Post of the Day
The climate and biodiversity crises are not two separate things
An unprecedented and continuing loss of biodiversity has been sparked by anthropogenic climate change together with the intensive use and destruction of natural ecosystems. However, since the public often views the climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis as two separate catastrophes, an international team of researchers including paleontologist Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Kiessling from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) calls for adopting a new perspective: In their review study just released in the journal “Science”, they recommend protecting and restoring at least 30 percent of all land, freshwater and marine zones, establishing a network of interconnected protected areas, and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration between institutions.
On This Day
April 23
Saint George’s Day – Catholicism
Climate Change
There are warnings that millions of children in the Pacific risk losing access to education due to natural disasters and emergencies.
‘Feels like 54C’: Thai authorities issue extreme heat warnings as temperatures soar
Thai authorities warn residents across large parts of the country, including the capital Bangkok, to avoid going outdoors due to extreme heat.
National
How climate change is affecting rainfall, droughts and floods – Fear and Wonder podcast
Joelle Gergis and Michael Green
“The wet gets wetter and the dry gets drier”. That’s one of the key messages from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report on how climate change is impacting the Earth’s water cycle.
Crazy green plans won’t keep the lights on [$]
Peta Credlin
Why do we allow politicians to madly rush to eliminate coal-fired power before there’s a reliable alternative.
Snoozing at the wheel on emissions [$]
Canberra Times editorial
When former Liberal treasurer Joe Hockey triggered a chain of events on the floor of Federal Parliament a decade ago that sent the car industry packing from Australia, much was lost in that rush of political hubris.
Floods of nutrients from fertilisers and wastewater trash our rivers. Could offsetting help?
Michele Burford
The rivers running through the hearts of Australia’s major cities and towns are often carrying heavy loads of nutrients and sediments. This is a problem.
Queensland
Rare footage of northern hairy-nosed wombat a good sign for species
Footage of the elusive wombat — the largest burrowing marsupial in the world — is crucial for educating the public and helping to save the endangered species.
‘Huge bang’ prompts maintenance inspection advice for old solar panels
Anthony Parisi had no idea his solar panels could cause an explosion that put his home at risk. Here’s why experts say maintenance inspections are important.
‘Extinction Rebellion with shovels’: Guerrilla gardeners taking over Brisbane parks [$]
Links between a prominent climate action group and a “grassroots guerrilla” gardening group have been revealed, with several illegal gardens taking over Brisbane public parks.
What happens next after state takes control of decrepit island resort? [$]
As the state government takes control of the abandoned Great Keppel Island resort, local business owners are pushing for planning to start now so decades of little action don’t repeat again.
A local living near the Great Barrier Reef has taken a series of photos showing the damaged carcasses of a range of sea creatures.
Tasmania
Lagoon of Islands was dammed in the 1960s, which destroyed its “islands” and created water quality problems. Carolyn has been involved in its rehabilitation for more than 10 years and says it’s “satisfying” to see the wetland healthy again.
Northern Territory
Environmental watchdog probes Inpex oil leak [$]
The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating an oil leak from Inpex’s Wickham Point plant after heavy rains broke a ‘containment system’.
Western Australia
Jarrah forests and water supply key to mining approvals: Alcoa boss
Alcoa thinks its existing behind-closed-doors approval systems can be modified to better protect the environment but if the independent EPA takes over what happens next is unknown.
Sustainability
‘Appalling’ Earth Day greenwashing must not detract from message, says protest founder
Denis Hayes, who coordinated the first event in 1970, denounces fossil fuel companies that use the event to get positive publicity
Arctic ice algae heavily contaminated with microplastics
The alga Melosira arctica, which grows under Arctic sea ice, contains ten times as many microplastic particles as the surrounding seawater.
Our modern rechargeable batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, are anything but sustainable. One alternative is organic batteries with redox-organic electrode materials (OEMs), which can be synthesized from natural “green” materials. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a Chinese team has now introduced a new OEM for aqueous organic high-capacity batteries that can be easily and cheaply recycled.
Hybrid to hell: How Toyota went from green darling to activist target
Once the world leader in clean driving technology, Toyota has slipped behind competitors and now stands accused of seeking to slow the industry’s transition.
Tiny plastic particles also find their way into the brain
Among the biggest environmental problems of our time, micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) can enter the body in various ways, including through food. And now for the first time, research conducted at MedUni Vienna has shown how these minute particles manage to breach the blood-brain barrier and as a consequence penetrate the brain. The newly discovered mechanism provides the basis for further research to protect humans and the environment.
Green living environment in early childhood does not protect against eczema
According to a new Finnish study, greenness around the home in early childhood does not seem to protect children from atopic eczema. Instead, the proximity of coniferous, mixed forests and agricultural areas was associated with elevated risk of eczema. The effect was seen especially in children who were born in the spring.
6 ways you — yes, you! — can help advance the energy transition
Julian Spector
Canary Media’s quick guide to practical steps you can take to curb climate pollution and move us toward a better world.
Is this really what Earth Day now means?
Jason Hayes
As the nation commemorates its 53rd Earth Day, it is worth pausing for a moment to focus on the growing number of mandates and the extent to which top-down control is used to enforce a transition to so-called green energy.
Nature Conservation
We’ve introduced ferals to the bottom of the world. They’re destroying it
New research suggests humans have brought more than 1000 new species to the islands around Antarctica, including sheep, budgerigars, pigs and even monkeys. It’s not going well.
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