Post of the Day
UN climate chief says stakes ‘never been higher’ in fight against global warming
The stakes in the fight against global warming are higher than ever, the UN’s climate science chief said Monday as nearly 200 nations met to finalise what is sure to be a harrowing report on climate impacts.
On This Day
Candlemas – Eastern Orthodox Church
Parinirvana Day – Buddhism
Ecological Observance
Climate Change
IPCC considers report on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has started a virtual meeting (14 – 25 February 2022) to consider a landmark report on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability.
UN climate chief says stakes ‘never been higher’ in fight against global warming
The stakes in the fight against global warming are higher than ever, the UN’s climate science chief said Monday as nearly 200 nations met to finalise what is sure to be a harrowing report on climate impacts.
Research to save heritage threatened by climate change
Climate change threatens to destroy invaluable heritage sites and traditions in marginalised countries – but empowering local people is key to adaptation.
Why climate change talk must focus on water, not just stay obsessed with carbon
Mridula Ramesh
Naturally, most climate conversations revolve around carbon, with political and business leaders jumping onto the Net Zero bandwagon. So why muddy the waters, by talking about, um, water?
Global teamwork saved the ozone layer — where’s the unity on climate change?
Stephen P. Groff
What has happened over the last 35 years that makes international consensus — and even agreement around a basic set of climate facts — so difficult?
National
Do you chuck old batteries in the bin? There’s now no excuse for you not to recycle them
Australia’s first national recycling scheme for household batteries launches today. It could create a major new industry – if the economics fall into place.
Zali Steggall defends donations from wealthy family with links to coal
Independent MP Zali Steggall defends receiving a $100,000 donation from RAMs home loan founder and former coal investor John Kinghorn and his family.
Could we see another mining boom in Australia?
Record exploration spending has the resources industry enjoying boom-like conditions to kick off 2022.
An inundation of water brings life and an ecological symphony – listen for yourself
A soundscape project is allowing anyone, no matter where they are, to experience the difference that water makes to wetland areas.
As household solar stresses the grid, WA and South Australia will have the power to turn it off
Authorities are moving to gain more control over rooftop solar panels amid a ballooning number of installations that are threatening to overload the grid at certain times.
The Greens plan that could cost taxpayers a lot of green [$]
Taxpayers would have to foot the cost for a massive legal bill under a Greens proposal, a federal minister has warned.
Stokes-backed Beach Energy targets gas for east coast as demand heats up
Kerry Stokes-backed Beach Energy sees demand and prices for natural gas continuing to build across Australia’s tight east-coast market.
Banks stick with oil and gas; super funds might too [$]
Climate lobby group Market Forces wants big super to ditch oil and gas, but some funds say they’ll keep engaging with Santos and Woodside.
Bandt rules out Greens-Labor coalition [$]
Greens leader Adam Bandt has vowed he will not form a ‘Liberal/National-style coalition with Labor’ after the party suffered its sharpest Newspoll drop in almost a decade.
What do Australia’s coal miners think of climate change?
And should we listen to them?
Stunning solar milestone as Australia passes 25GW mark
Australia quietly passes major solar milestone, notching up 25GW of installed capacity in 2021 – more PV per capita than anywhere else in the world.
“The lights will stay on:” Coalition and Credlin slammed for misinformation on renewables
Clean Energy Council takes unusual step of publicly calling out Murdoch media and Coalition ministers for peddling misinformation on renewables.
Independents want rooftop solar scheme to support two million home batteries
Helen Haines says a proposal to reward batteries with renewable energy certificates could see an extra two million household batteries installed.
Duck curves and droughts: What does the future hold for wind and solar in the NEM?
Marcelle Gannon
A new deep-dive into historical generation performance across the National Electricity Market considers what it means for the renewable energy future.
Victoria
Two independents in Greg Hunt’s seat battle for Climate 200 funding
The battle of the independents in Health Minister Greg Hunt’s electorate has descended into chaos, with a new “Voices Of” candidate endorsed in Flinders, setting up a contest over Climate 200 campaign funding.
Ag jobs to be slashed by Victorian government [$]
Agriculture is the target of major Victorian government job cutbacks, while climate change bureaucrats remain relatively unscathed.
Most scooter riders just want to get to work, not terrorise pedestrians
Nicole Hallett
Last year, during one of our countless lockdowns, I bought a scooter. I had seen them out and about in the city and they struck me as a cost-effective, fun, environmentally friendly alternative for the daily commute.
New South Wales
Could this coal mine become one of Australia’s most ‘gassy’?
Environmental advocates argue Whitehaven Coal’s Narrabri underground mine would emit large amounts of methane if an extension is approved.
