Date: 14 October 2022 at 5:53:45 am AWST
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links Oct 14
Post of the Day
Features of a sustainable society
Stephen Williams
A sustainable society would have the following 12 features. It is ‘better, not bigger’ and should receive a high score on the Sustainable Development Index and Genuine Progress Indicator.
On This Day
Intercession of the Theotokos – Russian Orthodox Church
Ecological Observance
Arbor Day – Namibia
Climate Change
Bhutan holds high-altitude race to highlight climate dangers
Bhutan, South Asia’s only carbon negative country, is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Greens hope Biden doesn’t undermine climate lawsuits
Climate advocates are optimistic that the Biden administration will take their side after the Supreme Court on Oct. 3 invited the Justice Department to share its views in a long-simmering procedural fight that could sink nearly two dozen lawsuits asking oil and gas companies to pay up for the effects of a warming planet.
Climate change made 2022 summer droughts more likely
High temperatures fueled by climate change dried out soils across Europe and the Northern Hemisphere this summer, find researchers.
Climate change is real, and it’s happening now — from melting permafrost in the Arctic to massive flooding in Pakistan to the increased likelihood of devastating hurricanes in the Americas and elsewhere. So why shouldn’t companies be required to report how their business affects the climate — and how climate change will affect a company’s financial health? The US Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed a new rule that would require exactly that.
Vast ice sheet facing climate fight on two fronts
The Greenland ice sheet may be more vulnerable to climate change than previously thought, new research suggests.
Can shifting social norms help mitigate climate change?
Climate change is the result of many human activities, from carbon emissions to deforestation, and it will take multiple and varied interventions to mitigate it, including legislation, regulation, and market-based solutions implemented at local, national, and global levels. Demand-side factors, such as changes in social norms, can also help by creating political pressure for increased climate action. In addition, they can strengthen the efficacy of other interventions, for example by increasing the acceptance and adoption of new technologies or adherence to laws and regulations.
National
The move is in contrast to the former Coalition government, which refused to sign up to the target, which is already supported by the United States and the European Union.
Chart of the Day: Australia’s best performing solar farms
Queensland shines in the latest rankings of Australia’s best performing big solar projects, taking out the top three spots for September.
Native plants may be key for hayfever sufferers wanting to reduce allergens in garden
If you’ve been sneezing recently, you’re not alone. Researchers are warning of a high-pollen season, with native plants a potential saviour.
Electric vehicles just 3.39% of new Australian car sales despite sharp increase, report says
EV Council figures show uptake lags behind other countries with carmakers opting to send stock to faster-growing markets
Former RBA deputy flags Australia’s risks of slow start on green energy
Former Reserve Bank deputy Guy Debelle says Australia could become a green energy superpower but warns we risk having “the rug pulled from under us” without incentives to attract infrastructure investment.
Tech billionaires and former PM back ‘game-changer’ solar startup
SunDrive’s ambition to become a leading manufacturer of copper solar panels in Australia has attracted the interest of some of the country’s most prominent backers of renewable energy.
BP plots $10bn green energy shift, calls for Aussie support [$]
Energy giant BP could invest ‘tens of billions’ of dollars on a string of local renewable and low carbon projects, but warned Australia must replicate US clean energy incentives or risk leaking capital.
A big shock for the electricity market – but is it a crisis?
Jemma Green
Australia’s energy “crisis” is playing out almost entirely according to the system’s design. It’s a salient reminder that we need a complete market re-think.
Why a methane pledge isn’t a real barbecue stopper
Nick O’Malley
In the lead-up to November’s global climate talks, Australia may well be considering joining a global pledge to reduce methane emissions. But for now at least, it seems the sausages are safe.
Labor ready to put foot down on gas prices
David Crowe
High energy prices have exposed tensions in the Albanese government. Power companies and gas exporters might expect a tougher deal.
Government must find a way to force gas prices down – but how?
Michelle Grattan
Senior ministers this week have dramatically raised the stakes in the Albanese government’s face-off with gas producers, amid escalating energy prices and dire warnings of worse to come. The question now is how does the government follow through with effective action to match the rhetoric?
Holy moley, that’s the way to spread the good word
Mark Sawyer
It can be tricky running a mainstream religion these days. Here you are, cultivating your friendly media profile, while some of your adherents make scary pronouncements about sexuality and morality. Even worse, they do it by citing the very holy texts you are obliged to uphold. The answer to this conundrum: talk about the environment.
Hot air and cattle hide real target [$]
Australian editorial
The methane pledge is another stick with which to beat fossil fuels.
This is the only way Australia can meet its net zero targets
David Lindenmayer et al
While there are many sources of emissions, it is only native forests that can remove carbon from the atmosphere at the scale and time required. Protecting and restoring native forests is a critical mitigation action if Australia is to meet its net zero emissions targets within the critical one to three decades.
‘Advanced’ nuclear power and small modular reactors
Jim Green
In 2019, Dr. Switkowski dropped a bombshell, stating that ‘the window for gigawatt-scale nuclear has closed’ with renewables winning on economic grounds.
