Date: 3 September 2022 at 6:18:31 am AWST
To: gregmhunt@bigpond.com.au
Subject: Daily Links Sep 3
Post of the Day
Study: People who lack compassion for environment are also less emotional in general
In a series of online experiments in the U.S., U-M graduate student Logan Bickel and psychology professor Stephanie Preston examined the emotional responses of more than 600 people in a variety of contexts. People not concerned when viewing pictures of damage to the environment – such as oil spills on fire in a gulf – also did not feel bad about other images including crying babies, officers in distress, injured athletes, wounded soldiers and even moldy food.
On This Day
September 3
Ecological Observance
National Hummingbird Day – USA
International Vulture Awareness Day
Climate Change
Researchers say get ready for more floods, contamination
Duke University environmental scientists urge communities to begin long-term planning for the increase in flooding and resulting pollution during extreme storms made worse by climate change.
Costs of climate change far surpass government estimates, study says
The economic toll of deadly heat waves, crop-killing droughts and rising seas that each additional ton of carbon dioxide levies on society is much higher than the U.S. government tallies when considering new regulations, according to a new analysis published Thursday.
How climate change is harming kids
Here’s what pediatricians advise to mitigate the damage.
U.S. President Biden announces senior clean energy and climate team
Today, President Biden announced that John Podesta will serve as Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation and Ali Zaidi will be promoted to Assistant to the President and National Climate Advisor.
Africa Climate Week 2022 builds important regional momentum for climate action ahead of COP27
This year’s Africa Climate Week (ACW 2022) in Libreville, Gabon, wrapped up today, having helped build important regional momentum in the fight against climate change ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference COP27 in Egypt in November.
Extinction Rebellion protesters invade English parliament [$]
In the first protest of what Extinction Rebellion will be a month of protests and disruptions, Extinction Rebellion environmental activists have entered Britain’s parliament and glued themselves around the Speaker’s chair.
Young voters can save the planet
Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez
For America’s young voters, famished for positive action on climate change, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is cause for celebration.
‘Sleepwalking to destruction’: World struck by relentless climate catastrophes
Nick O’Malley
Scientists are worried that the extreme weather crippling Pakistan is echoing around the world where records for flood, fire and drought have tumbled this year.
National
New documentary Franklin is using philanthropy to inspire environmental activism
The film, backed by crowdfunding and philanthropic donations, is launching an impact campaign to encourage conversations about democracy, peaceful protest and climate change.
Krishna Sen and her partner David Hill drove across the whole width of the country — from Perth to Melbourne, then Sydney, and back to Perth — in an electric car. This is how it went.
More Australians worried about climate change than ever before, but conservatives less so
Rightwing voters in Australia less concerned about climate than those in most other comparable nations, Pew survey finds
The new national fire danger ratings and how they affect you – podcast
For the first time, a new nationally-consistent Fire Danger Rating System has come into effect to help communities and authorities better respond.
How much storage is needed for 100% renewables? – Energy Insiders podcast
Wind lab’s David Osmond discusses his year long study into wind, solar and storage. Plus ESOO and the market cap.
Moving beyond 82% renewables by 2030 requires pumped hydro investment now
Tim Buckley
It’s past time to decouple Australia from fossil fuel dependency and the associated energy price hyperinflation that is smashing household and and business consumers.
Renewable energy is carving up bush communities [$]
Vikki Campion
Bush communities have more solar power than city suburbs, but environmentalists want to erect concrete monoliths on farms far away, with no solar panels on their own roofs
How Labor is jeopardising its own climate target [$]
Mike Seccombe
In approving almost 47,000 square kilometres for offshore oil and gas exploration, the Labor government is jeopardising its climate target and echoing the Coalition’s spurious case for energy security.
The challenge of legislating to save biodiversity [$]
John Durie
The federal government’s desire to incorporate biodiversity into the carbon trading scheme makes sense on paper but the reality of achieving it is far more complex.
Hit the brakes before charging in to go electric [$]
John Connolly
Should you buy an electric car now? Well, that’s all a matter of personal taste.
Unlimited growth cannot be sustained [$]
Jonathan Miller
The national State of the Environment report shocked us, detailing environmental degradation across Australia’s ecosystems.
Victoria
EPA charges Benalla manufacturer over air pollution
Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has laid 39 charges each against a company and a former company director under both the Environment Protection Act 1970 and the Environment Protection Act 2017 following an investigation into the alleged discharge of odour, dust, airborne particles and Oxides of Nitrogen from a Benalla particle board factory.
Labor in a flap on duck hunting, internal pressure mounts to ban season
Ministers and former ministers are among more than 20 Labor MPs who endorsed moves to ban duck shooting, but the government maintains it supports the practice and has no plans to prohibit it.
5 simple ways to support Sustainable September
As we face an uncertain climate future, Sustainable September is packed with activities to help us find the right way forward
Australia’s first battery gigafactory on track for December launch
Australian lithium-ion battery manufacturer on track to launch its planned gigafactory in NSW coal country after successfully completing a pilot program.
Government pumps $44m into hydro projects to plug energy gaps
The state government has announced $44.8 million in funding for five new pumped hydro schemes, creating 2300 jobs across NSW.
How ancient secrets of the land helped this tiny community defeat a mega coal mine
When a Chinese mining company is approved to rip a 35-square-kilometre open pit in your backyard, how do you stop them?
Queensland
Queensland approves expansion of Carborough Downs coal project
The Queensland Labor government has approved the expansion of a second coal mine in a week, giving the nod for the Carborough Downs mine to more than double its output and operate until 2033.
