Post of the Day
5 big ideas: how Australia can tackle climate change while restoring nature, culture and communities
Rachel Morgain et al
Australia’s plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050 relies heavily on unproven technologies to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, among other things.
On This Day
Climate Change
The latest farm product: carbon credits
Global cropland has the potential to sequester as much as 570 million metric tons of carbon per year. New projects that pay farmers to adopt climate-friendly practices could help.
Arctic Ocean started getting warmer decades earlier than we thought – Study
he Arctic Ocean has been getting warmer since the beginning of the 20th century – decades earlier than records suggest – due to warmer water flowing into the delicate polar ecosystem from the Atlantic Ocean.
Cop26 kept the world’s 1.5C limit in reach – now we will steer it over the line
Alok Sharma
The Glasgow climate pact is something all parties can be proud of, but the work of the UK’s presidency is just beginning
National
Climate change is driving a drier Australia. So why are we having such a wet year?
The southern parts of Australia are expected to become increasingly dry due to climate change. Yet, we now find ourselves subject to another La Niña event. What’s going on?
Indoor air quality is a ‘regulatory no-man’s-land’. And that matters with COVID
There’s lots of talk about fixing ventilation to stop COVID, but bad indoor air has been a problem for decades. How will this change, and what can we do in the meantime?
Prime minister tells Business Council of Australia he ‘could not be more thrilled’ about Woodside proceeding with Scarborough gas development
Renewable energy supply increases 15 per cent in 2019-20
Renewable energy generation continued to gather momentum in Australia, with solar and wind energy expanding their role in Australia’s electricity generation mix according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The climate pests costing us $60 million [$]
These climate protesters are pulling dangerous stunts to cripple freight networks as they spread their anti-coal message, leaving economic damage in their wake.
Shell seeks to calm fears as some Powershop customers look elsewhere after acquisition
Shell seeks to reassure Powershop customers that it will be ‘business as usual’ for retailer following acquisition, as some look for the exit.
The Supreme Court will hear cases that could undercut Biden’s climate agenda. Here’s what to know
Environmental lawyers say some conservative justices might want to curtail the EPA’s authority to regulate power plant emissions beyond the fence line.
How the gas industry lost its way [$]
Colin Barnett
Gas can only maintain public support as a fuel if some of it is replacing coal here – not overseas.
Curriculum is a climate change battleground and states must step in to prepare students
Brad Gobby and George Variyan
There is a pressing need to prepare for the impact of the climate crisis on schools and school education in Australia. A Western Australian parliamentary inquiry into the response of the state’s schools to climate change reflects this need. It is investigating current and potential mitigation and adaptation strategies undertaken in schools.
5 big ideas: how Australia can tackle climate change while restoring nature, culture and communities
Rachel Morgain et al
Australia’s plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050 relies heavily on unproven technologies to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, among other things.
Australia’s bare-minimum emissions plan rates zero all-round
Ian Dunlop and Chris Barrie
Australia’s net zero plan is a techno-optimist thought-bubble: it has an inappropriate obj…
No island is an island anymore: the flaw in Morrison’s 2050 plan
Mike Scrafton
There’s the emissions reduction modelling, and then there’s the reality.
Jobs and a just transition can deliver climate ambition
Sharan Burrow
After COP26, global social ambition will have to match that for the climate to secure a liveable world for all.
Australia could be the long-term winner worldwide
Peter Bowden
‘We could power the entire world five times over from the Australian sun… It’s a good measure of how large our country is, and how much great sun we have.’
The fossil fuel industry is leaps and bounds ahead of Morrison on net zero by 2050 [$]
Bernard Keane
Compare the world’s biggest fossil fuel body’s plan with that of the PM’s and it’s clear even fossil fuel companies are ahead of Australia.
Victoria
Sarah campaigned to protect a patch of forest. Then a private investigator says he was told to find ‘dirt’ on her
The ABC can reveal VicForests hired a private investigator to conduct surveillance on conservationists and, more recently, conducted what some have called “digital surveillance” on people the agency argues are trying to “discredit” it.
Community overjoyed as controversial Victorian mine plan is thrown out
A mineral sands mine proposed for eastern Victoria is rejected by the state planning minister because of concerns it poses a risk to the environment and nearby agriculture.
Mammoth blaze tears through rubbish site [$]
The fire ripped through the Cleanaway site in Dandenong South, which holds 2000 tonnes of rubbish, and has been battled by firefighters since 2.30am.
New South Wales
National energy market report reveals expected price drops for power bills across country
Household power bills are predicted to continue falling across Australia in the coming years, a new report says, despite the closure of major sites such as the Liddell power station in NSW.
Climate activist’s jail time considered ‘too harsh’ by some, backed by others
Civil libertarians don’t support the 12 month jail sentence handed to a climate activist over anti-coal protests, but two politicians say it was the right move.
‘Bittersweet’: Footage of icon’s demolition
One of NSW’s oldest coal-fired power stations has been partly demolished to make way for a new renewable energy hub.
Secret document urges native logging halt in NSW regions hit hard by black summer bushfires
Exclusive: Natural Resources Commission report not released by state government calls for suspension of timber harvesting in three ‘extreme risk’ zones
Feral horses to be cut by thousands in Kosciuszko National Park
More than 10,000 feral horses will be removed from the Kosciuszko National Park within six years under a new management plan introduced by the NSW government.
App for consumers to identify sustainable brands set to launch next year
Australia’s green economy is estimated to be worth over $400 billion. Sydney-based sustainability startup Greener wants to encourage more businesses to be part of it.
