Date: 16 September 2022 at 6:59:52 am AWST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links Sep 16
Post of the Day
How silent environmentalists could help protect biodiversity
A University of Queensland-led study surveyed 2,000 people across Australia, finding that a quarter of participants had a human-centric relationship with nature, but also a strong desire to protect the environment.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
Climate Change
Patagonia founder gives away $4.4 billion company to help fight climate change
Billionaire Yvon Chouinard is giving away 98 per cent of his company to a not-for-profit organisation that will use “the wealth Patagonia creates to protect the source of all wealth”
The World Bank Group’s Country Climate and Development Report for Nepal underscores the urgency of building resilience to climate change and recommends policies and investments for integrated climate and development solutions for green, resilient, and inclusive development.
Campaigners call for climate crisis global day of action during Cop27
Groups urge action during the talks in Egypt to demand climate justice for Africa and the global south
How cities can cope with climate change-induced floods
The repeated flooding of Bengaluru in the monsoon season of 2022 will become more common as the world becomes warmer and the atmosphere holds more moisture, increasing the possibility of extreme rainfall events.
Large companies’ assets at growing risk of climate impact – S&P Global
Over 90% of the world’s largest companies will have at least one asset highly exposed to the physical impacts of climate change by the 2050s, data and analysis from index and ratings provider S&P Global showed on Thursday.
World bracing for severe effects of climate change, new survey finds
Vast global majority expects to be severely impacted by climate change by 2032
Fossil fuel giants abuse system to silence protesters
Recent research from EarthRights International shows how the fossil fuel industry uses “judicial harassment” to target climate campaigners with lawsuits to silence protests.
Problem with King Charles’ climate views [$]
Rita Panahi
The head of state must be apolitical but King Charles III comes into the role with significant baggage.
Paul Callister and Robert McLachlan
Biofuels – and a broader bioeconomy – are key parts of New Zealand’s recently released first emissions reduction plan, particularly for transport, forestry and a transition to a more circular use of resources.
Climate change, weather elements and natural disasters: what links?
Chas Keys
Over the past couple of years, the idea that humanly-created climate change is real and worrying has become increasingly accepted in Australia. Few scientists now argue the opposite point of view, the commentariat has largely followed suit even News Corp’s opposition is no longer a matter of policy and polls suggest that scepticism and denialism are in retreat in the popular mind.
National
Energy bill help for people fleeing abuse
Energy regulators have finalised rules to protect customers affected by family violence and financial abuse.
Australia’s car emissions flatline as EVs take-off
A new report on the carbon emissions intensity of new light vehicles sold in Australia has found emissions fell by just 2 per cent in 2021 despite a tripling of battery electric vehicle sales.
Aussie farmers fear export beef after Europe’s land-clearing crackdown
The European parliament has voted to adopt regulations that would force companies to prove they were not selling products that came from land that had been cleared of forest, or environmentally degraded, dating back to 2020.
Noisy miners are one of Australia’s ‘most hated birds’. How do we manage their booming population?
One of Australia’s “most hated birds” — the noisy miner — is now one of its most common, dominating urban environments and driving out smaller and more vulnerable species.
Growing calls for Australia to help out climate-hit nations – podcast
There are growing calls for Australia to contribute more money to nations hit by climate change.
Hussein Dia et al
Reducing air pollution from road transport will save thousands of lives and improve the health of millions of Australians. One of the quickest ways to do this is to accelerate the current slow transition to electric vehicles.
Nearly 30% of Australia’s emissions come from industry
Rebecca Pearse
Australia’s historic climate law passed the Senate last week and enshrined an economy-wide target to reduce emissions. But an important measure to reduce Australia’s industrial emissions is still up for debate: the “safeguard mechanism”.
‘Green Wall Street’ in Australia won’t save the planet. Markets value profits, not platypuses
Richard Denniss
If we’re serious about protecting endangered species, we must protect what’s left of their habitat, not ask the market to set a price for destroying it
The koala – when it’s smart to be slow
Danielle Clode
The koala was clinging to an old tree stag while stranded in the Murray River, on the border between New South Wales and Victoria. A team of students from La Trobe University noticed its predicament as they were paddling by in canoes.
There’ll be no fast track for high-speed rail
John Hanscombe
You used to be able to set your clock by it. Whenever Anthony Albanese mentioned his vision for high-speed rail, you knew an election was brewing.
RBA review flags climate disruption as a challenge for same-old, same-old policy [$]
Bernard Keane
The review of the Reserve Bank wants to know what happens if monetary policy can’t fix inflation caused by factors like climate change.
Victoria
Improving access to Victoria’s coastline
The Andrews Labor Government is investing in safer and improved access to our coastline, to ensure we’re protecting our environment while encouraging more people to enjoy our beautiful beaches.
New South Wales
Australian Pacific Coal plans to reopen controversial Upper Hunter mine, Dartbrook next year
The owners of the mothballed Dartbrook coal mine in the Upper Hunter say they plan to restart the mine within 18 months, but it will cost more than $300 million
NSW is heading towards timber ‘crisis’ for new homes, committee told
Just as higher interest rates begin to make a dent in property prices, there is a new headache for people trying to break into the property market. A looming timber “crisis” threatens to delay the supply of new homes.
NSW Environment Minister asks for evaluation of Brumby plan’s implementation
NSW Environment Minister James Griffin has called for an evaluation of the Brumby control plan’s implementation, following reports of horse carcases being discarded in Kosciuszko National Park.
How do you successfully get rid of flying foxes? By finding them somewhere else to live
The grey headed and common little-red flying foxes, which are vulnerable to extinction, have wreaked havoc in Bathurst. But now the city thinks it has struck the right balance in finding a solution.
