Post of the Day
There are now 8 billion of us — but soon we’ll hit a decline we’ll never reverse
This week, the world’s population ticks over a historic milestone. But in the next century, society will be reshaped dramatically — and soon we’ll hit a decline we’ll never reverse.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
Day of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops – Russia
Tree Day – North Macedonia
National Tree Festival – Tunisia
Climate Change
Tribe seeks to adapt as climate change alters ancestral home
The impact of climate change is being felt hard in northern New Mexico where the Tewa people have lived for thousands of years.
Big methane polluters to be tracked from space
Data collected from space will reveal big methane emitters and major leaks. But it will not force action.
Throwing soup at the problem: are radical climate protests helping or hurting the cause?
The rise of activists targeting famous artworks has experts divided on whether such tactics benefit social movements
Russian oligarchs and companies under sanctions are among lobbyists at Cop27
The heavy presence of lobbyists from Moscow suggests Russia is using the climate talks to drum up business
Food firms’ plans for 1.5C climate target fall short, say campaigners
Major producers of soya and beef accused of failing to deliver on pledges to stop deforestation
Cop27 first week roundup: powerful dispatches, muted protest, little cash
Despite ‘loss and damage’ focus there have been more oil and gas lobbyists than delegates from the most vulnerable countries
Climate change strikes: Lightning patterns change with global warming
New research has shown climate change could alter lightning patterns across Europe.
The 1.5C climate target is dead – to prevent total catastrophe, Cop27 must admit it
Bill McGuire
Acknowledging that climate breakdown is unavoidable is key to making fossil-fuel companies and governments take action
The midterm results bring an air of relief to the COP27 climate summit
Bill McKibben
American politics is planetary politics.
National
Penny Wong flags cooperation on climate change as Australia tries to reboot relationship with China
Minister also reiterates Australia’s expectation that China use its influence with Vladimir Putin to end Russian invasion of Ukraine
Genetic engineering could be used to control mouse populations, research finds
Scientists demonstrated that a gene drive can be used to induce female infertility in the common house mouse , an invasive species in Australia
AGL shareholders will speak this week – and Australia’s energy market will be listening
On show at the company’s AGM may be the final big demonstration of shareholder activism in the nations’s electricity generation space
Australia risks being a ‘state sponsoring greenwashing’ if it relies on carbon offsets, expert warns
‘The wild west approach needs to end,’ says climate scientist Bill Hare, amid warning targets should be met by cuts in absolute emissions
‘Make every watt count’: Push to cut power bills through household reforms
Setting building industry targets to spur demand for energy-efficient options like double-glazed windows could reduce their cost and cut energy bills.
Plibersek threatens waste industry ‘cowboys’ with tougher regulations
The federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek says the good work of many companies is being let down by a few bad actors, warning of a government crackdown.
The search for extinct frogs starts in your home with your phone
They’re abundant in healthy ecosystems but are one of the most threatened animal groups on earth. Here’s what you can do to help.
‘200 days above 40 degrees’: climate health warning
Dr Michelle Hamrosi was at her local markets on a scorching summer’s day in 2018 when a 67-year-old stranger suffered a heat and exertion-induced cardiac arrest.
Australia doesn’t understand that coal is being phased out globally
Ebony Bennett
This week the head of the United Nations warned that the world was on a “highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator”. His reference to the iconic Aussie rock band’s famous song was entirely appropriate because Australia’s massive fossil fuel exports are a colossal contributor to global warming, but they are a problem no Australian government seems willing to confront.
Victoria
90,000 hectares of old-growth forest was earmarked for protection, within days it was being logged
It was described as ‘the largest environmental protection policy’ in Victoria’s history, but shortly after the announcement parts of the state’s old-growth forests were being logged.
Whipbird rediscovered in arid north-west Victorian desert 40 years after being presumed extinct
La Trobe University researchers and community volunteers have found a white-bellied whipbird in Mallee scrub, in remote north-west Victoria.
Seen as a way to bring sleepy rural towns to life, mountain biking is booming. But at one of the first mountain bike destinations, locals are sounding the alarm.
Billions promised for transport, but Lisa just wants to cross the road
Lisa Saddington says trying to cross the busy road near her home in Melbourne’s outer north-west is like playing Frogger, the classic 1980s video game.
Recycling soft plastic is notoriously tricky, but these companies are looking for answers
Is there an answer for preventing soft plastic from ending up in the bin? Several projects are trying to deal with the problem in Victoria.
Guy’s plan to help you save on power bills [$]
The Coalition is pledging to introduce a “bill buster” policy to drive down the cost of power bills and “reward hardworking families”.
New South Wales
Peabody’s Metropolitan Colliery ordered to clean up dams thick with coal material [$]
Coal miner Peabody has been again ordered to take further clean-up action following the pollution of waterways stretching deep into the Royal National Park.
ACT
Roadworthy cars require ‘carworthy’ roads
Canberra Times editorial
If you’ve driven on Canberra’s roads lately, you’ll probably have seen them.
Queensland
Queensland opposition raises questions over contamination outside Linc Energy project site
David Crisafulli asks why the state government did not inform the public when high levels of toxic chemicals were found in bores outside the Linc Energy underground coal gasification project on the Darling Downs.
Resumptions, rezoning to make Brisbane more reliant on public transport
City Hall confirms $70 million worth of resumptions will be needed to finalise just one public transport project.
Qld landholders kept in dark over ‘dangerous’ cyanide contamination [$]
A “please explain” has been issued after shocking revelations that reports of cyanide and highly carcinogenic benzene found in groundwater in prime farmland on the Darling Downs were kept secret from landholders.
Sustainability
Replace animal farms with micro-organism tanks, say campaigners
Advocates of plant-based protein say 75% of world’s farmland should be rewilded to reduce emissions
In India, farmers are turning degraded dust back into fertile soil
The soil in Ramesh’s field used to be hard as a brick. Now it’s like a sponge, nutrient-rich and full of worms.
Amid food and climate crises, investing in sustainable food cold chains crucial: UN
Launched at COP 27, a UNEP / FAO report finds that food cold chains improvements are critical to feed an additional two billion people by 2050, harness rural communities’ resilience, and avoid increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Brussels under pressure to tighten car pollution rules
The European Commission on Thursday unveiled new proposals to tighten vehicle emissions standards, but immediately ran into fresh criticism that Brussels officials are too close to the car industry.
Biofuel on the road to energy, cost savings
Multilab research shows that biofuel combined with advanced engine design can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving fuel efficiency or reducing tailpipe emissions.
Balancing emissions, health, and equality in India’s expanding energy sector
India needs to consider climate change and the health impacts of air pollution as the nation plans its growing future electricity infrastructure, Shayak Sengupta and colleagues argue in a new study.
Environment: COP meetings keep happening; emissions keep rising
Peter Sainsbury
Four reports and Greta Thunberg highlight the failure of 30 years of COP meetings to slow climate change.
Environmental takeaways from US Election Day
Peter Dykstra
The midterms came and went. And because we have to, you know, count all of the ballots, some things are still unresolved. However, here are some quick environmental takeaways.
Nature Conservation
Deep beneath the Pacific Ocean lies another potential pain point with China
As the world’s climate ambitions increase, so does the pressure to mine the world’s largest deposit of mineral-rich undersea rocks.
Wild boars are wreaking havoc in Europe, spurring creative solutions
In Italy, the destructive herbivores can cause up to $22 million of agricultural damage a year.
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