Supernormal profits reveal urgent need for real – not fake – regulation of electricity networks
Simon Orme
Amid news of soaring electricity bills, it’s time to act on the clear evidence that regulated networks are monopoly price gouging.
Is there such a thing as ‘peak solar’? – Solar Insiders Podcast
Interest in rooftop solar is surging, along with EVs and batteries. But how close are we to reaching the limits of where it can be installed?
Victoria
Deluge could see Victoria’s giant Thomson Dam spill for the first time in decades
Communities downstream from one of Victoria’s largest dams are monitoring conditions, with warnings rainfall in coming days could see it spill for the first time since 1996.
‘Evacuate immediately’: Thousands ordered to flee as floodwaters rise
Floodwaters forced an evacuation order in suburban Maribyrnong on Friday morning, while all residents in the rural Wedderburn and Benalla were also urged to leave their homes by emergency authorities.
Floods in Victoria are uncommon. Here’s why they’re happening now – and how they compare to the past
Margaret Cook
Think Victoria and disasters and you’ll think bushfires. But floods can hit – just not as often.
Opposition’s positive policy pitches risk being undermined by internal dramas
Annika Smethurst
Internal party woes don’t usually influence votes – unless the chaos and resignations continue.
New South Wales
Worst-case flooding in Lismore could reach 16.5m. So how likely is a Probable Maximum Flood?
A flood in Lismore could theoretically reach as high as 16.5 metres. But what would it take for this worst-case scenario and how likely is it to occur in our lifetime?
Can DNA in scat help to find a long lost marsupial?
Researchers are collecting predator droppings from forests in south-east NSW to see if they hold DNA evidence of long-footed potoroos, which are feared to be locally extinct.
Queensland
Big drink: Wivenhoe Dam to release water ahead of flood season
Southeast Queensland’s biggest dam will release water next week to prepare for “the worst case scenario” with the state facing a higher risk of major floods in coming months.
The 15-minute city: How Brisbanites could ditch the car for good [$]
Planners are looking at how Brisbane’s infrastructure will have to change to get more cars off the road.
Queensland has set an ambitious renewables goal, but coal production shows no sign of slowing down
Queensland’s 10-year energy plan aims to move away from coal-fired power reliance by 2035, but huge amounts of coal will still be produced and exported, and applications for new and extended mines show no signs of slowing.
‘Wait until he can’t be contacted’: Minister’s former media adviser’s bombshell report revelation [$]
Neil Doorley
Steven Miles’ former media adviser Neil Doorley has revealed the tactics used to delay findings about koala populations until it suited the government. This is what happened, in his own words.
Tasmania
‘Some animals may have been lost’: Flood tears through wildlife park
A wildlife park in the state’s North has been forced to close for an indefinite period after a flood caused significant damage to the site, endangering the lives of its animals.
Griffith warns against “drinking the Kool-Aid” on renewable hydrogen
In what many see as a veiled attack on the billion-dollar plans of Andrew Forrest, Saul Griffith says green hydrogen is too costly, too volatile and not viable for green steel.
A subtle change to the way Fremantle looks could help the ‘transition away from fossil fuels’
The City of Fremantle weighs up restricting fossil fuel advertisements on council property as part of its effort to combat climate change.
Sustainability
VanMoof, the Dutch e-bike company taking inspiration from Apple and Tesla, is one of the world’s hottest brands in a bike market remade by the pandemic. Will it help reshape urban transportation?
Big Pharma is flooding Puerto Rico with toxic waste
Dead livestock, cancer, arsenic in your water—that’ll be $100 billion in tax breaks, please.
The news isn’t all blue. A new study suggests childhood days spent in blue spaces, such as coasts, rivers and lakes, can have significant benefits for our mental health and wellbeing in adulthood.
In Brazil, a heavily fined firm is also accused of waging a ‘palm oil war’ on communities
Escalating violence triggered by land disputes between Indigenous and traditional communities and palm oil companies has intensified in recent months in the Brazilian region that accounts for most of the country’s palm oil production.
Advanced plastics recycling yields climate benefits
Engineers have released a new report which examined advanced recycling. The report concluded that advanced recycling helps avoid climate impacts, reduces demand for energy resources, and offers key tools for expanding the circular economy.
Accurately tracking how plastic biodegrades
Researchers have developed an approach to accurately record and fully track the biodegradation of plastics in soils.
Mechanical devices to clear the ocean of plastics may not be the answer
A new study suggests that while mechanical devices do remove plastics and other items of litter from marinas and harbors, the quantities of litter removed can be comparatively low and they can also trap marine organisms.
Maintaining green parks and gardens in cities has the potential to lower the risk of crime, research suggests. More green space in a city is linked with lower risk of crime against property — such as burglary, arson and vandalism — and less risk of violent offences, the study found.
Eco-labels on menu options prompt diners to make more sustainable choices
A new study has shown adding eco-friendly ratings on menu items results in diners making choices which are kinder to the environment.
Battery tech breakthrough paves way for mass adoption of affordable electric car
Researchers develop new technique that charges EV battery in just 10 minutes
Air pollution tips scale for obesity in women
Obesity has been a major global health issue in recent decades as more people eat unhealthy diets and fail to exercise regularly. A new University of Michigan study suggests there is another factor that tips the scale in women’s weight, body mass index, waist circumference and body fat—air pollution.
