Post of the Day
Nuclear scientists say Chernobyl fears may be unwarranted
After reports of power cuts to Chernobyl many feared that it would affect the cooling system leading to the spent fuel contained there overheating and leading to a disaster. Thankfully these nuclear scientists say that this worst-case scenario is unlikely because time and physics are on our side.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
Tree Day – North Macedonia
Arbor Day – China and Taiwan
Climate Change
The Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced today a $42 million pay-for-results collaboration to unlock the development benefits of private climate investments in developing countries while supporting Switzerland to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by its government operations.
Kelp won’t help: why seaweed may not be a silver bullet for carbon storage after all
John Barry Gallagher
Over the last few years, there’s been a lot of hope placed in seaweed as a way to tackle climate change.
National
Australia hits new renewables milestone, Taylor claims credit
Taylor claims credit for surging renewables share, while praising the Morrison government’s investments in the gas industry.
Bubbles in your beer may soon come from Bass Strait gas
Gas giant Esso Australia plans to reduce its carbon footprint by turning carbon dioxide from offshore gas into a product that can be used in carbonated drinks such as beer.
Insurers have spent years modelling climate risk, and the news is not good for many sea changers
Amid the clean up after what are likely to be the costliest floods in Australian history, insurers warn things are set to get worse, especially along the east coast.
Renewable energy hits annual record, AGL fails to read market and falls rapidly behind
New data revealing renewable energy hit an annual high in 2021 is yet another indication of AGL’s ideological obsession with coal in the face of mountains of evidence that the market is rapidly transitioning away from fossil fuels, Greenpeace Australia Pacific says.
Prince of Wales links Australia’s floods to climate change in message of support
The Prince of Wales releases a message support to people who have been affected by floods in Queensland and NSW this month, saying he has “great admiration for the resilience, courage and compassion of the Australian people”.
Why environment concerns are lawyers’ top voting consideration
New research from Momentum Intelligence has revealed that those in the legal profession rank climate change as a higher priority than other industries when deciding who to vote for.
A supercharged climate: rain bombs, flash flooding and destruction
Climate Council
The record-breaking and relentless deluge that has flooded towns and cities in Queensland and New South Wales is one of the most extreme disasters in Australian history, and the devastation is wide-ranging.
RBA governor heir apparent Guy Debelle votes with his feet on climate action
Bernard Keane and Glenn Dyer
The eminent economist has never been shy about climate being his priority and his integrity speaks louder than others’ weasel words.
We know extreme weather will batter Australia again – we can stop it being a major disaster
Amanda Lamont
It is so frustrating to see the same devastation play out again and again
Are the devastating floods a continuum in Australia?
Paul Daley
Aboriginal accounts recall dramatic storms and flooding that have caused deaths and changed the course of mighty waterways over millennia
It’s time to stop pandering to environmentalists [$]
Vikki Campion
The floods that have caused such devastation are yet again another sign that authorities are so caught up appeasing interest groups that nothing ever gets done
Climate-change clots have well and truly lost the plot [$]
Chris Kenny
Blaming the Coalition for the floods is just about as dumb as politics gets.
How climate change is impacting health in Australia [$]
Annabelle Warren
From the Black Summer bushfires to the extreme flooding in Queensland and New South Wales, the hidden aspect of climate change is its enormous impact on health.
How will oil shock affect the Australian economy? [$]
Claire Connelly
In two years, oil has gone from negative prices to huge highs – part of a rising inflationary shock not seen since the 1970s.
Offshore wind a massive opportunity for green hydrogen, D’Ambrosio says
Victoria’s offshore wind target will not just help fill the hole created by coal, but also boost green hydrogen opportunities, energy minister says.
Hobsons Bay Council welcomes Labor pledge for community battery
Council has welcomed an announcement by the Labor party to fund a solar battery, which will enhance the capacity of the city’s industry leading Virtual Energy Network (VEN), should they win the next election.
‘Bizarre decision’: Murray Cod fish killed [$]
Anglers have condemned Victoria’s largest rural water authority for draining Third Reedy Lake, which has killed Murray Cod and critically endangered gudgeon.
List: Who owns Victoria’s plantation forests? [$]
Companies are increasingly recognising the value of plantation forestry in building green credentials. See the biggest land owners in Victoria’s plantation industry.
