Date: 29 March 2023 at 9:09:31 am AEDT
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Subject: Daily Links Mar 29
Post of the Day
Safeguard mechanism still leaves Australia with a big methane problem
Annika Reynolds & Chris Wright
Australia has been left in the dark about the scale of the methane pollution from its energy sector, and Safeguard reforms do little to pull back the curtains.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
Climate Change
‘Climate lockdown’ anger drives Swiss grandmother to sue government at EU court
Her frustration with what she calls “climate lockdown” is part of her motivation for suing the Swiss government alongside more than 2,000 other elderly women.
Is ‘climate anxiety’ a clinical diagnosis? Should it be?
Fiona Charlson and Tara Crandon
Last week the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, comprised of the world’s most esteemed climate experts, delivered its sixth report and “final warning” about the climate crisis. It outlined several mental health challenges associated with increasing temperatures, trauma from extreme events, and loss of livelihoods and culture.
UN’s climate panic is more politics than science [$]
Judith Curry
Climate change has become a grand narrative in which human-caused climate change is now the dominant cause of society’s problems.
Pro-life movement threatened by the climate scare
Tom Harris
Why are environmental organisations pushing abortion?
National
The federal government’s landmark climate policy to drive down emissions generated a mixed reaction from the energy industry, but experts say it is unlikely to stop future coal and gas projects or increase power prices.
Greens vow to use new pollution trigger in climate bill to challenge future coal and gas projects
After begrudgingly agreeing to a deal to force the nation’s biggest polluters to cut their emissions, the Greens vow to use the new trigger they have secured to challenge future gas and coal projects.
Environment flourishing after floods but without ‘collaboration’, states risk wasting opportunities
Environmental experts are calling for more help to allow Murray-Darling Basin wetlands to thrive long after the recession of floodwater.
‘Psychopaths, puppets’: Greens senator’s fury over climate deal
The Albanese government’s plan to cut emissions from industry to tackle climate change appears on track to pass parliament by the end of the week – despite dissension emerging in the Greens.
Albanese government faces decisions on coalmines that could add 16m tonnes of CO2 emissions annually
Australia Institute analysis tracks 28 proposed developments referred to Tanya Plibersek for approval
Labor’s safeguard reforms a ‘Trojan horse for a carbon tax’ [$]
PENALISING businesses for their carbon emissions through the safeguard mechanism is a “Trojan horse for a carbon tax”, the Coalition has warned.
Rise of ‘fuel-guzzling’ SUVs costing Australians $13bn extra at the pump per year, report finds
Thinktank says popularity of ‘big, dumb’ cars is turbocharging emissions and does not make sense in such an urbanised country
ACTU digs in on nuclear-free policy in headache for Labor over Aukus subs
Coalition seizes on Michele O’Neil’s comments, claiming they send a ‘confusing signal’ on $368bn nuclear submarine acquisition
Turning point: How rooftop solar systems provide more electricity than brown coal
Rooftop solar systems supplied more electricity to Australia during last summer than brown coal, setting a record, the Clean Energy Council says.
Coal faces ‘carbon tax by stealth’ [$]
Major coal companies warn Anthony Albanese’s deal with the Greens to pass Labor’s signature climate policy will drive up energy prices, destroy jobs and kill foreign investment.
Should farmers be paid to protect wildlife? The federal government thinks so
Farmers, Indigenous rangers and local councils are a step closer to being paid to protect nature, with the federal government introducing legislation today that would establish a biodiversity trading scheme.
Hydrogen expert says blending green fuel into gas network an “expensive” waste
Visiting expert says “scarce and precious” green hydrogen should not be wasted on hot water and cooking when cheap abundant solar can do the job.
Greens’ capitulation represents Labor’s biggest victory over minor party
Osman Faruqi
After a decade on the back foot on climate policy, Labor have regained the upper hand by successfully browbeating the Greens into supporting their election policy with only minor changes.
The Greens and Labor have made a deal on emissions. What changed?
Nick O’Malley
The government and the Greens have both declared victory after long negotiations about key climate policy. What really changed? And what is a safeguard mechanism?
This climate policy doesn’t kill gas despite all the fist-pumping
Elizabeth Knight
Yes, this is a win for the environment, but not the death knell for the industry or even for investment in new fossil fuel projects.
It’s not perfect, but here are the climate wins in the safeguard mechanism
Tim Buckley
While still far from perfect, the deal struck between the federal government and the Greens, with the support of the teals to get the safeguard mechanism legislation through Parliament, to come into effect from July 1, is a significant step forward on the nation’s decarbonisation pathway.
Australia’s safeguard mechanism deal is only a half-win for the Greens, and for the climate
Kate Crowley
Labor and the Greens on Monday announced a deal to strengthen a key climate policy, the safeguard mechanism, by introducing a hard cap on industrial sector emissions.
Safeguarding reality in a world of magical thinking [$]
Australian editorial
Stopping gas won’t change the climate but it will make hunger worse.
Sweat the details to get safeguard right [$]
Ben Eade
The federal government must nail several important details in the safeguard mechanism if Australia is to remain on the map for manufacturing investment.
