Date: 14 September 2022 at 6:47:13 am AWST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links Sep 14
Post of the Day
World is ‘heading in wrong direction’, UN warns, as pollution tops pre-pandemic levels
Widespread lockdowns made little dent in pollution rates, which have now returned from a temporary dip to above pre-pandemic levels, the United Nations has confirmed as it warned the world is “heading in the wrong direction”.
On This Day
Exaltation of the Cross – Western Christianity
Liz Truss hires climate sceptics and “delayers” with ties to libertarian think tanks
New UK Prime Minister appoints multiple advisors with a record of opposing climate action, including a key aide from a think tank funded by oil giant BP.
Climate impacts heading to ‘uncharted territories of destruction’, UN chief says
A new scientific report warns that the world is “going in the wrong direction” on climate change.
Mountain glacier in Chile’s Patagonia collapses amid high temperatures
Higher temperatures and rainfall that weaken ice walls caused part of a hanging glacier to break off at a national park in Chile’s Patagonia region in an event captured on video by tourists.
Climate change is making workers’ lives more difficult
Lauren Rickards and Todd Denham
“Work” – broadly defined – is what allows society to function. Like other old certainties, it is under threat from climate change.
National
It is finally BOM official: We are facing the third La Niña summer in a row
So why does this climate driver bring so much rain and what should we expect this summer?
Labor overhauls Climate Change Authority to counter concerns of excessive business influence
Albanese government appoints three women with environmental backgrounds to board
Electric shock: Tesla turmoil for teal MP [$]
In her maiden speech, ‘teal’ independent MP Sophie Scamps backed “making electric vehicles affordable for everyday Australians”. But she has a financial interest in Tesla, it can be revealed.
Peter Boyer
On the day Australia’s parliament voted for stronger climate laws, and with large parts of Earth’s northern half suffering frightening extremes of heat, fire, drought, rain and flood, a prince famous for his love of nature and his concern about climate change became king.
Andrew King
After weeks of anticipation, it’s finally official: the Bureau of Meteorology has declared another La Niña is underway. This means Australia’s east coast will likely endure yet another wet, and relatively cool, spring and summer.
Victoria
Monarchs in Melbourne bring the butterfly effect
Aged care residents in Melbourne are feeling the full force of the butterfly effect as they take part in a monarch butterfly hatching program.
Rail commuters left sidelined in western suburbs
While residents in the west pack into outdated and unreliable V-Line trains, with apparently little prospect of relief, it’s full steam ahead on the Metro tunnel.
Big solar powers up as another NSW PV project reaches full generating capacity
Completed and fully operational, FRV Australia says its 115MW Metz Solar Farm has achieved commercial operating status, and 100% capacity.
NSW lays out rules for first stage of $34 billion switch from coal to green energy
NSW lays out rules for first of many tenders to build renewables and storage to replace coal, with Matt Kean also putting in content demands to boost local manufacturing.
Coffs Harbour beehives to be euthanased in effort to curb the spread of varroa mite
All recreational and commercial beehives within an eradication zone around Coffs Harbour on NSW’s north coast will be destroyed in the latest bid to contain the spread of varroa mite.
Coalmine wastewater spill south of Sydney turns Royal national park creek to black sludge
NSW EPA investigating third coal pollution incident this year involving Peabody Energy’s Metropolitan mine
ACT
Coles’ ban on plastic produce bags kicks off today
Coles supermarkets in the ACT start their ban on plastic bags for fresh fruit and vegetables on Wednesday.
Queensland
Major water loss after dam wall fails at massive cotton property Cubbie Station
Satellite images reveal a dam wall collapse on one of Australia’s largest cotton farms, flooding surrounding country with an estimated 30,000 megalitres of irrigation water.
Government moves to address housing crisis as 1,000 people relocate to Queensland each week
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the housing summit will address critical issues including unlocking land and housing supply and fast-tracking social housing.
Slow down possums! Warning as wildlife get moving [$]
Motorists are being warned to slow down and be on the lookout for wildlife, as our native species get on the move in the hunt for breeding partners.
South Australia
Chemicals are ‘overwhelming’ food chains
Food chains are overwhelmed by the 350,000 chemicals being used around the world, a major contamination conference in Adelaide has heard.