Global floating offshore wind pipeline doubles to 185GW
New report shows the total pipeline of floating offshore wind projects, globally, has more than doubled in the past 12 months, including a decent contribution from Australia.
Fact check: Wind turbine lifespan claim generates misinformation
A Facebook post says huge amounts of fossil fuels are needed to constantly replace generators at wind farms.
The energy transition narrative
Kingsmill Bond and Sam Butler-Sloss
In a presentation entitled “The Energy Transition Narrative,” RMI experts Kingsmill Bond and Sam Butler-Sloss present an insurgent view of the energy transition, illustrating how rapid energy technology change is inevitable and beneficial.
Roadmap to reaching zero embodied carbon in federal building projects
Anish Tilak et al
How US federal agencies can lead on climate through low-embodied-carbon policies and procurement standards.
How the Inflation Reduction Act will spur a revolution in ev battery supply chains
Valentina Guido et al
The IRA steps up the push for a made-in-the-USA supply chain for critical minerals.
Hydrogen reality check: Green hydrogen can scale this decade
Tessa Weiss et al
A slew of new hydrogen projects in the works, coupled with sky-high fossil energy prices, point to a significant near-term role for green hydrogen.
Global warming puts Arabica coffee at risk, and we’re barrelling towards a crucial threshold
Jarrod Kath and Scott Power
Coffee may be a major casualty of a hotter planet. Even if currently declared commitments to reduce emissions are met, our new research suggests coffee production will still rapidly decline in countries accounting for 75% of the world’s Arabica coffee supply.
Judges not big on Big Oil’s attempts to gag critics
Emily Sanders
The fossil fuel industry’s sham use of lawsuits to silence environmental advocates while arguing that its climate denial is protected speech is not playing well in U.S. courts.
‘Saving the planet’ with EVs is delusional [$]
Rita Panahi
If electric vehicles were half as good as activists claim, then they’d be embraced by consumers without market manipulation.
Nature Conservation
Amazonian river communities seek to boost hard-won land rights to fight loggers
Led by a teacher and a family farmer, 15 traditional communities living in public forests in Brazil’s Amazonas state earned official recognition and the rights to collective use of their territory in March this year, following a 16-year struggle.
Explosion in frog numbers after mass pond digging
Scientists brought endangered species back from the brink by simply building more ponds.
Is building more dams the way to save rivers?
As rivers either rage or fade from climate change-caused extreme weather, the debate is intensifying as to what role dams should or shouldn’t play in managing it.
Climate change is driving monkeys and lemurs from the tree canopy to the forest floor, study finds
The stresses of climate change are driving dozens of species of monkeys and lemurs that normally shelter and feed high in the tree canopy to the forest floor, a new study shows.
Global hotspots for soil nature conservation are poorly protected
Current protected areas only poorly cover the places most relevant for conserving soil ecological values.
Famous Easter Island Moai statues ‘irreparable’ after wildfire sweeps through island
The island’s mayor told local broadcasters he believed the fire in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Rapa Nui National Park was “not an accident”.
New report uncovers ‘devastating’ losses of almost 70 per cent in global wildlife
The World Wildlife Fund Living Planet Index highlights “devastating” losses in more than 5,000 species globally in a study across 48 years.
Conservationists adopt climate-style war footing as populations plunge
WWF has reported average animal populations have plunged by 69 per cent since 1970. It’s a figure the organisation hopes jolts us from complacency.
New insights into ocean’s oldest carbon
Using a newly developed technique, researchers have ruled out a potential source of ancient dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the world’s oceans.
Animals in national parks impacted by even just a few people
A new study has found that even in remote, rarely visited national parks, the presence of even just a few humans impacts the activity of wildlife that live there. Nearly any level of human activity in a protected area like a national park can alter the behavior of animals there, the study found.
Scientific plan for nature-based climate solutions
Ecosystem scientists and policy experts are calling for a scientific approach to nature-based climate solutions in the United States. The report is the result of dozens of scientists and policy experts gathering in Washington, D.C., in June to confront the consequences of climate change and ensure scientific footing for nature-based climate solutions.
A new study shows that losing a particular group of endangered animals — those that eat fruit and help disperse the seeds of trees and other plants — could severely disrupt seed-dispersal networks in the Atlantic Forest, a shrinking stretch of tropical forest and critical biodiversity hotspot on the coast of Brazil.
From brown bears to grey wolves, Europe’s persecuted carnivores are bouncing back
Sophie Ledger
Wildlife has an amazing ability to recover – but only if we keep vital legal protections in place
Where the health of animals and humans intersect – video
Catherine F. Wise
Have you heard about “One environmental health”? It’s a subset of “One Health,” the concept that the health of animals, humans and the environment are interconnected. One environmental health focuses on how toxic chemicals impact that shared health.
Britta Denise Hardesty et al
Two per cent of all fishing gear used worldwide ends up polluting the oceans, our new research finds. To put that into perspective, the amount of longline fishing gear littering the ocean each year can circle the Earth more than 18 times.
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