Post of the Day
Sea temperatures inch towards record high but marine ecosystems could suffer
Swimmers hoping to cool down in the deep blue will find ocean temperatures almost as warm as on the beach with sea temperatures inching towards record-breaking highs.
On This Day
Tucindan – Serbia, Montenegro
Ecological Observance
National Bird Day – USA
Climate Change
Climate change is threatening the livelihoods of Fiji’s fisherwomen
Across remote, coastal areas of Fiji, women play a crucial role in sustaining both food and income security. But, they say, their livelihoods are now being threatened by the impacts of climate change.
National
Cheque to check on pests and weeds
New Australian Government funding of $601,500 has secured the vital work of the AUSPestCheck plant pest surveillance virtual coordination centre.
Coal sinks to record low in power grid [$]
The relentless surge of solar continued to force the retreat of coal power in the national grid in the December quarter, while gas power hit a seven-year low.
ALP’s electric car plan spins its wheels [$]
A key plank of Labor’s plan to accelerate electric vehicle sales is redundant, according to Energy Minister Angus Taylor, with more than 70 per cent of car imports being exempt from tariffs under free trade deals.
Fast trains and big ships put Albanese in slow lane [$]
Australian editorial
Anthony Albanese’s tentative moves to break out from Labor’s small-target strategy for the upcoming federal election have got off to a shaky start.
The PM says it’s time to move on – cartoon
Cathy Wilcox
Victoria
Airport Rail Link fares could be similar to SkyBus, modelling suggests
Passengers on the Melbourne Airport Rail Link could expect to pay a similar fare to those offered by SkyBus and other airport rail services in Australia.
Anger over rising number of roos being killed [$]
Critics of Victoria’s Kangaroo Harvesting Program say the increase in roo culling is “cruel” and “dangerous”.
Power bill changes to bring relief for many Victorians [$]
Thousands of Victorian households will have their power bills slashed under a new default offer as they begin the new year.
How cow dung power plant may fuel Victorian farms [$]
A machine that can turn cow dung into electricity will be trialled by a Victorian dairy farm — and hopes are growing that farmers could build their own.
New South Wales
Big seas = erosion at some Byron Bay beaches
Ex-tropical cyclone Seth is still making its mark on the Byron Shire coastline with big seas, strong winds coinciding with king tides.
Sea temperatures inch towards record high but marine ecosystems could suffer
Swimmers hoping to cool down in the deep blue will find ocean temperatures almost as warm as on the beach with sea temperatures inching towards record-breaking highs.
Queensland
Birdwings, blow-ins and beauty: Why Torres Strait butterflies are Trevor’s ‘true, true love’
Over 38 years, Queensland entomologist Trevor Lambkin has documented hundreds of butterfly species across the Torres Strait. His work now warns of rising sea levels threatening those insects.
Western Australia
WA’s single-use plastics ban takes effect, but makes little difference for businesses
The new rules will start to be enforced later this year, but many businesses have already switched to more sustainable options.
QIC’s remote power play targets east coast [$]
Integrated renewables and storage, hydrogen and electric vehicle charging are all targets for Pacific Energy as it eyes expansion beyond Western Australia.
‘Ten times saltier than seawater’: Uncovering the mysteries of Australia’s pink lakes
Australia is home to hundreds of lakes that turn the colour of pink bubble gum or cordial, but what do we really know about the cause of their colour?
Sustainability
One man’s plastic trash is another man’s meal in pandemic-hit Bali
The Bali Plastic Exchange is giving people rice in exchange for plastic trash that they bring in. The collected bottles, bags and other waste is shipped off and sold to a recycling company in Java.
Chilean beekepers protest with thousands of bees
Seven police officers have been taken to hospital in Chile after being stung during a protest by beekeepers concerned by a long-term drought
Tesla output lights a fire under lithium and battery stocks
Lithium and battery stocks kicked off 2022 with soaring prices following the lead from Tesla and a stellar 2021.
Tesla delivered almost 1 million EVs in 2021, a historic milestone
And Tesla recalled almost half a million EVs in 2021, another historic milestone.
Radioactive contamination is creeping into drinking water
As mining, fracking and other activities increase the levels of harmful isotopes in water supplies, health advocates call for tighter controls.
Denmark to make domestic flights fossil fuel free by 2030
In her New Year’s address, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she wanted to “make flying green”. However she acknowledged that the solutions to reach her target were not yet in place.
Can paper replace plastic? A packaging giant is betting it can
Environmental-driven shift is complicated by frequent higher cost of cardboard, and by carbon-footprint calculus. Kalamazoo paper factory is a big test of whether the flood of ESG capital can transform supply chains.
Europe plans to say nuclear power and natural gas are green investments
The draft proposal could help unleash a wave of investment, but critics say both sources of energy cause damage to the environment.
Microreactors could be deployed across the state and nation where energy shortages occur
Researchers from The University of Texas at Arlington and Texas A&M University have received a three-year, $500,000 grant from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to conduct experiments and simulations of liquid metal heat pipes (LMHPs) for micro nuclear reactors.
Sustainable diet leads to fewer blood clots in the brain
The risk of bleeding or blood clots in the brain is lower if your diet is sustainable. This is shown by a new research result from Aarhus University
Beyond greenwashing: How chain restaurants could actually address their climate pollution
McDonald’s is one of a growing number of fast food chains that have promoted “meaningless” climate solutions while resisting deeper change.
Sailing into 2022 with wind-powered cargo ships
Use of wind-propulsion devices like towing kites and rotor sails set to double in 2022, experts say.
India, Pakistan exchange list of nuclear power installations
India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear installations and facilities, covered under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against nuclear Installations and facilities between both the countries.
Ensuring hydrogen supply chains don’t become ‘nobody’s problem’
A lack of purpose-built infrastructure and equipment could stop the transition to hydrogen in its tracks.
House dust from 35 countries reveals our global toxic contaminant exposure and health risk
Cynthia Faye Isley et al
Everyone’s home gets dusty, but is yours the same as house dust in China or the US? Researchers around the world have united to capture the world’s first trans-continental data on household dust.
Thailand reopens beach made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio film
Thailand reopens its famous Maya Bay more than three years after it was closed to allow its ecosystem to recover from the impact of thousands of visitors each day.
Climate change helped dry out the grasslands that fuelled Colorado fire
The Marshall Fire that ripped through two towns in Colorado last week drew much of its destructive power from climate change, a scientist told Reuters.The wind-swept fire blew through the towns of Superior and Louisville, destroying nearly 1,000 homes and scorching 6,000 acres in a matter of hours.
Climate change, invasive species drive native trout declines
Researchers have found that climate change drives native trout declines by reducing stream habitat and facilitating the expansion of invasive trout species.
Mexican fish extinct in wild successfully reintroduced
There once was a small fish called “tequila splitfin” or “zoogoneticus tequila” that swam in a river in western Mexico, but disappeared in the 1990s. Scientists and residents, however, have achieved the return of a species extinct in nature — but conserved in captivity — to its native habitat.
Puffins and other seabirds are dying because of climate change
I stepped onto the battlefield of climate change, sidestepping carcass after carcass. In the grass were the remains of Arctic terns, common terns, and roseate terns.
More trees means healthier bees, new study on air pollution shows
Human-caused air pollution in Brazil’s São Paulo state is taking its toll on native bees, but the presence of plants can help ameliorate those effects, a new study shows.
Deforestation increases risk of flash flooding in fast-growing West African coastal cities
Research led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) has revealed frequent storm activity in coastal areas is a previously unrecognised way in which deforestation can increase flooding.
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