Economics over preservation: Major conservation proposal near Blue Mountains ‘terrifies’ locals
The NSW government is being accused of trying to make money out of efforts to preserve thousands of hectares of land on the edge of the Blue Mountains.
High-tech operation on Sydney Harbour steps up hunt for illegal fishers
A high-profile operation on the country’s most famous waters using 3D mapping, sonar technology and infrared light ups the ante on efforts by marine authorities to stop the rise in illegal fishing and black market sales.
How mass Parramatta River fish kill can be prevented [$]
After 1000 dead fish unexpectedly washed up along the banks of the Parramatta River, a push has begun to invest in innovative infrastructure to protect the waterway’s marine life.
State government has ‘koala blood on its hands’: MP [$]
A Port Stephens activist says putting koalas on the federal endangered list is welcomed but raises many questions, while an MP says the state government has “koala blood on its hands”.
Big batteries fall short of hype, says Snowy Hydro executive [$]
Rapid expansion in large-scale batteries across NSW does not undermine the need for gas-fired firming capacity from Kurri Kurri, according a top executive.
Queensland
Airservices to begin trials to minimise aircraft noise for Brisbane community
Airservices will begin trialling new measures to minimise aircraft noise in communities under Brisbane Airport flight paths from February 24.
State backs plan for luxury lakeside cabins in Queensland national park
The Queensland government is set to clear the way for 10 private cabins – costing up to $795 a night – overlooking a lake in Great Sandy National Park.
Artist uses work to combat illegal fishing wiping out endangered species
Overfished for its unique nose, the population of the prized sawfish is declining in Queensland’s Gulf. Tagalaka man Rod Lucas is encouraging tourists to swap out the trophy fish for an even better catch.
Epuron reboots wind farm rejected by feds to protect koala population
Central Queensland wind farm rejected by federal government as a threat to koalas is back in the pipeline, awaiting state and federal approvals after a redesign.
Alison Reeve and Tony Wood
In an analysis recently released to News Limited newspapers, the Morrison government claims banning new coal and gas projects in Queensland would risk 53,000 jobs and A$85 billion in investment.
Tasmania
Government report recommends improved community awareness of aquaculture produce
A new federal government report into the aquaculture industry has confirmed what many in Tasmania’s aquaculture sector already knew.
Protesters return to Wentworth Hills forests
Wentworth Hills is an area of critical native forests in the Central Highlands region of Tasmania. This area contains tracts of old growth alpine eucalypt forest and patches of temperate rainforest, and is home to nine threatened fauna species including the Tasmanian devil, grey goshawk, spotted-tailed quoll and wedge-tailed eagle.
Ship to survey Marinus link route
An 87-metre long ship, the TEK Ocean Spirit, is departing the Port of Burnie for Marinus Link’s largest underwater engineering survey of Bass Strait. The survey will help refine the final design and installation methodology for the proposed interconnector cable.
Western Australia
Cane-toad sausage drops have mixed results as scientists seek more data
Aerial baiting is seen as the only weapon to protect northern quolls from cane toads, but its effectiveness is difficult to determine.
Big battery plans for Pilbara ignore massive pumped-hydro potential
Andrew Blakers
Fortescue plans to build a 9GWh battery in the Pilbara to store energy from a 5.4GW solar and wind project, but there is a cheaper alternative.
Peter Boyer
In April 2017 BHP proudly announced to the world a record-breaking blast at one of its Pilbara mines, involving more than 6400 detonators over 50 hectares of ground and dislodging 11 million tonnes of iron ore.
Sustainability
How ready is India for clean energy technology?
Gasification allows the value of our coal resources to be unleashed in a non-combustible means, thereby averting emission of toxic gases otherwise embedded in coal at the point of combustion.
Offshore wind farms could double as electric charging stations for ships
Shipping giant Maersk and other firms are developing tech to help the maritime industry ditch dirty diesel and run on wind power.
What is the future of organic?
In the era of climate change, organic agriculture is about to win—or lose—big.
The pipe dream of sustainable plastics
Teresa Mcgrath
You’ve probably been hearing a lot lately about the negative environmental and human health impacts of plastics. And for good reason – its global production is expected to more than triple between now and 2050.
Flourishing plants show warming Antarctica undergoing ‘major change’
Dramatic spread of native plants over past decade is evidence of accelerating shifts in fragile polar ecosystem, study finds
Florida’s beloved manatees are dying in alarming numbers again. Here’s why
Emergency feeding and rescue efforts are under way for these gentle aquatic relatives of elephants, weakened by hunger and winter cold.
—
return email, delete it from your system and destroy any copies.