Safeguard Mechanism: $600 million can no longer go to coal and gas
Callum Foote
In passing the Safeguard Mechanism Amendment Bill, Labor’s only major emission reduction legislation on the block, Labor has also agreed to rule out any spending on fossil fuel infrastructure from the $600 million Safeguard Transformation Stream.
Resource, business sectors support climate action, just not this time. Again [$]
Charlie Lewis
It’s all surprisingly familiar.
Coalition allows climate policy to veer to the green-left [$]
AFR editorial
We would not now be having to assess what the Greens-Labor safeguard mechanism deal might mean for the energy transition if the Coalition had put the national interest ahead of seeking to reignite the political carbon wars.
Urgent calls to fast-track climate action as new report warns of global health catastrophe
Melissa Sweet
The report comes as work progresses on developing a national Health and Climate Strategy, and amid intense political and policy debate over the Federal Government’s Safeguard Mechanism, which has been widely criticised for enabling ongoing fossil fuels development.
As time runs out, a call for the health community to step up climate activism
Fran Baum
The major political parties’ lack of engagement with the urgent warning from the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) must be countered by activism from the health community
From Coalition fig leaf to Green-teal ALP deal: A closer look at Safeguard Mechanism 3.0
Sophie Vorrath
The Coalition thought of it, and the Greens, Teals and Labor got rid of most of its warts. But exactly what will the Safeguard Mechanism do?
Victoria
Emotions run high as traditional owners secure land rights after more than a decade of petitioning
Victoria’s first native title determination in 10 years has been made at a hearing on Eastern Maar country in Warrnambool.
Judith signed up for a water-saving experiment that is saving her town threefold
Judith Goddard is one of hundreds of residents in the small Victorian town of Birregurra who are saving water and money thanks to the Living Laboratory run by Barwon Water.
A report offers welcome solutions to Melbourne’s housing crisis, but it focuses on housing families when our demographics have changed dramatically.
Millions of baby kelp to restore bay habitats ravaged by sea urchins
Flourishing golden kelp forests in Port Phillip Bay have been left barren by a prickly creature on the move, but scientists have a cunning plan.
New South Wales
The crossbench could play a crucial role in the next NSW parliament — here’s who they are
NSW Labor is likely to need the crossbench if its going to pass its legislation through the lower house. These are the people they’ll have court, and what they’ll be expecting in return.
The ABC is predicting the seat of Wollondilly will go to independent Judy Hannan, who says voters in her electorate are frustrated by overdevelopment on Sydney’s urban fringe.
‘Eyesore and unsafe’: Sydney E-bike dumping scourge returns [$]
They’re back— Sydney’s streets are once again littered with share e-bikes, prompting calls for NSW’s new government to take control and implement a crackdown.
Coffs cops Great Koala Park it never backed [$]
He may have only been elected to power at the weekend, but Premier Chris Minns is already facing scrutiny over plans for a massive Koala national park on the Coffs Coast.
ACT
Light rail plans put cyclists at risk: Pedal Power ACT
Designs published on Tuesday for light rail stage 2a have come under fire from cycle advocacy group Pedal Power ACT, who claim serious issues with the active travel component need addressing prior to construction.
South Australia
Forestry Centre to revitalise SA industry
The State Government has released a plan to make Mount Gambier the home of its Forestry Centre of Excellence.
South Australia about to take another big step towards fossil free grid
The world’s most renewable grid is about to take another big step towards running truly fossil fuel free – at least on occasions.
Northern Territory
Is the Beetaloo Basin fracking project really in doubt following safeguard amendments?
Fracking proponents say safeguard mechanism amendments have created certainty for the Beetaloo Basin.
Environmental ‘tragedy’ as fires burn through one-fifth of Northern Territory national park
More than 100,000 hectares burned in MacDonnell Ranges area, which has been declared a federal priority for threatened species conservation
$368bn Aukus offers little to NT except possible nuclear waste [$]
The Territory is unlikely to see a share of the $368bn Aukus submarine deal, although it could still become the dumping ground for the subs radioactive waste.
Water licence for Malaysian-owned cattle station cut by 90 per cent
One of the Northern Territory’s largest water licences is slashed under the government’s “use it or lose it” policy.
Western Australia
Stretching 150km along the coast from Two Rocks to Mandurah, Perth has a claim to be the world’s longest city. How did it get here and is it sustainable?
Safeguard deal won’t affect Scarborough gas: McGowan
A federal climate deal struck between Labor and the Greens won’t impact major gas projects such as Scarborough, Premier Mark McGowan says.
Sustainability
Plastics cause wide-ranging health issues from cancer to birth defects, landmark study finds
First analysis of plastics’ hazards over life cycle – from extraction to disposal – also shows ‘deep societal injustices’ of impact
Muscovites unfazed by rising nuclear rhetoric
Electronic billboards in Moscow tell the public what to pack for a nuclear emergency, and President Vladimir Putin periodically warns darkly that Russia is ready to use its ultimate deterrent – but Muscovites seem to be taking it all in their stride.
The US is the world’s richest country. So why can’t I get a glass of clean drinking water?
Arwa Mahdawi
This weekend, 8,000 gallons of latex were accidentally dumped in the Delaware River – and tap water across the country is laced with disturbing chemicals
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