ACT
It’s time to take next steps to embrace Right to Repair
Australian Greens media release
ACT Greens MLAs Jo Clay and Shane Rattenbury are supporting the Hawker Repair Cafe launch, a space where the community can learn to restore their connections with the objects they own through learning to repair.
Queensland
Proposal to remove crocodiles will create a ‘false sense of security’, says academic
A university academic believes education is better than removing large crocodiles from Queensland waterways because the latter may lead people to become more complacent.
Australian sprawl: why developing our way to affordable housing could backfire
As Queensland focuses on greenfield development to solve its housing crisis, critics say it won’t help the people most in need
South Australia
Plan to recycle 88 million household batteries a year and keep them out of landfill
Up to 2,000 tonnes of single-use household batteries will be recycled each year at Port Pirie’s South Australian smelter site, with copper and zinc extracted from them and exported overseas.
Premier opposes nuclear waste dump near Kimba [$]
Premier Peter Malinauskas has revealed his stance on the federal government’s nuclear waste dump to be built near Kimba.
Day-and-night patrols to curb antisocial behaviour in Port Augusta
The $1.2 million initiative is a reinvention of the City Safe program that ran for more than a decade, and will bring together existing support services in consultation with Aboriginal leaders and community groups.
Tasmania
Ben Felton told the Tasmanian commission of inquiry he was sexually abused by a nurse at the Launceston General Hospital in 1989 when he was 13. He says the issue needs to be talked about to protect future children.
‘No transparency’: EPA slammed over salmon rules [$]
Thousands of salmon escaped into the Huon River this month, but if it weren’t for the keen eyes of Tasmanian anglers, the public would’ve been none the wiser. One group is tired of being kept in the dark.
Northern Territory
Plans to pipe 3,300ML a year from the NT’s Roper River rejected
An ilmenite mine in the Northern Territory that wants to double its production has been dealt a blow by the water controller.
Western Australia
Woodside’s final Browse plan shows why this toxic project must be stopped
Greenpeace Australia Pacific has condemned the “unacceptable” climate and environmental impacts listed in Woodside’s final Environmental Impact Statement for its Browse gas field, saying that it confirms why this toxic offshore drilling project must not go ahead.
Woodside backs away from emissions reduction at $30 billion Browse project
It has failed to include a commitment to bury up to 107m tonnes of CO2 despite CEO Meg O’Neill stating last month ‘it would not be consistent with our carbon reduction goals to do otherwise’.
Boating industry warns fishing ban will ‘decimate’ business [$]
Targeted recreational fishing bans lasting up to nine months of the year would torpedo WA’s boating industry and drive dozens of businesses to the wall.
Concerns raised over continued work in Western Australia’s Pilbara region
The Australian federal government has appointed an ‘independent reporter’ to look into claims that significant indigenous sites are being threatened by continued development in the region.
Labor changes tune on WA coal imports [$]
The WA government now says South32 doesn’t need its approval to import coal to keep the Worsley alumina refinery running.
Sustainability
NGO retracts ‘waste colonialism’ report blaming Asian countries for plastic pollution
Ocean Conservancy apologises for ‘false narrative’ of 2015 study that put blame for bulk of world’s plastic waste on five Asian states
No-till management may reduce nitrous oxide gas releases, fight climate change
Scientists have long known that no-till farming reduces erosion and lessens water and nutrient runoff from crop fields, but now a new study by a team of Penn State researchers suggests that limiting soil disturbance may also diminish releases of nitrous oxide.
Keep buildings cool as it gets hotter by resurrecting traditional architectural techniques – Conversation Weekly podcast
In this episode we find out how “modern” styles of architecture using concrete and glass have often usurped local building techniques better suited to parts of the world with hotter climates. Now some architects are resurrecting traditional techniques to help keep buildings cool.
Surviving winter: Europe’s plan to fight energy crisis is not perfect
Stephen Bartholomeusz
With a grim winter looming, Europe is focusing more on getting through it rather than trying to address some crucial long-term energy issues resulting from its stoush with Russia.
John Thwaites et al
A global report released today highlights massive global failures in the response to COVID-19.
Nature Conservation
Scientists predict songbirds’ striking colours put them at risk of extinction
A pioneering scientist from our Department of Biosciences along with colleagues from University of Florida, USA, Centre for the Synthesis and Analysis of Biodiversity (CESAB), France, and Massey University, New Zealand have found that brightly and uniquely coloured songbirds are in greater danger of extinction and are more likely to be traded as pets.
Warmer Earth could see smaller butterflies that struggle to fly, affecting food systems
New UBC research has shown warmer temperatures can lead to smaller butterflies that collect less pollen and visit fewer flowers.
Biodiversity loss and climate change, two mutually reinforcing crises
Ecosystems with low biodiversity are less resilient and ill-equipped to mitigate the effects of climate change. At the same time, climate change is the key cause of biodiversity loss. This makes biodiversity loss and climate change two mutually reinforcing crises.
Nearly extinct, California condors return thanks to Yurok, scientists
Once pushed to the brink of extinction, condors are soaring in Northern California skies again with the help of an Indigenous tribe and a team of scientists.
Warming waters challenge Atlantic salmon, both wild and farmed
Higher ocean and river temperatures are stressing Atlantic salmon, depriving these iconic fish of oxygen and forcing them to swim farther to find food. These climate-change pressures are also impacting salmon in ocean farms, which have seen an increase in mass die-offs.
Ever heard of ocean forests? They’re larger than Amazon and more productive than we thought
Albert Pessarrodona Silvestre et al
Amazon, Borneo, Congo, Daintree. We know the names of many of the world’s largest or most famous rainforests. And many of us know about the world’s largest span of forests, the boreal forests stretching from Russia to Canada.
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