Community solar farm becomes first grid scale PV project on Endeavour network
Community co-funded 3MW Shoalhaven solar farm in Nowra becomes the first large-scale PV project to connect to the Endeavour Energy network.
ACT
ACT government bans more single-use plastics from public events in Canberra
The ACT government will declare its public events to be free of single-use plastic, in a bid to further reduce waste sent to landfill in Canberra.
Canberra’s western edge should be saved from urban development
Helen Oakey
Most Canberrans would be unaware that the ACT government has flagged plans for the territory’s urban footprint to radically expand to the west.
Queensland
Is this the world’s biggest sex event? Reef explodes with life in mass coral spawning
One of the world’s greatest natural spectacles has occurred on the Great Barrier Reef overnight in a spectacular display of colour and life that only happens once a year.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk assures mining sector’s future in wake of COP26
Annastacia Palaszczuk has made a bold declaration to Queensland miners in the wake of a global climate conference.
Gloves off: Palaszczuk decides to drag mining sector into a new age
The State Government has announced a dramatic shake up of the mining industry that will include it becoming a hands-on player in diversifying the industry and sparking new processing and manufacturing.
“No going back” – mining says it will adapt and survive
The Queensland mining sector contributed a record $84 billion to the economy in 2020-21 and about $58 billion came from coal, according to a Queensland Resources Council report.
SEQ the nation’s biggest winner as renewables set to drive down power bills over next three years
Wind and solar power is flooding the energy grid with cheaper electricity, and household power bills in south-east Queensland are tipped to fall by 10 per cent – the biggest drop in the country.
Brisbane protest turns ugly after high-profile climate activist jailed in NSW [$]
Three people were arrested after dozens gathered in Brisbane’s CBD to protest the jailing of controversial Extinction Rebellion activist Eric Herbert in New South Wales.
Tasmania
Tasmanian Gas Pipeline warns on energy security, power station
Energy security will be slashed if Hydro Tasmania’s gas contract plans proceed, and developing a hydrogen energy industry in those circumstances would increase the risk
Western Australia
Mark McGowan could intervene if conservationists prevail in Woodside Supreme Court fight
Mark McGowan says a move to overturn environmental approvals for Woodside’s $16.5 billion Scarborough project could put other projects at risk.
Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (BNTAC) have joined the chorus of voices opposing the Western Australian Government’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill.
Traditional Owners raise alarm after Woodside gas project approved
Traditional Owners say they’re concerned for their Country and Songlines following the approval of a massive gas project in the Pilbara.
Woodside a global good with gas [$]
Australian editorial
Without adequate supplies, the world will turn to more polluting coal.
Sustainability
UN shipping summit criticised for ‘dangerous’ delay on emissions plan
International Maritime Organization lacks urgency needed to tackle climate crisis, say campaigners
Why gas companies can’t count on green hydrogen to save their distribution grids
Report from German think tank questions role of green hydrogen in gas distribution networks, suggesting that electric heat pumps a much better idea.
A silent killer is choking Delhi. For millions, there’s no choice but to breathe it in
Some Delhi residents have become so accustomed to bad air that it’s a part of daily life — they barely notice it, they say.Others say it’s making them sick.
Researchers unlock the potential of trees for managing environmental impacts in cities
Individually grown urban trees capture, store, and release more stormwater back to the atmosphere at a rate of 3x compared to trees grown in clusters or patches
Large insurers are hatching a plan to take down coal
Thomas Buberl, the chief executive of the French insurance company AXA, wants the industry to stop covering mines and plants.
Microbes can provide sustainable hydrocarbons for the petrochemical industry
Engineered bacteria produce medium-chain olefins that could replace oil and gas in syntheses
New study shows electric fields can improve the efficiency of wastewater purification
Given its environmental toxicity, ammonia is removed during wastewater purification and then used for fertilizers or fuel. However, this process is very energy and chemical intensive. Now, researchers have shown that the application of an external electric field can greatly enhance the efficiency of ammonia removal from wastewater, making it more energy- and cost-effective
GIST scientists showcase the potential of demand response in reducing CO2 emissions
Demand response (DR) programs incentivize electric grid users to consume less power during peak hours, relieving grid load and reducing CO2 emissions.
The sustainable industrial revolution is just getting started
Heavy industries like shipping, steel and plastics have long opted out of climate action. That is starting to change.
Filthy business: who will stop Britain’s illegal waste-dumping mafia?
George Monbiot
From mattresses to oily waste and syringes, mountains of illegal waste is piling up as the government stands by
Horror find in world’s deepest trench
Way, way down at the deepest point of the ocean lies a disaster of humanity’s own making that will never die – with untold consequences.
Atlantic fishing nations agree to ban catches of mako, world’s fastest sharks
Conservationists hail move as ‘critical breakthrough’ to protect endangered shortfin mako, prized for meat, fins and sportfishing
Climate crisis pushes albatross ‘divorce’ rates higher – study
Researchers say warmer waters mean birds are travelling further for food and becoming more stressed, triggering relationship breakdowns
Insecticides can reduce bee fertility, causing lasting harm across generations
Even a single application of a common neonicotinoid pesticide can harm exposed bees and their offspring.
Fish stock in Black Sea decreasing, warns expert
The amount of fish caught in 2021 has decreased across Turkey, while water pollution and overfishing have reduced the fish stock in the Black Sea, according to an expert.
Social media firms can tackle wildlife trade
Wildlife trading on social media is a complex issue – but tech firms can take steps to tackle it, according to new research
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