Date: 15 February 2023 at 8:47:26 am AEDT
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Subject: Daily Links Feb 15
Post of the Day
Labor isn’t rising to the climate occasion – their own projections prove it
Ketan Joshi
The Labor government wants to keep climate a quiet issue. But their latest projections show how dire the situation is.
On This Day
Candlemas – Eastern Orthodox Church
Parinirvana Day – Buddhism
John Frum Day – Vanuatu
Ecological Observance
Climate Change
Not-Zero: Report finds rampant greenwashing among richest global corporations
Some of the world’s richest companies are hiding behind spurious ‘net zero’ and ‘carbon neutrality’ claims. A new report calls them out for greenwashing.
The global health benefits of going net zero
When countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, the associated improvements in air quality could save countless lives.
U.S. coal power refuses to die. What that means for climate
Over the next few months, EPA is expected to release six new rules that take aim at everything from carbon to coal ash, and the regulatory blitz is expected to trigger a string of new coal retirements as utilities eye the cost of keeping the black stuff on their books.
National
Greens lay down law to Labor on safeguard bill – no new coal or gas, or no support
Greens make formal offer in support of Labor’s Safeguards Mechanism, but only if it is tweaked to prevent new coal and gas projects.
‘Infected by apprehended bias’: Scott Morrison’s NSW gas licence decision quashed by court
A Federal Court judge quashes the former prime minister’s call to reject an exploration licence off the NSW coast, finding it might have been made when his mind was “closed to persuasion”.
Water blowout: $100m spent on consultation, bureaucrats [$]
Money is flowing into consultants’ pockets rather than watering wetlands and removing constraints on Murray River flows.
Complex flood gauge network leaving holes in BOM data
Australia’s flood warning systems are being managed by a confusing network of more than 100 authorities and third parties, and in some cases data is not getting to the Bureau of Meteorology, a Senate hearing was told.
A return to emissions policy combat [$]
Simon Benson
Labor and the Greens are once again embroiled in a game of mutually assured destruction over climate change policy.
Coal generators closing without a back-up plan [$]
Jennie George
Winter is coming. The speed and efficiency with which our coal-fired power stations are closing is sadly not being matched by projects to make up the energy shortfall.
Labor isn’t rising to the climate occasion – their own projections prove it
Ketan Joshi
The Labor government wants to keep climate a quiet issue. But their latest projections show how dire the situation is.
Ravi Naidu
They stop your food from sticking to the pan. They prevent stains in clothes and carpets. They help firefighting foam to extinguish fires. But the very thing that makes “forever chemicals” so useful also makes them dangerous.
Victoria
Victorian paper producing plant to close with loss of up to 200 jobs
Australia’s last white paper manufacturer will permanently close after months of speculation about the company’s future.
At least one building damaged by grassfire on Melbourne’s north-west fringe
Firefighters have contained a blaze that was burning out of control at Bulla in Melbourne’s north-west, with at least one building damaged by the fire.
Smoke exposure from intense fires linked to long-term respiratory and cardiovascular disease
Scientists studying 2014 Hazelwood coalmine fire say breathing in tiny particles in smoke is linked to increased emergency presentations
High court charged with deciding if Victoria has the power to tax electric vehicles
Landmark case arguing the excise is unconstitutional could have an impact on how states raise revenue
Abbotsford residents ’betrayed’ by rail yard plan [$]
Residents railing against a train facility near Victoria Park footy ground say they are facing “bullyboy tactics” from the Andrews government.
New South Wales
NSW coal mine extension challenged in court
The expansion of a coal mine in north-west NSW will be challenged with environmental activists saying it will worsen the effects of climate change.
‘Rorting’ claims over bushfire grants rejected by NSW premier
Federal emergency management minister Murray Watt criticises state cabinet over relief program
Why Sydney’s water temperatures are warmer than normal
University of NSW professor of oceanography Moninya Roughan said some parts of the ocean along south-east Australia were about 3 degrees warmer than average.
Free public transport push to ‘bring people back into the city’ and boost CBD spending
Business wants free public transport introduced for major events and public holidays after fare-free period in April 2022 brought a spike in spending in Sydney’s CBD.
ACT
Coles bring back free bags for fruit and veg – just don’t call them plastic [$]
Coles has quietly returned free fruit and veg bags to its supermarkets in the ACT after saying its ban on single-use plastic bags had been “challenging” for its customers and its staff.
Comcar EV transition underway but questions raised about charging infrastructure [$]
About half of the Australian government’s new Comcar leases this year will be low-emissions vehicles, but how it will support this transition with charging infrastructure remains unclear.
Queensland
Electric power keeps on truckin’ following government deal
All-electric vehicle pioneer Volvo is accelerating its transition to a low emission future by trialing two heavy battery-powered trucks with support from the Palaszczuk Government.
Brisbane Metro tunnel starts to take shape under the CBD
The tunnel through which Brisbane Metro buses will run lies below the city’s public utilities and drainage.
Rangers fume after asbestos, cars and rotten fruit dumped in national park minutes away from tip
White goods, solar panels and the casing from stolen copper wire have also been found in reserves in Townsville, infuriating the Parks and Wildlife Service.
South Australia
Wind and solar help South Australia escape tyranny of soaring gas prices
Has the SA grid found an answer to one of the most intractable problems facing governments and energy markets around the world?
