Date: 21 June 2023 at 9:06:35 am AEST
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Subject: Daily Links Jun 21
Post of the Day
Steve Turton
Recent spikes in ocean heat content and average global air temperature have left climate scientists across the world scrambling to find the cause.
On This Day
Ecological Observance
Arbor Day – Cuba
Climate Change
Rewetting England’s lowland peat could help meet emissions target, says study
Thinktank suggests projects could deliver one-fifth of savings needed from farming, but agriculture experts cast doubt on idea
The fastest-warming continent, europe has already heated by more than 2 degrees C
Europe is warming faster than any other inhabited continent, with rising temperatures fueling increasingly severe heat waves, floods, and wildfires, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization and the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Study: Himalaya glaciers rapidly melting because of climate change
A new peer-reviewed study on the Himalayas reveals the mountain glaciers disappeared 65% faster between 2011 and 2020 compared to the previous decade, threatening its population and species.
Beyond Montreal: Six months after deal to halt biodiversity loss, where are we?
There have been gains and losses since the Cop15 agreement was signed in December, with key moments still to come ahead of the next biodiversity Cop in Turkey in 2024.
Canada is on fire, and big oil is the arsonist
Tzeporah Berman
Governments need to represent us, not fossil-fuel profiteers. We need plans to phase out fossil fuel production and emissions
National
Blockade Australia climate protests cause traffic chaos in Brisbane and Melbourne
Queensland police alerted to man who suspended himself over Port of Brisbane Road, blocking all eastbound lanes
Vertical take-off: Energy grid to get $16 billion renewables upgrade
The drive by Australia’s largest transmission company will be felt in household power bills.
Forrest’s energy empire sees green shift hastening despite growing doubts
Andrew Forrest’s Squadron Energy remains confident that the Albanese government’s target of shifting the grid to 82 per cent renewables by 2030 is within reach.
Coalition and Greens to block nature bill
The Greens and the Coalition are expected to team up to block a critical nature bill, setting up another legislative battle over environmental laws for the government in the Senate.
Energy transition is flickering as renewables struggle to catch up [$]
Never has the message to keep all options open seemed more sensible. Yet, the rapid developments in affordable nuclear power overseas cannot even get a look-in.
Rooftop PV is a major player in the grid, but remains largely “invisible” to market operator
Managing Australia’s massive, “largely invisible” rooftop solar resource is one of AEMO’s biggest challenges. Consumers will be a big part of the solution.
Critically endangered bettongs flown 2,000km in ambitious rewilding program – video
Seventy-three critically endangered brush-tailed bettongs have been flown 2,000km to a new home on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula from Dryandra national park 180km from Perth.
The government can’t explain how net zero will change your life, so I will
Ross Gittins
The government is doing a good job on keeping its climate change plans secret, so Ross Gittins wants to help you understand this complex policy area.
Young investors keen to go green, but don’t always know how
John Collett
Young investors hoping to make a difference with their money are finding it increasingly difficult to determine if a company’s ethical credentials are genuine.
Cut bills by 30%: Are the government’s clean energy loans worth it?
Paul Benson
Can the government’s new clean energy loan scheme help you save on power bills?
Electrified homes are paying for the gas death spiral
Tim Forcey & Alan Pears
Want to go electric? There’s now a conspicuous mandated cost barrier standing in the way of a cleaner, safer, more affordable home.
Victoria
Myki operator blasts state over costly mistakes in new ticket contract
Myki operator NTT Data claims Victorian bureaucrats unfairly hindered its failed bid to run the public transport ticket system for another 15 years and gave preferential treatment to a more expensive American replacement
New South Wales
‘Sneaky surprise’: Climate protester’s promise
A climate change protester has snuck into a huge coal plant late in the night after days of activists shutting down access to major ports.
A giant ‘sand slug’ born from mining and land clearing is slowly choking the Murray River
The buildup of sand at the Barmah Choke is four metres deep and is caused by increased sediment from mining and land clearing
Severe weather smashes Sydney households, and insurance companies
NRMA Insurance data found that Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region were hit hardest, accounting for half of all wild weather claims in the state.
NSW hopes to bury transmission problem with inquiry into putting lines underground
New South Wales Labor commissions inquiry and report into feasibility – and in particular, the cost – of undergrounding the state’s critical transmission infrastructure.
Queensland
Social media influencers ruining ancient Indigenous art at Carnarvon Gorge, rangers say
Indigenous leaders and local rangers say the lengths people will go to for the perfect photograph at Carnarvon Gorge are disrespectful and unlawful.
Radio host slams ‘selfish’ climate protesters over Brisbane traffic chaos [$]
Nova 106.9 host Ashley Bradnam has slammed “selfish” climate protesters for causing traffic chaos in Brisbane for the second day in a row.
South Australia
Contamination, longer response times: Concerns over airport police barracks move
Levels of toxic PFAS contamination could be a stumbling block for building a new police horse barracks at Adelaide Airport, with a senior officer conceding that the western suburbs location will increase response times for CBD incidents.
Youth Climate Summit encourages action from Fleurieu students
A group of Fleurieu councils has hosted the second Youth Climate Summit for local high school students to empower them to act on climate change.
Tasmania
Federal govt has legal obligation to protect Maugean skate
Media release – The Australia Institute Tasmania
The Australia Institute Tasmania has written to federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, urging her to intervene and end salmon farming in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour, which is threatening the endangered Maugean skate.
Northern Territory
The Commonwealth has lodged a special leave application in the High Court to challenge a landmark Federal Court ruling about millions of dollars in compensation over a mining lease on the Gove Peninsula.
Western Australia
French green energy giant doubles down on Australia with mega WA battery
One of the world’s biggest renewable energy providers is increasing its stakes in Australia after receiving approval to build a multi-billion-dollar battery in Western Australia’s coal heartlands.
Tesla mega-battery in Collie to smooth out WA system
A massive battery in the coal-mining town will help bolster the power system struggling with unreliable coal-fired power and variable solar generation.
WA charts global green steel opportunity with renewables and iron ore
Report highlights potential for Western Australia use its abundant renewables to become a major player in the world’s rapidly growing green steel supply chain.
Sustainability
Washington is recruiting dogs and cats in its war against rats
A dozen humans and their hounds get out on “ratting” expeditions as they fight the city’s rapidly growing population of rats, which prowl the alleys behind the restaurants, bars and clubs.
Heat waves are unleashing a deadly but overlooked pollutant
Indian cities, afflicted by rising temperatures and poor air quality, are becoming hot spots of ozone pollution, which has proven a difficult problem to fix.
Eco-friendly cruises: Examining the efforts to green the cruise ship business
Cruise ships are notoriously bad for the environment, but this might be changing.
Is leaving dog poo in the street really so bad? The science says it’s even worse than you think
Melissa Starling
And what about the old water-bottles-on-the grass trick? Does that actually work?
Nature Conservation
Are we in the Anthropocene? Why Canada’s Crawford Lake may hold answers
Canada’s Crawford Lake may hold evidence that humans have fundamentally changed Earth enough to have started the Anthropocene, a new chapter in geologic time.
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