Tasmania
Potential mine for in-demand mineral putting Lake Gairdner residents on edge
Preparations for a potential fluorspar mine at Moina in north-west Tasmania are worrying residents, who say their way of life and the area’s environment is under threat — despite acknowledging a growing need for a mineral used in electric vehicle batteries.
Small business leading the way in hydrogen shift [$]
Small businesses are leading the uptake in transitioning to renewable hydrogen in Tasmania, as access to the clean energy technology prepares for rollout next year.
German energy company eyes bigger slice of Australia’s off-grid renewables market
BayWa r.e. looks to capture more of the stand-alone power market in remote WA before branching out into other parts of Australia.
Woodside’s Scarborough expansion has sparked global climate protests, but what’s happening locally?
The energy giant’s plans have sparked protests in Germany, but the debate on the streets of Karratha is more complex.
State grant to help City of Rockingham’s coastal erosion
The City of Rockingham has secured $196,000 in funding as part of the States Coastal Adaptation and Protection Grants Program, to help deliver important sand renourishment along beaches within Warnbro Sound.
Sustainability
Non-profit brings clean drinking water to communities in Sudan
Kabier Izzeldin wasn’t surprised when a child asked for his half-empty water bottle in Sudan. What he didn’t expect: the child immediately shared the water with other children.
US reaching national electric vehicle goal unlikely by 2030 without lower prices, better policy
The United States government has set an ambitious national goal of reaching 50 percent penetration of plug-in electric vehicles by 2030, but a new study from researchers at Indiana University’s Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs shows that the U.S. is unlikely to meet this goal unless electric vehicles become more affordable for consumers.
A low-carbon chemical industry ‘could create 29m jobs and double turnover’
New report explains benefits of adopting more efficient technology and warns failure to do so could mean climate chaos
These pesticides may increase cancer risk in children
Prenatal exposure to acephate and other pesticides can increase the risk of retinoblastoma, or eye cancer, in children.
Developing sustainable concrete substitute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researchers Nima Rahbar and Suzanne Scarlata have received $692,386 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve and develop new functions for their Enzymatic Construction Material (ECM), a “living” low-cost negative-emission construction material they created to address one of the largest contributors to climate change — concrete — by providing what they refer to as “a pathway to repair or even replace [traditional] concrete in the future.”
Shallow-water mining is not a sustainable alternative to deep-water mining, scientists argue
Shallow-water mining projects are already underway in Namibia and Indonesia, and projects have been proposed in Mexico, New Zealand, and Sweden, but the effects of these projects haven’t been fully investigated. Scientists argue that shallow-water mining needs more rigorous environmental evaluation before it can be declared safe and sustainable.
A big win for nuclear: Palisades plant may reopen in Michigan
Robert Bryce
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, shown in a July 20, 2022, file photo, supports the reopening of the Palisades nuclear plant proposed by Holtec International.
After years of grim forecasts and premature reactor closures, the domestic nuclear energy sector is suddenly enjoying a winning streak.
We’re living through the end of ‘the long 20th century’ — and our future wealth is unclear
Peter Martin
King Charles III inherits a future with no guarantee of ever-increasing living standards, no guarantee human ingenuity will prevail over global warming, and no guarantee democracy will prevail
Nicole Hasham
The natural world is close to the heart of Britain’s new King Charles III. For decades, he’s campaigned on environmental issues such as sustainability, climate change and conservation – often championing causes well before they were mainstream concerns.
Human extinction isn’t inevitable, yet …
Bob Douglas
Evidence is growing that our human species could be headed for extinction in the not-too-distant future.
Nature Conservation
Bats’ midnight snacks reveal clues for managing endangered species
How do we bring threatened and endangered animals back from the brink? The task is never easy or simple, but one thing is undeniably true: If we don’t understand these animals and what they need to survive, we have little chance of success.
Research quantifies impact of human activity on Atlantic Rainforest’s carbon storage capacity
The countless benefits of native forests include the capacity of tree biomass to store large amounts of carbon, which can counterbalance greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. A paper published in the journal Science Advances reports on an innovative analysis of a large dataset designed to clarify the concept of carbon sequestration, a strategic issue in the discussion of global climate change.
Acid test: Are the world’s oceans becoming too ‘acidic’ to support life?
The world’s oceans absorb about a quarter of humanity’s carbon dioxide emissions, buffering us against higher atmospheric CO2 levels and greater climate change. But that absorption has led to a lowering of seawater pH and the acidification of the oceans.
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