latrobe Valley that can give us cheap, clean energy
Graeme Beardsmore
About 650 metres beneath the Latrobe Valley, the heart of Victoria’s coal country, lies a little-known, naturally hot 65℃ pool of water in an enormous aquifer.
NSW smashes solar output record as another grid scale project begins commissioning
NSW smashes its grid scale solar output as another big solar project finishes testing and starts the commissioning process.
Perrottet’s plan for six-city mega region
The NSW premier has outlined his vision for the state, flagging increased infrastructure and city-building as well as new ministries to drive the economy and make the state more liveable.
Dave Sharma faces questions over his claims of an ‘upgraded 2030 emissions reduction target’
Wentworth MP queried over comments made to local newspaper after criticism of Coalition climate policy
Koala corridors, garden fences to protect species from city’s expansion
The government will adopt all 31 recommendations by the NSW Chief Scientist aimed at minimising harm to koalas.
Laura Corrigan
75-year-old Yuin elder Kevin Mason has been charged with Fisheries offences multiple times, but he won’t let that stop him practicing his culture.
ACT
ACT teens want to vote on climate change, housing issues
The threat of climate change weighs heavily on the mind of 16-year-old Tara Craemer-Banks.
Queensland
How net zero could deliver five per cent boost to Queensland’s wealth
The Queensland economy would be 7 per cent larger in 2050 if it adopted net zero emissions, according to a Deloitte report commissioned by the Climate Council.
South Australia
Be honest – Speirs’ ‘crazy lefties’ gibe was a breath of fresh air [$]
Caleb Bond
The “Greta Thunbergs of SA” were never going to give David Speirs any credit anyway by virtue of the simple fact he’s a Liberal.
Tasmania
Alternative modes of transport encouraged by City of Launceston council
The daily commute in Launceston is set to change in the coming years, after the public were urged to reconsider their preferred mode of transport.
Aurora, carbar team on Tasmanian electric vehicle subscriptions
Tasmanians will be able to test electric vehicles under a new subscription service.
Basslink still owes Hydro Tasmania $25.25 million over 2015 cable failure [$]
Hydro Tasmania is still owed $25.25 million from Basslink as a result of the 2015 cable failure, with Hydro executives questioned about whether the organisation would see the money after Basslink recently entered voluntary administration.
$5.5 million contract awarded for underwater geotechnical surveys to discover Marinus Link route
Underwater engineering geotechnical surveys will be conducted in January on Tasmania’s North West Coast, to see which route is preferred for the Marinus Link.
Ben Lomond National Park’s $2.1 million public shelter on track
Skiers who have settled for a shipping container as a public shelter for the past three snow seasons will find solace in the fact building is scheduled to start on an all-weather shelter at Ben Lomond National Park.
Potential water pollutant at George Town prompts investigation by council, the EPA and TasWater
Bubbling brown-green sludge sitting on the top of the Tamar at George Town has so far confounded investigators.
Balancing the books for a sustainable world
Tasmania has long been an important voice in the always-evolving conversation about how accounting can help create a sustainable society. That continues today as the University of Tasmania hosts the 20th Australasian Centre for Social and Environmental Accounting Research (A-CSEAR) Conference.
Tribunal strikes down rail trail appeal
The extension of the North East Rail Trail is a step closer following a recent ruling from TasCAT (formerly Resource Management Planning and Appeals Tribunal).
3 more Tasmanian birds identified as threatened
Analyses of monitoring and surveys spanning more than 20 years by BirdLife Tasmania has identified three species of woodland birds that meet the criteria for listing as Threatened Species.
Mayor moves to ease fears over contaminated water [$]
A Tasmanian mayor says he is confident the chemical contamination of a rivulet is being managed effectively by the Environment Protection Authority and the Tasmania Fire Service.
Northern Territory
Call for urgent reform of land rights laws [$]
Aboriginal land rights laws in the Northern Territory have exacerbated remote poverty by trapping Indigenous people under the thumb of a paternalistic bureaucracy that frustrates attempts to develop their land, a new research paper claims.
Renewable magnesium smelter considered for Western Australia coal hub
WA looks to boost zero emissions production of critical minerals, funding a feasibility study into a green magnesium smelter in the heart of coal country.
WA lags all other states in race for renewable energy exports: WWF
Despite natural advantages in wind, sun and space, WA is the laggard state in Australia’s race to be a “renewable export powerhouse” according to a new report.
Synergy first up as WA government sets out on 2030 emissions target
The approach could be a bog turnaround for a government often accused by environmentalists of being too close to the gas industry.
Renewed push for WA Liberal MPs Collier and Goiran to resign
At the inaugural Liberal Reform Coalition meeting held on Wednesday night, the crowd called for the immediate resignation of the two politicians.
Price shocks risk “erasing” years of solar and wind cost reductions, and could delay projects
IEA warns supply chain headwinds could delay 100GW of renewables development and erase years of price drops. But solar and wind still trump fossil fuels.
Growing carbon footprint for plastics
After analyzing the global plastics supply chain, researchers found that the impact of plastics on the climate and health is greater than thought due to the increased use of coal for process heat, electricity and as a raw material in production.
How far is Fukushima nuclear accident contaminated water from us?
In a paper published in National Science Review, a team from Tsinghua University analyzed the diffusion process of the treated Fukushima accident contaminated water to be discharged into the Pacific Ocean from 2023. Results show that the tritium, the main pollutant in the radioactive water, will spread to the whole North Pacific in 1200 days, which is important to formulate global coping strategies.
Sex ratio of babies linked to pollution and poverty indicators
Study finds some pollutants are correlated with higher levels of boys and others with more girls
Nature Conservation
Efforts to restore Indonesian peatlands could save billions in wildfire costs
Plans to restore Indonesian peatlands are a cost-effective strategy for reducing the impacts of peatland fires to the environment, climate and human health, says a new study. The study, led by the University of Leeds, uses satellite data and models to estimate that peatland restoration could have resulted in economic savings of US$8.4 billion for 2004–2015
Ocean plastic is creating new communities of life on the high seas
Coastal plants and animals have found a new way to survive in the open ocean—by colonizing plastic pollution.
The Norwegian wolf died out in the wild a long time ago. The wolves in Norwegian forests today are Finnish. Inbreeding is making them prone to extinction as well.
Plans to mine Ecuador forest violate rights of nature, court rules
Landmark ruling says mining permits issued in Los Cedros protected area breach Ecuador’s constitution
How does the climate crisis affect the Antarctic fur seal?
The climate crisis is limiting the availability of krill — small crustaceans that are vital in the marine food chain — during summer in some areas of the Antarctica.
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