Date: 12 October 2022 at 4:54:20 am AWST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links Oct 12
Post of the Day
Why climate protesters are targeting art
European activists are affixing themselves to centuries-old masterpieces. The trend is catching on here too.
On This Day
Climate Change
Scientists say climate change no doubt helped swell monsoon rains this summer that dumped three and a half times the normal amount of rain, putting one-third of the country underwater.
Heatwaves will make parts of Africa and Asia uninhabitable within decades, new report warns
The report said extreme heat was a “silent killer”, claiming thousands of lives each year, and the dangers were set to grow at an “alarming rate” due to climate change.
New Zealand proposes taxing cow burps to tackle climate change
New Zealand’s Labour government has proposed taxing the greenhouse gasses that farm animals make from burping and peeing as part of a plan to tackle climate change.
Why climate protesters are targeting art
European activists are affixing themselves to centuries-old masterpieces. The trend is catching on here too.
Farmers keen to embrace solar, but hamstrung by export limits
Future farmers should be energy traders as well as animal or crop growers, but Australia needs new policy settings to get there.
CSIRO pledges to halve emissions of “hardest to abate” sectors by 2035
CSIRO says its new Towards Net Zero Mission will invest an initial $90m into R&D to help Australia’s hardest to abate sectors halve their emissions.
Spotlight on integrity as consultation begins on Australia’s new emissions compliance market
With federal Labor ruling out a ban on new fossil fuel projects, the Greens are likely to push for new Safeguard Mechanism Credits to be of high integrity.
Electric utes are finally here. They’re about to dominate new car sales, report predicts
Australians have been told that electric utes will never work – and even that they don’t exist. Now, with the first models about to arrive in the country, a report predicts they’re going to boom in popularity among fleet managers and tradies
On-farm renewable energy overlooked by government, report finds, as transition to zero accelerates
Farmers’ contributions to emission reductions through mid-scale renewable projects are being overlooked by policy makers, a new report says, as it recommends changes that allow them to share power.
Commuters should get EV tax breaks: Report
Australian workers with long commutes should receive tax breaks for buying electric vehicles, according to a new report into the technology.
Businesses lobby for carbon tariffs as Labor says Australia is ‘back in the game’ on climate
Federal treasurer Jim Chalmers to attend meeting of Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action in Washington this week
News Corp goes woke, on paper anyway
The media empire is spruiking its commitment to emissions reduction. Nobody tell the pundits.
You know Nina and SAM. Now meet Julian, another culprit for our soggy spring
La Nina is not the only climate pattern affecting our record-breaking rainfall at the moment. Meet the Madden-Julian Oscillation, a “pulse” of storms that increases the chance of rainfall across eastern Australia.
CSIRO pledges to halve emissions of “hardest to abate” sectors by 2035
CSIRO says its new Towards Net Zero Mission will invest an initial $90m into R&D to help Australia’s hardest to abate sectors halve their emissions.
Nuclear a controversial option to stave off power price hikes [$]
Climate advocates say the Coalition’s move to put nuclear power on the energy agenda would make little financial sense for Australia.
Chalmers flags gas action, with escalating power prices a cost-of-living nightmare for government
Michelle Grattan
High and rising power prices will become a bigger part of Australia’s inflation problem over time, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned, as he foreshadowed more government action to combat high gas prices.
Lights out is coming sooner than we thought in race for net zero [$]
James Morrow
A meeting of power industry bigwigs proves what has long been suspected; Australia is heading towards disaster with not enough renewables coming to replace coal and gas.
Home truths emerging on energy
Australian editorial
Time to manage expectations on cost and what can be achieved.
This man says he can solve the energy crisis. Will anyone believe him? [$]
Chanticleer
Saul Griffith says subsidising the electrification of households would slash emissions and, eventually, energy costs. But can his pitch win local support?
Big emitters can’t keep getting a free pass [$]
Blair Comley
How hard the big baseline buffers of large emitters are squeezed will be the symbolic and substantive signal of the government’s climate ambition says one of the designers of Australia’s scrapped carbon tax.
