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Date: 25 September 2023 at 8:15:11 am AEST
To: Undisclosed recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links Sep 25
‘Moto-normativity’: why cycling professor wants Australians to rethink how we use our roads
Dutch social scientist says redesigning our cities to be less car-centric will foster community, improve wellbeing and help the environment
On This Day
Yom Kippur – Judaism
Feast of Saint Nicholas of Flüe – Switzerland
Climate Change
How does Australia’s climate record compare to the rest of the world?
The United Nations Climate Change Conference is set to kick off in Dubai in November, and the world’s efforts on climate change mitigation will be scrutinised.
The teenage campaigner took politicians to task about the environment – but their apathy contributed to a devastating decline in his mental health. He talks about his recovery and the radical ideas we need to save the Earth
Keir Starmer to call for UK clean energy action in New York City address
Exclusive: Labour leader pledges party would stand ‘strong on the UK’s climate commitments’ in contrast to Sunak’s net zero reversal
‘Climate villain’: scientists say Rupert Murdoch wielded his media empire to sow confusion and doubt
The tycoon, who is stepping down from News Corp and Fox, has used his outlets to promote denial and delay action, experts say
White House directs agencies to account for climate change in budgets
The directive is intended to embed the cost of climate change into all federal agencies. But it is not legally binding and could come with legal and logistical challenges.
UN chief warns of ‘gates of hell’ in climate summit, but carbon polluting nations stay silent
The United Nations chief says Earth is facing a hellish problem in climate change and its leaders still aren’t doing nearly enough to curb carbon emissions that’s causing it.
Race is on for the world to reach net zero emissions – podcast
Global efforts to mitigate climate change are coming into focus ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference – or COP28 – in November. Many countries have shifted their targets since the Paris Agreement, which aims to avoid catastrophic temperature rises by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees. So where does Australia stand on its net zero targets in comparison to the rest of the world?
Climate change victims are dying in an ‘epicentre of indifference’
Nick O’Malley
This week, another UN climate summit was held. Even as the dead of a series of climate calamities were being counted, commitment to action fell short.
Carbon removal: why ambitious ‘no nonsense’ plans are vital to limit global heating to 2℃
Christian Turney et al
Despite the changes we are seeing, global efforts to cut emissions fall well short of what’s needed to keep heating to less than 2℃, let alone the more ambitious Paris Agreement target of 1.5℃. This creates an urgent need for the purposeful removal of atmospheric CO₂ as well as cuts in emissions.
Earth Systems Treaty: John Hewson calls for action on ‘mega threats’
Bob Douglas
Former Liberal party leader John Hewson, in a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, enquired why the United Nations was not acting on proposals to deal with a series of well documented and interacting catastrophic threats.
The appeal of climate change denial
Julien Hennefeld
What is so appalling is that some of the Republican candidates must surely realize that if nothing is done to combat climate change our planet might well become uninhabitable for humans and all animal life.
National
Hybrid electric vehicles might not be the green machines consumers think they are
Hybrid electric vehicles might not be the green machines consumers think they are, with research finding major car brands are making potentially misleading claims about the technology.
Labor mulls options to bolster fire-fighting ranks
The federal government is considering a range of creative options to ensure Australia has the personnel it needs to fight worsening bushfires.
Australia ‘much better prepared’ for bushfire threat this summer, says minister
The emergency management minister tells Insiders authorities are better prepared for this summer compared to the months leading up to the Black Summer fires in 2019 and 2020.
California-style bushfire force ‘could be needed’ [$]
Australia may need to create a new paid firefighting service as natural disasters become more frequent, Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt says.
Your house is full of lithium-ion batteries. What’s the danger?
Fire and Rescue NSW responded to 50 more lithium-ion battery fires in the first eight months of this year than in all of 2022, with household items behind the incidents.
Scientists, First Nations groups demand better protection for dingoes
Researchers argue the characterisation of dingoes as “wild dogs” is wrong and that continued lethal control of dingo populations could challenge their survival.
