Date: 30 March 2023 at 9:07:25 am AEDT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links Mar 30
Post of the Day
Global energy transition “off-track” and needs $US35 trillion by 2030
“The stakes could not be higher.” IRENA declares global energy transition “off-track” and in need of massive investment by 2030 to be successful.
On This Day
Rama Navami – Hinduism
Ecological Observance
National Take a Walk in the Park Day – USA
Climate Change
Surprise effect: Methane cools even as it heats
Most climate models do not yet account for a recent discovery: methane traps a great deal of heat in Earth’s atmosphere, but also creates cooling clouds that offset 30% of the heat.
The role of our parks in the fight against climate change
Urban green spaces play an important role in global carbon sequestration, a vital ecosystem service for mitigating CO2 emissions and the effects of climate change.
‘Dramatic’ changes to Southern Ocean by 2050 likened to The Day After Tomorrow plot
A landmark study projects dramatic changes in ocean circulation in the Southern Ocean over the next three decades, with wide-reaching impacts on weather and fishery populations.
UN vote asks world court to rule on climate obligations
The United Nations General Assembly has voted to pass a resolution asking the world’s top court to define the obligations of states to combat climate change, a legal opinion that could drive countries to take stronger measures and clarify international law.
Aussies asked whether electric cars should make noise
Australians are being asked whether electric vehicles should be forced to make noise to prevent road accidents in the latest consultation on the next-generation transport technology.
Labor’s carbon plan means more trucks: rail bosses [$]
The country’s largest freight companies will pay millions of dollars for carbon credits under the mechanism, although it will spare most trucking operators.
UN General Assembly seeks World Court ruling on climate change
The United Nations General Assembly’s consensus adoption on March 29, 2023, of a resolution seeking an International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on climate change is a milestone in defining the human rights obligations of governments, Human Rights Watch said today.
Time to ignore green alarmists and doomsters [$]
Andrew Bolt
Let’s learn the lesson from the population panic before we let global warmists scare us for a day longer.
UN report is bumper sticker climate science [$]
Judith Curry
Clearly, the climate ‘crisis’ isn’t what it used to be. Rather than acknowledging this fact as good news, the IPCC and UN officials are doubling down on the ‘alarm’.
IPCC: a gamble on earth system failure
David Spratt
The fact that the IPCC incorporates in its core business risks of failure to the Earth system and to human civilisation that we would not accept in our own lives raises fundamental questions about the efficacy of the whole IPCC project. If low risks of failure are taken as a starting point, “net zero 2050”
National
Farmers tell federal inquiry climate change ‘threatens our food security’
A federal parliamentary inquiry into food security has heard that climate change, supply chain issues, and biosecurity management are the greatest threats to Australia’s produce supply.
Australia has the potential to house a cutting-edge manufacturing industry that combats climate change, but the lure of Europe’s progressive energy laws may have left the country out in the cold.
Plibersek’s biodiversity credits ‘won’t save koalas’, Greens say
Tanya Plibersek introduced a bill to create a “green Wall Street” for environmental investment, but green groups warn allowing biodiversity credits to be used as offsets will do more harm.
New gas fields in doubt even without safeguard, investors say
The Albanese government on Monday struck a deal with the Greens imposing new laws forcing the nation’s 215 biggest greenhouse-gas polluters to cut emissions.
Electric vehicles: Batteries on wheels can make grid smaller, says network owner
Network operator says electric vehicles and their ability to act as a battery on wheels, or Swiss army knife, can lower costs for grid infrastructure.
Australia’s coal mine project approval list is a climate disaster
Rachel Williamson
New report shows approval of all new coal mines would be equivalent of keeping all Australian coal plants open for another 129 years.
Report says SUVs increasing Australia’s emissions – video
A new report by the Australia Institute has revealed the popularity of fuel-guzzling SUVs in Australia is turbocharging emissions – while other nations are reducing them.
Why Australia’s emissions reduction target is not enough
Alan Kohler
Political and media stupidity and fossil fuel industry rapacity is doom.
Glencore’s coal investment strike has green warning [$]
Eric Johnston
In its ambitious path to net zero the mining giant is going to be more choosy about where it spends its cash. Australia is slipping down the list.
Global capital’s vote of confidence in Australia’s energy transition [$]
AFR editorial
That mobile global risk-capital views this country as an attractive destination for profitable clean energy investments is reassuring given all the sovereign and regulatory risk hanging over the energy transition.
Critical milestone reached in great safeguard compromise [$]
Tony Wood
The government’s safeguard mechanism agreement is neither as tough as the Greens hoped, nor as dangerous as the gas industry has feared.
