Post of the Day
The environmental activists bringing the climate crisis to the courtroom
Kieran Pender
There’s a growing trend of climate litigation around the world. Here’s a look at the Australian cases likely to make headlines this year
On This Day
Feast of Saint Sarkis – Armenia
Ecological Observance
Climate Change
Former UK prime minister urges Australia to lift its game on climate change
Theresa May has declared Australia should pick up its climate change agenda “rather more proactively” during the former British prime minister’s first visit.
Fossil fuel companies have the nerve to claim that taxing them will hurt the climate
The UK Labour Party has proposed a one-year tax hike to help low-income customers handle rising energy prices. Shell and BP oppose it.
Top companies like Amazon and Google pledged to fight climate change. Are they doing it?
A report released Monday claims companies that made ambitious public pledges to fight climate change are exaggerating their goals and lacking transparency.
Why soaring energy costs are just the beginning [$]
Bjorn Lomborg
Impossible climate change goals will lead to unacceptable price increases for consumers.
National
We know how to save the endangered koala – it starts with protecting habitat
For 10 years successive Australian governments have known the world famous species is in trouble, but neglected to do something about it
The environmental activists bringing the climate crisis to the courtroom
Kieran Pender
There’s a growing trend of climate litigation around the world. Here’s a look at the Australian cases likely to make headlines this year
Katharine Murphy
The desperation on show during this past parliamentary week tells us we’ve entered the ‘whatever it takes’ zone of pre-campaign campaigning
Enforce e-scooter safety, but don’t ignore the bigger traffic danger
Jago Dodson
Infrastructure that separates pedestrians from bicycles and e-scooters, and in turn from motor vehicles, needs to be expanded.
You didn’t buy an electric car. But you’re paying for one. [$]
Conor Sen
Manufacturers need to invest billions of dollars into new production facilities for green vehicles – and that money has to come from somewhere.
Saving the koala will take sacrifice as well as cash and concern
Nick O’Malley
The federal Environment Minister has announced that koalas are to be listed as endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT, while calls mount for their habitat to be preserved.
Good riddance to the koala bear, Australia’s most useless animal! – cartoon
First Dog on the Moon
The best thing about recovery plans is nobody pays any attention except for a few greenists and weary scientists
Koal-ity advice – cartoon
David Pope
Victoria
Victoria unveils plans for health and human services to adapt to climate change
Ensuring social housing and health infrastructure are better equipped to cope with heatwaves and other impacts of climate change is a key plank of a new Victorian Government plan for health and human services adaptation.
Endorsement of environmental policy brings Monash one step closer to carbon neutral target
Monash Council is charging ahead with its target of net zero emissions by 2025, with the endorsement of its Environmental Sustainable Design (ESD) Policy for Council Buildings and Infrastructure last month.
Noise pollution reports on increase
With more people working from home, Environment Protection Authority Victoria has seen a doubling of reports about noise pollution in the 2020-2021.
Aussies to get new bin for food scraps
A Sydney council, on a mission to reduce food waste, has decided it will give all homes a new bin.
If a tree falls, does my neighbour make a killing?
Anson Cameron
This town is haunted by mysterious death. It has been for years.
New South Wales
NSW Water Minister digs in on controversial floodplain harvesting scheme
Independent politicians are calling for delays to controversial floodplain harvesting laws set to come into place on Monday.
Plea issued to help protect vulnerable grey-headed flying-foxes in Berry and Shoalhaven
The Department of Planning and Environment has issued a plea for Berry and Shoalhaven communities to help protect endangered grey-headed flying-foxes which have re-formed a camp in the area.
Shutting Sydney’s high streets brings communities back together
The City of Sydney’s summer streets series has tapped into the global trend of reclaiming public spaces for local communities during the pandemic.