‘Catastrophic’ spill fear fuels oil, gas backlash
Fishermen, conservationists and coastal communities are preparing to fight oil and gas drilling and seismic testing in Australian waters, as one proponent’s oil spill modelling creates claims of potential “catastrophe”.
‘Time for mature debate’: Dutton’s energy swipe at ALP [$]
Peter Dutton has urged Labour to consider nuclear energy and accused the government of being divided over their strategy on the issue.
From bin chickens to gang-gangs: Australian bird of the year is a celebration and a call to action
Guardian Australia’s biennial poll is a chance to show your love for your favourite feathered friend and raise awareness of those at risk
Generators pay to stay on as dominant rooftop solar ‘cannibalises’ electricity prices
The rise of rooftop solar in Australia shows no signs of slowing, bringing cheap, clean power. But the technology is also reshaping the power system in some surprising ways.
Community solar project shining a light on Australia’s renewable energy transition – podcast
As Australia prepares to transition to renewable energy, some residents are banding together to create their own energy infrastructure. The community of Bannister is hoping these projects can educate others about renewable energy.
Chris Bowen on the transition to renewable energy – Australian politics podcast
Guardian Australia’s political editor, Katharine Murphy, talks to energy minister, Chris Bowen, about preparing communities for the renewable transition, whether or not Australia will follow the UK in stepping off net zero targets and the fake (or real) fight over nuclear
Community solar project shining a light on Australia’s renewable energy transition – podcast
As Australia prepares to transition to renewable energy, some residents are banding together to create their own energy infrastructure. The community of Bannister is hoping these projects can educate others about renewable energy.
How to tell if a home battery could save your household money in 2023
Finn Peacock
The economics of solar batteries has changed considerably in recent years, and could now reduce your total power bill – and emissions
In 10 years Australia went from Abbott to Albanese – but how much has really changed?
Jeff Sparrow
In the decade since I began this Guardian column much about Australian politics has made me despair – and yet there are still reasons to hope
‘Blackouts’ Bowen in la-la land over refusal to wind back radical agenda [$]
Piers Akerman
Reality has struck energy-pressed governments everywhere in the real world, but not in Labor’s progressive la-la land.
Why going electric poses more questions than answers down under [$]
Steve Price
Aussies have always been car people with a road trip mentality, but the push for electric vehicles is now becoming like religious zealotry — and anyone who dares to criticise it is branded a Neanderthal.
Environment Minister resorts to ‘drug dealer’s defence’ for coal mine approvals
Christine Carlisle
The Environment Council of Central Queensland (ECoCeQ) has been in the Federal Court this week arguing that the Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek has acted irrationally and unlawfully in her risk assessment of the expansion of 2 very large coal mines in NSW.
We are being conned on carbon credits — they’re an Abbott-era fiction, and an expensive one [$]
Bernard Keane
In a new series, Crikey looks at the carbon credits con job that guarantees Australia will fail to meet its climate targets.
Blowtorch of reality is conservatives’ greatest ally [$]
Alexander Downer
The Liberal Party should study UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rather than tacking like a yacht to accommodate trends, fashions and fads.
There’s nothing green about wind farms [$]
Genna Tognini
If wind farms cause so much damage there’s nothing green about them.
Move to renewables bundles false hope, bad policy and slow progress into giant mess
Alan Kohler
The Albanese government’s climate change policies are in danger of falling apart – they’re both inadequate and improbable. One way to rescue them would be to switch solar photo-voltaic (PV) subsidies to batteries, as the Greens suggest.
‘What’s your favourite bird?’ is almost impossible to answer. I am always torn
Sean Dooley
When framing the shortlist for the 2023 bird of the year, we opted for familiar Aussie birds that hold a special place in our hearts
Forget GDP – economic growth will cause collapse. Degrowth is the answer [$]
Erin Remblance
As a nation we are exceeding several planetary boundaries – not just climate change, but also land-use change (deforestation), phosphorus and nitrogen run-off, and material and ecological footprints. Over the last 200 years Australia has suffered the largest decline in biodiversity of any continent.
