Post of the Day
Earth Day 2022: How much do you know about climate change? Take our quiz
How well have you followed news coverage of the climate crisis in the last 365 days? Take this quiz to find out.
On This Day
Good Friday – Eastern Christianity
Ecological Observance
International Mother Earth Day
Climate Change
Antarctic sea-ice expansion in warming climate
Antarctic sea-ice has expanded over the period of continuous satellite monitoring, which seemingly contradicts ongoing global warming resulting from increasing concentrations of greenhouse gasses
National
‘Things have changed’: Meet the farmers revegetating their land and restoring biodiversity
More and more farmers are choosing to combine conservation with agriculture and the benefits are paying off.
Coalmining regions urged to diversify, with Chinese slowdown in coal consumption ‘imminent’
Energy economists are warning coalmining regions to make urgent changes to diversify as China both reduces consumption and opens massive mines of its own.
Major electric vehicle issue facing Australia
An independent candidate who could hold the balance of power after the election has revealed a big electric vehicle change she wants for Australia.
Transport emissions rose 12 per cent in three months in Australia
The increase came as restrictions eased, while overall emissions fell thanks to renewable electricity generation.
The green energy mineral towns that could fuel their own property booms
Many property markets are tipped to fall in coming years after an extraordinary run-up in prices, but a handful of mineral-rich regions could buck that trend as green energy booms.
Net zero ‘to cost regions 500,000 jobs, $274bn’ [$]
Australia will forego 478,000 new jobs and $274bn in economic development if the 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target is to be achieved by cancelling all new coal, gas and oil projects.
Major parties suffer from a climate credibility gap: new health election scorecard
Recent floods in Queensland and New South Wales have put the spotlight on the damaging health impacts from climate change including risks to food security, mental health and trauma from widespread devastation.
What happens when baseless claims are injected into an election campaign? – Full Story podcast
The Coalition kicked off another climate scare campaign this week. Emissions reductions minister Angus Taylor reignited the climate wars by announcing electricity prices would rise by $560 under a Labor government, claims he was unable to back up. In this episode of Full Story, Gabrielle Jackson speaks to Lenore Taylor and Mike Ticher about what happens when nuanced policy debates get lost in the news cycle
Over a barrel: addressing Australia’s liquid fuel security
The Australia Institute
Australia is almost entirely reliant on imports of refined fuels and crude to meet consumption. In FY2021, 91 per cent of all fuel consumed in Australia was imported. This includes 68 per cent imported as refined crude, while 71 per cent of fuel refined in Australia is imported as crude and condensate.
Climate conversations are ignoring the cow in the room
Michael Dello-Iacovo
By now, we’re all aware of the impact of greenhouse-gas emissions on climate change. They – along with temperatures and sea levels – are rising, and, with the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warning that Earth is heading towards catastrophe, we’re scrambling for solutions, from solar-powered homes to seaweed-stuffed cows.
The government’s minimalist approach to climate change just doesn’t cut it
Kim Rubenstein
Decades of inertia and bitter partisan politics have revealed an inescapable truth – the Federal Parliament is incapable of dealing with the complex issues and diverse interests involved in delivering action on the climate crisis.
Hear from health workers across Australia about how climate change is affecting their lives and work
Lyndal Rowlands
From the Northern Territory to regional New South Wales and suburban Melbourne, health workers are feeling the brunt of climate change as they consider election policies
Victoria
Regulator gives green light for safe gas production
Earth Resources Regulation has granted a gas production licence for the Beach Energy Enterprise Project in Victoria’s Otway Basin.
Removing barriers to develop and commercialise new uses for recycled materials
Sustainability Victoria today announced the launch of the Recycling Victoria Markets Acceleration Fund, a $5 million support package for Victorian businesses, research institutes and industry to develop and commercialise new uses for recycled materials.
French company to build 100 new Melbourne trams under $1.85 billion deal
The Victorian government has inked a $1.85 billion deal with French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom to build 100 accessible trams in Melbourne’s south-east.
New South Wales
Unlawful native vegetation clearing results in Enforceable Undertaking for blueberry farmer
A blueberry farmer in the Clarence Valley has entered into an Enforceable Undertaking with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment following the unlawful clearing of more than 11 hectares of native vegetation on their property.
NSW government criticised for ‘dismissive’ response to inquiry into kangaroo population
Greens MP ‘disappointed’ after only two of report’s 23 recommendations accepted in full
Coal mines to be spared from emission reduction rules, says Labor [$]
ALP MPs in NSW’s Hunter Valley say every such pit in Australia will be exempt from having to buy carbon credits or cut pollution.
ACT
Impact of logging on Black Summer Bushfires disputed
An academic dispute is heating up over the impact of logging on the Black Summer Bushfires.
Pilot program marks next step in ACT’s power storage ‘ecosystem’
A pilot plan to establish back-up batteries across Canberra government-owned properties will begin at the end of next month, with tenders called for installations across 14 of the most appropriate sites.
Bad behaviour: Fast-fashion survey singles out Canberrans’ spending habits
A recent survey of more than 1000 people found a third of ACT respondents purchased a new clothing item each week, with 33 per cent also throwing out clothes on a weekly basis.
Queensland
Great Barrier Reef water-quality program earns $3.1 million funding
Innovative land and water quality monitoring tools will improve water quality in the Great Barrier Reef as part of a new $3.1 million program.
Sacred land where 300 Indigenous Australians were massacred returned to Darumbal people
Queensland government hands over control of land at the foot of Gai-i, formerly Mount Wheeler
Western Australia
‘Critical minerals’ sector becomes latest federal election battleground
Labor brands Prime Minister Scott Morrison “ignorant” of the importance of critical minerals to the national economy, as construction of a $500 million rare earths refinery officially begins in WA.
Death fears for ancient Western Australian coral formation
Spawning event goes wrong near colossal coral bommie dubbed Ayers Rock
WA gas splash puts a buck each way on climate
Peter Milne
What will the cash do for climate change in the only state to produce more greenhouse gases than in 2005? It all depends on what you mean by clean hydrogen.
Sustainability
US awards $6.4 billion to fund carbon reduction schemes
The US Transport Department will award $US6.4 billion ($8.6 billion) over five years to fund projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainable development hinges on fate of world’s cities
The future of sustainable development will hinge on the fate of cities, officials told a special meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Thursday, stressing that the more than half of the world’s population currently live in urban environments, a number likely to rise to nearly 70 per cent by 2050.
Community approach to improving health of planet
Earlier this month, MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE) hosted a Health of the Planet Showcase. The event was the culmination of a four-year long community initiative to focus on what the mechanical engineering community at MIT can do to solve some of the biggest challenges the planet faces on a local and global scale.
Climate crisis could lead to rise of smaller bees, study finds
Danger looms for larger species such as bumblebees, which have lower heat tolerance, leading to ‘cascading effects’ on ecosystems
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