Post of the Day
How can the law account for the value of natural places?
Nanda Jarosz
In November 2022, the Australian government made a commitment to legislate new protections of Indigenous heritage sites. The decision was made in response to recommendations passed down by a joint parliamentary committee investigation into Rio Tinto’s destruction of an Aboriginal sacred site at Juukan Gorge in 2020.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
International Earth Chakra Day
Climate Change
Can this US state show Australia how to better tackle climate change?
What has California done differently to Australia in furthering its goal of net zero, while trying to maintain stable and affordable energy?
Ocean heat reached a record-high temperature in 2022
Ocean heat, a strong marker of climate change, reached a record high in 2022, helping to explain the ever-escalating pattern of extreme weather events of late.
New report shows alarming changes in the entire global water cycle
Albert Van Dijk
In 2022, a third La Niña year brought much rain to Australia and Southeast Asia and dry conditions to the other side of the Pacific. These patterns were expected, but behind these variations there are troubling signs the entire global water cycle is changing.
What does climate change mean for extreme waves? In 80% of the world, we don’t really know
Ian Young
Across much of the world’s oceans, waves are getting bigger. In the Southern Ocean, where storm-driven swell can propagate halfway across the world to California, the average wave has grown about 20cm in the past 30 years.
National
Farmers’ lobby urges government to grant right to repair machinery after US John Deere deal
US farmers can now repair their own John Deere tractors, and Australia’s national farm lobby wants the same for producers through government-led reforms.
‘No doubt’ microplastics are in our drinking water, researchers say
Microplastics are everywhere, including in drinking water and in the air, an experienced researcher in pollutants says. Here are his everyday tips for reducing your consumption.
A pilot study by the agriculture department in 2013 detected chemicals not found by the self-regulatory system
Australia must not rely on emissions offsets if it is serious about climate crisis, says Ian Chubb
Head of carbon credit system review says absolute emissions cuts must be priority, as Albanese government weighs up limits on use of credits
Carbon tariffs on the table to shield local industry facing pollution caps
The Albanese government will investigate options to make sure local companies remain competitive as they are forced to cut emissions.
The cap on carbon credits won’t stymie companies selling offsets [$]
The cottage industry that sells carbon offsets to big emitters was buoyed by Labor’s new emissions policy despite the plan to impose a maximum carbon price
Federal Labor tips nearly $2bn into regional decarbonisation effort
Albanese government allocates $1.9bn to help existing industries decarbonise and invest in new clean technologies.
Here is how Labor’s carbon trading scheme will work [$]
Australia’s largest emitters will have to reduce emissions by nearly 5 per cent, but they will be given plenty of help.
Carbon tariffs backed by union to protect jobs [$]
The AWU wants a carbon border tariff that is being considered by the government, but former foreign minister Alexander Downer says it would undermine free trade.
Greenchange buyers opt for eco-friendly homes [$]
Homes with cost-busting and eco-friendly attributes proved most in demand through 2022 as interest rates and rising inflation took a toll on household budgets.
Bid to bring virtual power plants to the masses kicks off in Australia
Australian company partners with global digital energy platform provider to design a VPP platform tailored to everyone from utilities to residential customers.
As long as Australia fails to transition away from fossil fuels, its climate policy is meaningless
Richard Denniss
The Chubb review talks optimistically about ‘carbon credits’, but we wouldn’t need so many if we weren’t building so many new sources of pollution
Safeguard mechanism will help Australia achieve climate targets
Alison Reeve
It’s time for the industrial sector to do its share in reducing emissions, and the safeguard is the tool we have at our disposal.
Carbon safeguard should include all technologies [$]
AFR editorial
A slimmed-down cap-and-trade system for heavy industry finally brings a market-based solution for emissions reduction. But it would be a mistake to exclude other carbon-curbing technologies.
How to live with the new carbon budget [$]
Alison Reeve
Australian industry now gets a fixed amount of carbon it can ‘spend’ each year. Dividing it up is still fraught with questions.