Victoria’s big offshore wind plans – Energy Insiders podcast
Victorian energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio on state’s landmark offshore wind target, prospects for green hydrogen, coal retirements, the AGL play, and local industry
New South Wales
Nuclear waste shipment bound for Sydney
Police are preparing to escort a monolithic steel cask of nuclear waste to Sydney this weekend, reigniting debate about Australia’s plans for the toxic material.
Helicopter crashes near Snowy Mountains dam with National Parks staff on board
Five people survive the crash in rough terrain in Kosciuszko National Park, including four National Park and Wildlife Service staff. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has launched an investigation into the incident.
Adapt trams to run on different lines, government says
The NSW government is looking to integrate Sydney’s two light rail lines so trams from the CBD and eastern suburbs line can run permanently on the troubled inner west line to make the operations more flexible.
Homes on stilts an option to help floodproof towns [$]
Homes on stilts or elevated first floors could be the way of the future in flood-prone areas as the NSW government launches a wide-ranging planning review headed by a chief scientist.
Resilience NSW could find itself in danger [$]
James O’Doherty
Resilience NSW may be misunderstood, but it needs to do more to help flood regions — starting with raising Warragamba Dam wall.
A national failure of imagination reaps a map of misery
Julianne Schultz
But this is a crisis that has been squandered.
ACT
Bruce is Canberra’s gang-gang whisperer
Tim the Yowie Man
This column’s recent exposé on gang-gangs and their nesting hollows struck a chord with many readers, including Bruce Thornton of Watson, who, like many Canberrans, has a soft spot for the native bird with the outrageous call and cheeky demeanour.
Queensland
Plastic-free ‘submarine’ helps Queensland scientists find if nanoplastics are inside us
For researchers at the University of Queensland, determining if plastic absorption occurs and is harming humans is a scientific ‘holy grail’
How Putin’s brutal invasion is helping fill the pockets of Queensland coal giants
It’s a good time to be a coal producer. Just as Gautum Adani’s controversial central Queensland coal mine comes on line Vladimir Putin has upended the world energy markets and lit a rocket under the price of thermal coal.
South Australia names partners to $13 billion hydrogen hub as poll hangs in balance
South Australian Liberal government reveals key partners in proposed $13 billion hydrogen hub, seeking to trump Labor ahead of state election too close to call.
Tasmania
Future Hobart: Cool, connected and climate ready?
Creating a cooler and more liveable urban environment in the face of climate change will be the focus of discussion at an online public forum next week.
How a Hobart development will be made carbon neutral [$]
Despite nearly 280 representations opposed to it, Tasmania’s first carbon neutral development was given the green light – and it’s being touted as the way of the future. But exactly what is it that makes it environmentally friendly?
Western Australia
Fertiliser company urged to halt plans to remove Burrup Peninsula Indigenous rock art
Environment minister Sussan Ley asks Perdaman not to go ahead until a review is carried out after traditional owners raise concerns
‘Cultural heritage laws broken’ say Traditional Owners, Conservationists
Conservation Council of WA
Traditional Owners and conservationists say that a decision by the Federal Government to intervene over a controversial urea plant, proposed for sacred Aboriginal sites, shows that the cultural heritage approvals process is unfit for purpose.
Sustainability
With no power or communication, Chernobyl has been cut off from the world. Here’s what we know
Russian forces have been in control of the defunct Chernobyl site since its invasion of Ukraine began, prompting concerns about the defunct nuclear site’s safety.
Nuclear scientists say Chernobyl fears may be unwarranted
After reports of power cuts to Chernobyl many feared that it would affect the cooling system leading to the spent fuel contained there overheating and leading to a disaster. Thankfully these nuclear scientists say that this worst-case scenario is unlikely because time and physics are on our side.
How to clean solar panels without water
Solar power is expected to reach 10 percent of global power generation by the year 2030, and much of that is likely to be located in desert areas, where sunlight is abundant. But the accumulation of dust on solar panels or mirrors is already a significant issue — it can reduce the output of photovoltaic panels by as much as 30 percent in just one month — so regular cleaning is essential for such installations
Russia’s invasion has exploded our renewables myth [$]
Bjorn Lomborg
Every day, the world spends more than $1bn buying fossil fuels from Russia. Ending this reliance has revealed the largely untrue story we have been sold about an alternative.
Climate-resilient coral species offer hope for the world’s reefs
A new study found two common reef-builders can cope with 2ºC of global warming.
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