Post of the Day
Forest to pasture: Keeping trees could reduce climate consequences
Researchers studied a practice known as silvopasture which intentionally preserves trees in pastures where livestock graze. They found that compared to a completely cleared, tree-less, open pasture, the integrated silvopasture released lower levels of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide and soil carbon storage remained the same, offering a possible alternative for farmers with less climate consequences.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
Arbor Day – Paraguay
Most of the Spanish population is pessimistic about the future climate actions by the government and citizens after the impact of COVID-19.
The climate crisis is hitting the planet’s working classes the hardest and they know it
Jeff Sparrow
The conservative commentariat could not be more wrong in dismissing global heating as a concern of only the ‘woke elite’
Beware the risks of secular decarbonization
Juergen Braunstein
For many, integrating “decarbonization” into public policy, corporate and financial strategies has become a requirement, not an option — yet, what happens when the critical link between climate stability and decarbonization breaks?
National
Nothing fishy about Aussie inventor’s carbon-saving ‘shark-skin’ tech
Australia’s green bank is backing a “shark skin” for the surface of aircraft and ships to cut fuel use and carbon emissions.
Albo’s ‘superpower’ vow to world leaders
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed to turn Australia into a “clean energy superpower” during a late night global economic forum.
Taming the wild: is the rise in ‘eco-accommodation’ a threat to Australia’s national parks?
Commercial accommodation in parks promotes advocacy for the land, say tour companies, but critics argue it puts wilderness at risk
Another energy crisis suggests little was learned from SA’s infamous state-wide blackout
Eric Tlozek
A suspended electricity spot market, rolling blackouts, a “botched transition” to renewable energy – these terms were all used to describe SA’s 2016/17 energy crisis, long before the troubles of today.
The Coalition’s denial of climate science created this energy crisis. But there is a solution
Zoe Daniel
Clean, green, cheap and efficient – that’s the sort of power Australia could have had if the Coalition had heeded climate science.
Peter Hannam
Aemo was still issuing alerts on Saturday morning as system reaches limit
Earth to Bowen: We need the power on 24/7 [$]
Peta Credlin
The electricity crisis will get worse before it gets better as only blackouts, industry closures, job losses and massive price hikes will change the minds of the climate dreamers.
D’oh! David Littleproud’s nuclear comments insult our intelligence
Mia Pepper
When he suggested that the Australian public got its aversion to nuclear power from cartoons, the new leader of the federal Nationals Party touched a nerve.
Gradually then suddenly: how energy markets failed and what happens next
Alison Reeve
It will be very tempting for politicians, including state ministers, to jump into the blame game and go their own way. But the energy system operates better when they all work together.
Environment: Can astronomical phenomena inspire us to solve earthly problems?
Forget war, climate change, famine and dysfunctional economics for five minutes, lift your eyes to the pre-dawn skies and see five of our planetary neighbours.
Victoria
Demand for rooftop solar batteries spikes as eastern Australian energy prices soar
Solar Victoria fielded 50% higher than usual number of inquiries into power storage amid cold snap across eastern states
Major blaze at NSW power station expected to burn for days
A major blaze at an electrical substation south of Sydney is expected to burn for days after nearby residents in Wollongong and Unanderra were told to stay inside their homes on Saturday night.
Electric car range challenge succeeds, towing a caravan
When Keith Blackburn turns up at a caravan park towing a van behind his electric vehicle, he’s accustomed to becoming the centre of attention.
Climate ‘ideological war’ led to energy mess: Perrottet
Premier Dominic Perrottet has blamed Australia’s energy woes on the “ideological war” over climate change scaring off private investment, saying his state’s renewable targets will help future-proof its power supply.
Are new corals in Sydney dangerous invaders or harmless refugees?
A new study has found that invading subtropical corals will survive and thrive in coastal Sydney, which could spell trouble for existing Sydney coral species.
ACT
‘How can anyone trust them’? FOI block breeds distrust on Woodlawn waste site [$]
As Tarago residents wait on waste industry giant Veolia to submit its environmental study on a proposed enormous waste-to-energy incinerator in the local area, concern is rising over a block placed on alleged instances where the company has previously breached guidelines.
Queensland
How the people power behind scientific projects can help sustainability
Queensland’s Chief Scientist says many people want to live more sustainably, and a sustainability showcase this weekend will help them find the best ways to do so.
South Australia
Blackout warnings send us back to ETSA’s dark ages [$]
Paul Starick
Alarm bells about blackouts have been ringing in SA for years. But do we blame the sale of ETSA, the use of renewables – or something else?
Northern Territory
‘The world is watching’: Will the once-toxic uranium pits at Kakadu ever be fully restored?
On the doorstep of one of Australia’s most treasured natural wonders, billions are about to be spent on a high risk operation to try to transform a wasteland into a national park.
Western Australia
What energy crisis? WA forges ahead with renewables transition, as others struggle to keep lights on
Power has been a hot topic in Australia this week, although for starkly different reasons depending on which side of the country you’re on. But what does it all mean for West Australians?
Sustainability
Firms inflate green energy claims, study finds
Widespread use of renewable energy certificates – bought by companies to underscore their green credentials – is masking corporate inaction on carbon emissions, research suggests.
Forest to pasture: Keeping trees could reduce climate consequences
Researchers studied a practice known as silvopasture which intentionally preserves trees in pastures where livestock graze. They found that compared to a completely cleared, tree-less, open pasture, the integrated silvopasture released lower levels of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide and soil carbon storage remained the same, offering a possible alternative for farmers with less climate consequences.
Ilhan Omar says 49 million facing famine ‘Should be the biggest story in the world right now’
A United Nations study finds that Russia’s war on Ukraine and the intensifying climate emergency have pushed the number of people facing famine globally to an all-time high.
Scientists offer solutions for risky tap water
A recent study by Prof. YU Wenzheng’s team from the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences highlighted this risk and suggested sustainable solutions such as ozone biofiltration and nanofiltration to increase the safety of drinking water.
Can farms produce to the max and still reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
American farms produce food, animal feed and biofuel for the world. Scientists from Argonne National Laboratory are providing valuable tools to help big agriculture make decisions that maximize potential but cancel out greenhouse gas emissions.
Biogas and biomethane supply chains leak twice as much methane as first thought
A new Imperial analysis has found that biogas and biomethane, while more climate friendly, leak more than twice as much methane as previously thought.
Once seen as fleeting, a new solar tech proves its lasting power
Researchers have developed the first perovskite solar cell with a commercially viable lifetime, marking a major milestone for an emerging class of renewable energy technology.
As urban temperatures climb, here’s what the modern city should look like
Bob Ward
Buildings, materials, habits: everything will have to change because of the climate emergency
Let’s supercharge the growth of clean energy
Fred Krupp
The race to rebuild the economy and stabilize the climate has recently been threatened from an unexpected corner — a highly technical trade dispute about the origin of solar panels.
Nature Conservation
Heard of the man drought? For marine turtles it’s an existential threat
Turtles are facing a male drought of their own, as hotter sand temperatures, due to climate change, produce far more female hatchlings than males. Scientists say if this continues unchecked, it could have grave implications for the species.
‘Defenders of nature’: a tribute to Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips – video
The 10-day search in the Amazon for Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira and journalist Dom Phillips came to an end on Wednesday.
Mangrove and reef restoration yield positive returns on investment for flood protection, study shows
Restoration of mangroves and coral reefs can be a cost-effective solution for coastal flood reduction in more than 20 countries across the Caribbean.
Invasive species are taking over some American forests
A new botanical survey of southwest Ohio found that invasive species introduced to the United States over the past century are crowding out many native plants.
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