Do the numbers add up? Unpacking Australia’s ‘ambitious’ emissions plan [$]
Julia Bergin
The government has proposed reforms for the country’s biggest emitters. What’s involved?
Coalition, Greens critical of Labor’s limits for heaviest greenhouse gas polluters [$]
John Buckley
Despite political opposition, Australia’s resources sector has joined big business in cautiously welcoming reforms to the safeguard mechanism.
Stephen Williams
For those of us focused on sustainability, we wonder what it would take for a progressive government to wake up and smell the evidence. In other words, how close to collapse does Australia and the world need to be before the government (including its public service) decides it should take the issue seriously?
Here’s a recipe to make sensible climate policies more palatable to the public
Adam Triggs, Dan Andrews
The OECD surveyed more than 40,000 people on their attitudes towards climate change. The results for Australia aren’t great, but they give some valuable insights into how to enhance the public appeal of sensible policies – on climate, and everything else.
When will we ban fossil fuel advertising?
Kate Wylie
As an Adelaide doctor, I am seeing the health impacts of climate change in my work. I see the impacts that floods, storms and extreme weather events have on my patients’ health and their ability to access health care. I see impacts on pregnancy, increased asthma and hayfever and most obviously, impacts on my patients mental health.
New South Wales
An Australian park brings back rats
Species reintroductions often focus on the threatened and endangered. But one rewilding project in Australia shows that transplanting common species can give ecosystems a much-needed leg up.
Waterways plagued with invasive carp after flooding in the Murray-Darling Basin – video
European carp – an invasive species – are breeding in huge numbers, putting smaller native fish under pressure as they stir up the water and damage aquatic vegetation.
ACT
Liberal MLA suggests revised approach to Lake Tuggeranong issues
Unrestrained infrastructure spending coupled with a lack of informed planning is contributing to ongoing health issues for Lake Tuggeranong and the broader waterway system, a report commissioned by Canberra Liberal Nicole Lawder has found.
Queensland
Flood, sweat and tears: Inner city residents team up to learn lessons from past deluges
Residents of fast growing West End and South Brisbane have mobilised to ensure their suburbs are better able to cope with major flooding after the deluge in February last year exposed how ill-prepared some apartment complexes were to withstand inundation.
Qld MPs hit out at PM’s carbon credit cap ‘betrayal’ [$]
The tripling of the proposed carbon credit price cap is a “betrayal” of regional workers and will put jobs at risk, Opposition MPs claim.
Mt Warning protesters threaten to defy climb ban [$]
Protesters are threatening to defy a ban on climbing the Mt Warning-Wollumbin walking track at a rally this weekend, as anger grows over plans to permanently close the popular site.
Up in smoke: How Albanese will make Queensland’s new emissions policy obsolete
John McCarthy
Queensland’s newly minted climate change policy would become obsolete under a Federal Government’s proposal to lift the emission reduction targets to 40 per cent by 2030, according to environmental groups.
Chain reaction: Why are we always a step behind when it comes to scooter safety?
David Fagan
Fresh from pedalling his way down the iconic Champs Élysées in Paris, David Fagan has some words of advice for those responsible for Brisbane’s two-wheeled disruption.
South Australia
Microplastics flow into Gulf St Vincent
Adelaide’s freshwater streams are loaded with microplastics, according to a study by Flinders University.
Algal bloom prompts swimming warning for Lake Bonney
A significant increase of harmful blue-green algae has prompted SA Health to recommend against swimming at Lake Bonney between the Barmera Jetty and the Lake Bonney Yacht Club.
Extinction Rebellion blasted for ‘galling’ plans to sabotage TDU [$]
Climate protesters’ plans to disrupt the zero emissions Santos Tour Down Under are “outrageous”, says SA’s Tourism Minister – while the activists urge “love and rage”.
Tasmania
Gutwein resets as a lean, green machine [$]
Former Premier Peter Gutwein says a political comeback is “the furthest thing from my mind” as he takes on a third gig in his new civilian life – and the second with an environmental slant.