Safeguard deal shows Bandt’s Greens party has come of age
Mark Kenny
It is understandable if observers have struggled to neatly categorise the agreement struck on Monday between the Albanese Labor Government and the Australian Greens party to progressively reduce industrial emissions.
Solar rorts – Federal Labor caught in $200 million pork barrelling scheme
Rex Patrick
Independent MP Rebekha Sharkie has just dropped a bombshell in Federal Parliament. The Labor Government has been caught out in a blatant pork barrelling scandal: Solar Rorts.
Victoria
Personal e-scooters given the green light to join controversial trial
Victoria will lower the age limit for riders as a trial of thousands of hire scooters on inner-Melbourne streets is extended for at least six more months.
Pedestrians were given priority on Melbourne’s ‘Little’ streets. But drivers aren’t sharing
An attempt to turn Melbourne’s “Little” streets into pedestrian-friendly promenades is failing because motorists refuse to share the busy laneways and obey new speed limits.
Warning of ‘carmageddon’ in push to limit car parking in developments
Victoria’s peak infrastructure body has called on the government to reduce or remove compulsory minimum parking requirements for developments.
It marks the end of decades of advocacy and an extended process.
New South Wales
NSW premier vows to investigate mass fish deaths during visit to scene of disaster
Chris Minns and Acting Water Minister Penny Sharpe heard from locals about the impact of the event and vowed to try to prevent similar incidents from happening.
ACT
‘Fight of our lives’: Climate activists glue themselves to oil lobby building entry [$]
Five climate activists have been charged after a protest blockade in which they claim they glued themselves to the building entrance of Australia’s peak national body representing oil and gas.
Government needs a plan to cut smoke
Canberra Times editorial
The days of the end of wood-heaters in Canberra appear to be numbered, based on new data and recommendations that paint a bleak picture of the impact of firewood smoke.
Queensland
Shock admission: ‘We can’t reach net zero by 2050 without Qld coal’ [$]
Queensland’s coal and gas will be “essential” in helping Australia hitting its net zero by 2050 target, the Resources Minister admits, despite the push towards renewable energy, and she’s even taken aim at those “who fail to acknowledge this”.
Tasmania
‘Grossly inadequate’: Alarm over new fish farm rules [$]
New rules to govern fish farming in Tasmania are weaker than the existing rules, marine environmental advocates say.
Northern Territory
The EPA has decided this cattle station’s irrigation plan requires the highest level of assessment
For the first time in the NT’s history, a horticultural project will be subject to the highest level of environmental assessment before it can proceed.
Western Australia
Court mulls Andrew Forrest’s fresh bid to remove miners from Minderoo
The billionaire is back in court trying to safeguard his prized family cattle station. It’s one of several disputes the mining magnate has spearheaded via his private companies to stop exploration around the Pilbara station.
Horizon takes stake in remote solar and battery specialist to fast-track regional renewables
WA government-owned utility takes stake in local solar outfit to help shift its 34 microgrids and 117 remote communities to renewables.
Sustainability
The great ‘green hydrogen’ battle
Tens of billions in federal tax credits could build a vital low-carbon hydrogen industry — or increase carbon emissions. We tackle the complexities in a series.
Vehicle exhaust filters do not remove ultrafine pollution
Filters fitted to vehicle exhaust systems to remove particulate matter pollution have limited impact on ultrafine particles, new research shows.
New additives could turn concrete into an effective carbon sink
Introducing additives to concrete manufacturing processes could reduce the sizeable carbon footprint of the material without altering its bulk mechanical properties, an MIT study shows.
How to prepare for ocean acidification, a framework
An international research team develops a rubric for governments and policymaking bodies to evaluate preparedness for ocean acidification
The UK’s ‘green day’ has turned into a fossil fuel bonanza – dirty money powers the Sunak government
George Monbiot
In prioritising oil and gas over renewables, ministers are doing the bidding of the polluters. And we’ll all pay the price
Nature Conservation
Climate change threatens lemurs on Madagascar
Even supposedly adaptable mammal species face increased risk of extinction
Conserving wildlife can help mitigate climate change
Solving the climate crisis and biodiversity crisis are not separate issues. Animals remove billions of tons of carbon dioxide each year. Restoring species will help limit global warming, new science reveals.
How a critical Antarctic current threatens fish stocks
Antarctic forces that drive nutrients from the deep sea to the surface, regulate global rainfall and draw down carbon could slow by 42 per cent by 2050.
Standing up for freshwater biodiversity
We rely on freshwater plants and animals for clean water, food, recreation and other needs. And yet they’re often overlooked in conservation.
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