We need urban trees more than ever – here’s how to save them from extreme heat
Renée M Prokopavicius et al
Australians are bracing for a hot spring and summer. The Bureau of Meteorology has finally declared El Niño is underway, making warmer and drier conditions more likely for large parts of the country. And we’ve just watched the Northern Hemisphere swelter through their summer, making July 2023 Earth’s hottest month on record.
Victoria
Buruli ulcer sufferer Fiona was in so much pain she taught her cockatoo how to swear
People with diabetes and tradies working with soil are at higher risk of developing the Buruli ulcer, a new study suggests, as cases of the flesh-eating disease continue to spread to new areas of Victoria and the country.
Knock down or refurbish? Experts question public housing plan
Refurbishing or infilling the existing high-rise tower sites could be cheaper and less disruptive than demolishing the buildings and replacing them.
Cool island: Why Wilsons Prom is a perfect climate refuge
A 10-kilometre predator-proof fence will turn the most southerly point on mainland Australia into a climate refuge for rare and endangered species.
El Nino could turn desal white elephant into knight [$]
Victoria’s much maligned desalination plant may finally come into its own if Victoria suffers the long, hot stretch predicted — with a decision to be made on water orders early next year.
New South Wales
The Sydney beach that’s grown by 59 metres since last summer
After a rocky couple of years, when La Nina-driven storms gnawed away at the coastline, the onset of El Nino has allowed beaches to beef back up with sand.
Farmers want to export ‘climate-smart’ rice — but an old law stands in their way
Rice is agriculture’s second-largest methane emitter, surpassing beef, but a small group of growers is producing a rain-fed crop, with a smaller environmental footprint. The problem is they can’t export it.
Roadkill is up 20pc in NSW, but one council believes its virtual fence offers a solution
A one-year trial for roadside posts that emit a high-pitched sound to ward off animals whenever cars approach has concluded, and the results are turning heads.
ACT
Simple maths tells us Canberra is likely heading into an extremely hot summer
Climate data suggests the capital’s average monthly temperatures may be 3.5 degrees higher than usual, but the days of extreme heat are less predictable.
Queensland
Bravus, formerly Adani, narrows long-running lawsuit against activist Ben Pennings
Mining company drops claim Pennings illegally accessed secret information in latest shift of delay-ridden three-year case
Thinking of feeding a dingo on K’gari? Don’t, they have plenty of food
It’s an iconic animal that draws nearly half a million visitors to the world’s largest sand island every year. But a dramatic rise in dingo attacks has shone a spotlight on the health of the island’s dingo population.
South Australia
Why South Aussies steer clear of public transport [$]
Elizabeth Henson
Commuters are pumping the brakes on Adelaide’s public transport and not even a free ride is enough to get them back on board.
Tasmania
Tasmania to be a leading destination for climate-conscious travel [$]
Applications are now open for a grant program designed to secure Tasmania’s future as a leading destination for climate-conscious travel.
Endangered species and salmon industry can coexist, says Premier [$]
The Premier believes the endangered Maugean skate and the salmon industry can coexist in Macquarie Harbour on the West Coast amid a war of words erupting.
Farmers ‘struggling to keep up’ after lack of winter rain dries out Tasmanian soil
With an El Niño confirmed and dry conditions already being experienced, farmers are bracing for the summer ahead. For some, it’s meant tough decisions are already being made.
Western Australia
Trashed fortunes and favour lost: Inside the ‘madness’ of a state’s energy woes
Once a source of pride and prosperity, a foreign-owned Australian coal mine is now a byword for debt and despair. Observers say it’s also a time bomb that’s set to explode on energy users.