Why Queensland’s big gas basins could be host to next clean energy powerhouse
As the uptake of renewable energy grows, this region has huge potential to be one of Australia’s clean energy capitals.
Court orders activist to give mining giant Adani all files it wants
Ben Pennings, a former Greens lord mayoral candidate, suffered a heavy legal loss.
Sexy beast: Cane toad trap poised for roll out as early season looms
After a three-year trial a cane toad trap capable of snaring 4000 tadpoles at a time is expected to be ready for the upcoming season.
Queensland scientists aim to breed ‘superfly’
Australian scientists are trying to breed a “superfly” that can produce up to one hundred times more offspring, with the larvae to also be used as animal food.
Tasmania
New northern front opens up in Tasmania’s salmon wars [$]
Approximately 100 residents unanimously rejected any moves towards fin-fish farming in their neck of Bass Strait at a voluble meeting this week, despite no proposal being put forward.
$2.5 million for statewide irrigation solar array rollout [$]
Thirteen new renewable installations set to support the state’s agriculture sector have been funded as part of a new statewide solar project.
Flinders Island fish farms ‘could be disastrous’ [$]
Flinders Council has put forward a submission to reject fish farming in their waters after a community meeting was held to consider the state government’s 10-Year Salmon Plan Discussion Paper
Sustainability
£3.3 million boost for next generation nuclear technology
UK Government’s nuclear ambitions backed with £3.3 million funding to support advanced nuclear technology
Biochar can be promising tool in mitigating environmental impacts of agriculture
A new study carried out at the University of Helsinki shows biochar can be a promising tool in mitigating the environmental impacts of agriculture also in Finland.
Crab and lobster shells could be used to make renewable batteries
Prototype designed using chemical in crustacean shells remains 99.7% efficient after about 400 hours.
Night-time heat is killing crops. Scientists are rushing to find resilient plants
Night temperatures are rising fast, and that’s a problem for rice and other critical crops, which have fewer defenses at night
The long road ahead for American-made electric vehicles
Tesla, tax credits, and the future of American EV manufacturing
India: Why are suicides among farmers on the increase?
Financial burdens caused by climate change and government polices have led to an rise in the number of suicides among agricultural workers, experts say.
Oil pollution in Nigeria is even dirtier after Shell’s $1b cleanup
Mismanagement, waste and lack of transparency are making the cleanup in the Niger Delta’s Ogoniland anything but exemplary, UN reports indicate.
In revising its criminal code, Indonesia risks unraveling environmental laws
The latest draft of Indonesia’s criminal code contains provisions that would make it more difficult to prosecute environmental crimes, such as dumping toxic waste in rivers and setting forest fires, experts say.
Air pollution can raise risk of Covid-19 death 51%, study says
People who are live in areas that come with long-term exposure to high levels of air pollution face a 51% higher chance of dying from Covid-19, and thousands of lives could have been saved during the pandemic if air quality standards were met, a new public health research study has found.
Half of fish tested in an Amazon river have unsafe levels of mercury
At four locations close to the Yanomami Indigenous reserve in Brazil, many species of fish were found to have mercury levels considered unsafe for consumption.
Some carmakers say recycling car parts is the future. But is it realistic?
“Circular manufacturing” has the promise to reduce waste by reusing parts to make new cars. There are glimmers of hope, but they are currently outweighed by challenges.
Why it’s time to talk about poo
The nutrients in human waste are drifting into our oceans and landfills instead of back into soils. But there are much better uses for human poo than flushing it down the drain.
‘Physical integrity’ of Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant ‘has been violated several times’
Further damage to the embattled Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine “cannot” be allowed to happen, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said.
‘Living within planetary boundaries is humanity’s greatest challenge’
Sjoukje Heimovaara, the newly appointed president of WUR, became increasingly aware of the role of our food system in putting pressure on our planetary boundaries in her previous position as director of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Group.
The beauty industry is a climate disaster
The beauty and oil industries are inextricably linked, argues beauty reporter and critic Jessica DeFino.
Sewage turns the Blue Danube brown – podcast
It’s one of Europe’s greatest rivers. And it glories in the romantic nickname, the Blue Danube. But as it flows into Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, more than a hundred outlets in the city pump raw sewage directly into the river.
Ian Bogost
Neither bicycle nor motorbike, the two-wheeler’s future demands an identity of its own.
Climate laws for the environment and for people
Peter Sainsbury
A roadmap for reforming Australia’s climate laws and Chile rewrites its constitution with the environment and people to the fore. Greater warming where and when its coldest.
Nature Conservation
Zimbabwe moves 2,500 wild animals due to climate change
As the ravages of climate change replace poaching as the biggest threat to wildlife, Zimbabwe begins moving more than 2,500 wild animals from a southern reserve to one in the country’s north.
Venezuelan Amazon deforestation expands due to lawlessness, mining, fires: Reports
Forest loss is increasing south of the Orinoco River due to lack of Venezuelan official oversight, a growing Colombian insurgency, fires set to create mining camps, and new agricultural lands cleared to feed miners.
More water in Mississippi leading to a loss of floodplain forests
Losing floodplain forests is one consequence of what researchers say is a concerning trend in the Upper Mississippi — higher flows that occur more frequently and last longer.
Congo creates first Marine Protected Areas
The three new MPAs will protect more than 4,000 square km (1,500 square miles) off the West African coast – covering 12% of Congo’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
‘Once in a generation’ scheme to restore nature in 22 areas across England
Exclusive: conservationists hail government-backed projects led by farmers and landowners to revive biodiversity
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