Northern Territory
Sun Cable collapses after dispute between billionaire investors
Sun Cable, the company behind a massive solar farm and power export project planned for the Northern Territory, has appointed administrators amid disagreements between Andrew Forrest and Mike Cannon-Brookes.
King Neptune: Lost marine park officially on heritage list
The future of Perth’s historic King Neptune statue from a 1980s-hit theme park and its surrounding area will be secured after receiving heritage recognition.
Sustainability
German village set to make way for coal mine sparks stand-off between police and protesters
Protesters dig trenches and build barricades to fight for tiny hamlet Luetzerath ahead of an approaching lignite mine expansion.
How sustainable aviation fuel could help address climate change
Air travel is a tough sector in the effort to reduce fossil fuel use. Sustainable aviation fuel can help, but producing enough may be a high bar.
Trying to live a day without plastic
It’s all around us, despite its adverse effects on the planet. In a 24-hour experiment, our reporter tried to go plastic free.
Corporate America reserves the right to kill you with soot pollution
All the usual suspects have lined up against the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed tightening of air pollution regulations.
New Delhi parents consider leaving India’s most polluted city over health concerns
Parents in the Indian capital New Delhi are considering leaving over concerns for the health of their children in a city where pollution levels hover above safe limits.
Is Smart AC the key to fighting climate change?
Companies such as Sensibo are developing AI-driven air conditioning devices that can severely optimize our use of AC, reducing costs, electricity usage and greenhouse gas emission in one fell swoop.
In a first, the U.S. unveils plans to decarbonize its entire transportation sector
The Biden administration unveiled a comprehensive blueprint for decarbonizing the transportation sector, which accounts for the nation’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Converting temperature fluctuations into clean energy with novel nanoparticles and heating strategy
Pyroelectric catalysis (pyro-catalysis) can convert environmental temperature fluctuations into clean chemical energy, like hydrogen.
Rice breeding breakthrough to feed billions
An international team has succeeded in propagating a commercial hybrid rice strain as a clone through seeds with 95 percent efficiency.
Exotic wheat DNA helps breed ‘climate-proof’ crops
Wheat containing exotic DNA from wild relatives benefits from up to 50 per cent higher yields in hot weather compared with elite lines lacking these genes.
Plastic pollution in the oceans is an equity issue
A new report and upcoming international virtual event addresses the unequal burden of marine plastics on different communities. The illustrated report includes case studies from around the world and recommends future changes.
EV transition will benefit most US vehicle owners, but lowest-income Americans could get left behind
More than 90% of vehicle-owning households in the United States would see a reduction in the percentage of income spent on transportation energy — the gasoline or electricity that powers their cars, SUVs and pickups — if they switched to electric vehicles.
Tesla: what 2023 holds for the electric vehicle company and why it might be time for Musk to go
Peter Wells
If share price is anything to go by, Tesla is in trouble. The market capitalisation of the electric vehicle (EV) company has fallen by 73% from its record high in November 2021, causing concern for investors.
Nature Conservation
Not all parts of the rainforest have suffered equally
New study suggests 3 ingredients are needed to stem forest losses: giving indigenous groups’ control over land, designating protected areas—and law enforcement.
Climate change leaving African elephants desperate for water
African elephant numbers have dropped from about 26 million in the 1800s to 415,000 today. While this is largely due to European colonisation, poaching and habitat loss, these majestic animals now face another grave challenge.
University of Miami researchers test hybrid reefs as defense tool
University of Miami researchers are developing a new tool to fight coastal flooding: hybrid reefs that combine concrete and coral to weaken the force of ocean waves.
After comeback, Southern Iraq’s marshes are now drying up
After recovering from Saddam Hussein’s campaign to drain them, Iraq’s Mesopotamian Marshes are disappearing as a regional drought enters its fourth year and upstream dams cut off water flows. Marsh Arabs, resident for millennia, are leaving, and biodiversity is collapsing.
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