Solar thermal technology gets another chance at Port Augusta with big ARENA grant
Vast Solar lands another $65 million in ARENA funds to have another crack at delivering long promised solar thermal power at commercial scale.
Sign warning to stay away from dolphins ‘utterly pathetic’ despite concerning parliamentary report
A Greens MP says a sign warning people to stay away from dolphins with calves near Port Adelaide is “pathetic”, a week after a parliamentary inquiry called for more public awareness of how to prevent injuries to the marine mammals.
Tree canopy call to underground power lines
A southern suburbs council says Adelaide’s dwindling green canopy should be boosted by undergrounding overhead power lines and trimming the power of utility companies to remove trees.
Tasmania
Claims land clearing fines often seen as ‘cost of doing business’
Tasmania’s former forests regulator says penalties for unapproved land clearing are often just seen as “the cost of doing business” for private landowners.
Cradle project ‘questions’ over proposed cable way [$]
There are serious questions over the future of the proposed Cradle Mountain cable way, a Liberal Senator says.
Swift parrots given love and commitment with Valentine’s Day protest
Media release – Bob Brown Foundations
This morning, on Valentine’s Day 2023, fifteen people are showing their commitment to the critically endangered swift parrots and their breeding forests by holding a protest in nesting habitat being logged. Four people are currently locked onto logging machinery, defending the nesting habitat of the parrot.
Northern Territory
This Australian island is constantly covered in a fine layer of dust. Now locals want answers
On Groote Eylandt, off the NT’s Arnhem Land coast, a fine dust coats the houses and cars. Community members say it could be putting their health at risk.
Western Australia
Western Australia is set to ban certain cups normally used for takeaway coffee as part of ongoing efforts to stamp out single-use plastic.
WA government offers $19.5 million bail out of Collie coal mine
The WA government says it has offered a struggling overseas-owned coal miner almost $20 million dollars to continue operations in a bid to protect the state’s electricity supply.
Climate protesters avoid having to pay police compensation over Burrup Peninsula blockade
Two climate protesters in WA’s north avoid having to pay police more than $33,000 in compensation after they were found guilty of blocking access to the country’s biggest LNG project in November 2021.
Locals urged to take part in public transport survey [$]
Rockingham locals are being urged to have their say in a new public survey provided by the city in a bid to help residents with limited access to transport remain connected within the community.
Nothing more than weasel words in Alcoa’s response to serious concerns
Gary Adshead
You’d think that Alcoa, after enduring a week of damaging revelations about its bauxite mining on the Darling Scarp, would be ready for the obvious when fronting the media.
Alcoa’s deal with WA a 62-year-old relic from a different time
Peter Milne
The terms of Alcoa mining WA’s jarrah forest were decided when the scale of planned deforestation was tiny as was Perth’s population. Plenty has changed since then.
Sustainability
Catastrophic chemical spill the US isn’t talking about
A train derailment in Ohio has led to an environmental disaster, with many left wondering what the consequences will be.
Concerns over environmental impact of offshore wind farm proposed for SA’s Limestone Coast
Plans for an offshore wind farm off South Australia’s coast have been released, but locals still have concerns.
Chart: Americans bought more heat pumps than gas furnaces last year
Even before Inflation Reduction Act incentives kicked in, Americans bought more heat pumps than ever before last year — well over 4 million.
Adani says no refinancing, liquidity issues in bid to calm jittery investors
India’s Adani group said on Tuesday that its companies face no material refinancing risk, or near-term liquidity issues, in its latest attempt to calm investors spooked by a U.S. short-seller’s critical report on its business practices.
Urban gardens are good for ecosystems and humans
Traditionally, it has been assumed that cultivating food leads to a loss of biodiversity and negative impacts on an ecosystem. A new study defies this assumption, showing that community gardens and urban farms positively affect biodiversity, local ecosystems and the well-being of humans that work in them.
Mumbai becomes the most-polluted city in India
According to the Swiss air surveillance index IQAir, Mumbai has overtaken Delhi as India’s most polluted city and is now ranked second globally.
How nuclear weapons can be turned into nuclear energy
How we turned 20,000 Soviet nukes into zero-carbon energy — and how we can do the same with some of our own.
How atomic doomsday experiments shaped disturbance ecology
How atomic doomsday experiments, fuelled by Cold War fears, shaped then shook ecologists’ faith in self-healing nature.
Fighting food waste at home: Small steps, big impact
Gina McCarthy
One and a half billion. That’s about how many chicken wings Americans prepared to eat during the Big Game, the second largest food consumption day of the year after Thanksgiving. If that’s not mind-boggling enough, Americans throw away one-third of their food every year. If a similar pattern followed on Sunday, nearly half a billion wings ended up in the trash once the game ended.
Farmed salmon or chicken? Environmental footprint research can guide eco-conscious consumers
Caitie Kuempel
Switching from meat to plant-based protein is one way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and consume less of the planet’s natural resources.
Nature Conservation
Coral reefs in the Eastern Pacific could survive into the 2060s
Scientists found that some reefs in the tropical Pacific Ocean could maintain high coral cover into the second half of this century by shuffling the symbiotic algae they host. The findings offer a ray of hope in an often-dire picture of the future of coral reefs worldwide.
Seafloor plastic pollution is not going anywhere
The amount of microplastics at the bottom of the Mediterranean is growing as global production increases and plastic breakdown is halted.
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