Victoria
Richard Willingham
The Victorian opposition’s $2 daily public transport fare pledge is appealing and easy to understand, but it’s unlikely to sway voters in the outer suburbs where the election is being fought
Catherine Strong
Waiting for the perfect action that won’t upset anyone is a gamble Extinction Rebellion isn’t willing to take.
New South Wales
Small water and sewer sites to go 100% renewable
MidCoast Council will soon be a step closer to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions, after entering into a contract to power all of its small water and sewer sites with 100 per cent renewable energy.
Fight to protect koala corridor from development [$]
A community rally will be held to protect a wildlife corridor – used by koalas – from a subdivision proposed by Sydney Water.
Pocock backs urgent review of laws to protect ‘spectacular’ Murrumbidgee [$]
ACT Senator David Pocock has signalled support for a review of Snowy Hydro’s management of the Upper Murrumbidgee, acknowledging concerns excessive capture of water at Tantangara Dam could be damaging the river system.
Queensland
Northern Cape York has been returned to its rightful owners
After decades of struggle for recognition and eight years of legal negotiation, the Traditional Owners of northern Cape York have had their native title rights recognised.
Why Queensland’s energy future could come sugar-coated
At least 10 per cent of Queensland’s electricity needs in a renewables future could come from an unlikely source – the state’s sugar cane crop.
Airtrain’s exclusive airport access risks making Brisbane an ‘international joke’
Pressure is mounting on the state government to buy out Airtrain’s exclusive public transport rights to Brisbane Airport ahead of the 2032 Olympics.
Brisbane bus review to improve southside services, but north misses out
Southside commuters have been the big winners in a major review of Brisbane’s bus network, with those north of the Brisbane River left waiting on a vital piece of public transport infrastructure.
South Australia
SA Water to upgrade water supply in Port Pirie
SA Water will soon begin work to install 6800 metres of new water main in Port Pirie, providing a continued reliable supply of safe, clean water to local residents and businesses.
Tasmania
Tamar River oil spill being investigated
Authorities are working to contain an oil spill in the Tamar River.
Northern Territory
Core Lithium says the $89 million project will help meet surging demand for electric vehicles around the world, with the company already signing a deal with EV manufacturer Tesla.
New hook: Push for short, targeted fishing bans in WA
Fishing stakeholders are arguing for targeted species bans of up to 10 weeks — applying equally to recreational and commercial fishers — as a better option than an industry destroying nine-month blanket ban.
The boab trees of the remote Tanami desert are carved with centuries of Indigenous history – and they’re under threat
Sue O’Connor et al
Australia’s Tanami desert is one of the most isolated and arid places on Earth. It’s a hard place to access and an even harder place to survive.
Sustainability
Tony Blair backs fusion for energy security and climate change
Former prime minister, Sir Tony Blair, underlined his continued support for fusion energy and its role in addressing energy security and climate change for generations to come.
Scientists develop “wind harvester” to generate power from a light breeze
Scientists from Singapore have developed a low-cost “wind harvester” that can harness energy from wind as gentle as a light breeze.
India’s enormous solar park was meant to help poor communities. But it left the landless stricken
Gareth Bryant et al
India, like many other countries, is looking to renewables as an antidote to soaring fossil fuel prices and to tackle climate change. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sees renewables as vital for a “developed India”.
I am no fan of agricultural chemicals but without them food would cost much more
Gabrielle Chan
There is a debate to be had about the use of chemicals on Australian farms but it needs to begin with a question: are we willing to pay more for fresh produce?
Fires, floods, pandemic: the age of overlapping crises
Liam Mannix
Something strange and new is happening, some scientists argue. We’re seeing more crises, more often – and as the gap between crises narrows, we are less able to recover from one to the next.
Nature Conservation
After months of training, twin eagle owls are released into the Spanish wilderness
Two twin eagle owls are released near Madrid after being hatched in captivity in the city zoo and undergoing months of training.
Australian scientists observe ‘rapid’ decline in Adélie penguin numbers off Antarctic coast
Ecologists believe population decline near Mawson research station is related to environmental changes that made foraging difficult
Beavers can help Britain fight the climate crisis – if we welcome them back
Sophie Pavelle
England is finally protecting the beavers that could save our failing rivers – if they’re permitted to be released into the wild
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