ACT
Electric vehicles could double or triple each year on Canberra’s roads: Andrew Barr
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said he hoped the number of electric vehicles registered in the ACT would continue to double, or even triple, every year, as he cut the ribbon on a new Tesla showroom in the city centre on Friday morning.
Gang-gang research project under way with ACT fauna emblem under threat
A national recovery effort is under way to help save the gang-gang cockatoo, with populations of the ACT’s faunal emblem thought to have declined 70 per cent in the last 25 years.
South Australia
‘Endangered’ koala ruling expected to boost SA research efforts
South Australian koala experts have welcomed the federal government decision to formally declare the species endangered in Queensland and NSW, saying it could boost local efforts to ensure the marsupial’s survival.
Tasmania
Wild-shot fallow deer feasibility study released heavily redacted
A report into the viability of commercial wild-shot fallow deer in Tasmania has been called into question after the report was released publicly with heavily redacted sections.
Big Marinus Link Bass Strait undersea survey starting
About 110 Bass Strait sites will be examined in a new undersea engineering survey for the proposed Marinus Link electricity interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria.
Questions raised over Cradle Mountain cable car ‘delay’ [$]
Six years after the project was first proposed, a development application for a planned cable car at Cradle Mountain is still yet to be presented to the local council for assessment.
Cause of West Coast tailings spill revealed [$]
A mining company has identified the cause of a tailings spill at its Rosebery site, which led to the release of waste materials into nearby waterways.
Tassie island set for Indigenous rewilding
Others can speak to the ecological significance of restoring Lungtalanana’s unspoiled glory. Kulai Sculthorpe just knows it’s where he belongs and what he needs to do.
Bike trails and tribulations as loggers draw near [$]
The transformation of depressed former Tasmanian mining town Derby into a booming mountain bike mecca is feared under threat.
Western Australia
Emergency blazes in southern WA
West Australian firefighters are tackling two out of control blazes in the state’s south, with residents told to leave.
Climate projections paint a grim future for WA if emissions not cut
WA faces a grim future of more droughts and floods if climate change continues, but the state government is only beginning to plan to contribute towards global carbon emissions that could minimise the damage.
Compo claim could change native title deals [$]
The Yindjibarndi people of the Pilbara are preparing a landmark claim against iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group.
Sustainability
The types of plastics families should avoid
If it seems like plastic is everywhere, that’s because it is. But there are ways to limit your exposure.
Visa’s new rewards card is trying to make ‘green spending’ a thing
The best thing we can do for the environment to buy less. The next best thing, according to Visa’s FutureCard founder, is to spend our money on sustainable brands.
Tiny plastic particles accumulating in river headwaters: Study
Modeling shows microplastics can be trapped in river sediments for up to 7 years posing unknown and unstudied risks to biodiversity and human health.
Giant kelp is getting less nutritious
A new study shows how warming oceans are related to kelp with lower nitrogen levels.
What have we learnt over the last two years?
Murray Hunter
It’s time for humanity to develop some humility. The human species doesn’t have the power over nature that has been assumed.
Omicron has been detected in New York deer. Here are other animals that have contracted COVID-19
While there’s no evidence to suggest the deer have been passing the virus to humans, researchers say they could be vulnerable to repeated re-infections.
Tourism leaders call for urgent action to protect oceans
Tourism’s central role in advancing the Blue Economy was highlighted as UNWTO chaired a special session and joined a Heads of State panel at the One Ocean Summit, hosted by the French Presidency this week.
The desert’s ‘skin’ is disappearing—tiny lab-grown plants could save it
Biocrusts form a critical living layer on barren desert, preventing ruinous dust storms and anchoring plants. Scientists are trying to grow the complex systems and transplant them.
Squid numbers up due to warming oceans
Researchers have measured a 39-fold jump in squid numbers in the Pacific Northwest that can directly be linked to ocean heat waves.
Wolves will regain federal protection in much of the U.S.
A federal judge has overturned the Trump-era decision that removed the predators from the endangered species list.
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