Generator malfunction sees company dump 15,000 litres of diesel near Broome
A spill of 15,000 litres of diesel fuel at a mine accommodation village near Broome has raised concerns for Traditional Owners and environmentalists over the potential impact of contamination.
Sustainability
The delicate art of maintaining the United States’ ageing nuclear weapons
As the US prepares to spend $1.16 trillion revamping its nuclear defences, a rare glimpse inside the country’s missile bases reveals many maintenance tasks are still done by hand.
Nuclear bombs vaporised parts of the Bikini Atoll decades ago. What are the lasting impacts today?
For some, the name “Bikini Bottom” will be synonymous with a pineapple under the sea — the fictional home of SpongeBob SquarePants. But the underwater world of the quirky cartoon character is based on a real place in the Pacific Ocean — and one with a dark history.
Nanoparticles made from plant viruses could be farmers’ new ally in pest control
Engineers have devised a new solution to control a major agricultural menace, root-damaging nematodes. Using plant viruses, the researchers created nanoparticles that can deliver pesticide molecules to previously inaccessible depths in the soil. This ‘precision farming’ approach could potentially minimize environmental toxicity and cut costs for farmers.
No shortcuts: New approach may help extract more heat from geothermal reservoirs
Geothermal heat offers a promising source of renewable energy with almost zero emissions, but it remains a relatively expensive option to generate electricity. A new technique may help prevent ‘short-circuits’ that can cause geothermal power plants to halt production, potentially improving the efficiency of geothermal power, the researchers said.
Sustainable energy for aviation: What are our options?
Scientists and industry leaders worldwide are looking for answers on how to make aviation sustainable by 2050 and choosing a viable sustainable fuel is a major sticking point. Aerospace engineers took a full inventory of the options to make a data-driven assessment about how they stack up in comparison.
New recycling method fights plastic waste
Almost 80% of plastic in the waste stream ends up in landfills or accumulates in the environment. Scientists have now developed a technology that converts a conventionally unrecyclable mixture of plastic waste into useful chemicals, presenting a new strategy in the toolkit to combat global plastic waste.
Can you put plastic in the microwave?
Experts say no, even if it claims to be “microwave-safe.”
Innovating the business of plastics
Sian Sutherland
The modern era is dependent on fossil fuels for many reasons – one of the most covertly ubiquitous ones being plastic.
I’ve loved living as a faux local in Airbnbs, but they’re destroying cities
Bianca Hall
Airbnb has revolutionised travel, letting tourists play out their fantasies of living like locals do – even if it is a cosplay version of real life.
Environment: Rich countries must do more to advance Africa’s economic and climate transition
Peter Sainsbury
African leaders and communities call for action to tackle the social and economic damage done by climate change.
We can still deliver on promises made to world’s worst off [$]
Bjorn Lomborg
On current trends, the world will reach its 2030 development goals a half-century late. Ironically, one of the biggest barriers is the unrealistically broad agenda.
Nature Conservation
Migratory birds can be taught to adjust to climate change
One result of climate change is that spring is arriving earlier. However, migratory birds are not keeping up with these developments and arrive too late for the peak in food availability when it is time for breeding. By getting the birds to fly a little further north, researchers have observed that these birds can give their chicks a better start in life.
We could sequester CO2 by ‘re-greening’ arid lands, plant scientists say
Reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere will take more than cutting emissions — we will also need to capture and store the excessive volumes of already-emitted carbon. A team of plant scientists argue that arid lands such as deserts could be one answer to the carbon-capture problem.
How climate warming could disrupt a deep-rooted relationship
Trees depend on fungi for their well-being. As climate change and global warming cause higher temperatures and amplified drought, little is known about how these important fungi will respond.
How to tackle the global deforestation crisis
New research examines the ‘revolution’ in the study of deforestation brought about by satellites, and analyzing which kinds of policies might limit climate-altering deforestation
Kelp wanted: How seaweed farmers can curb the vicious cycles of climate change
If you’re seeking solutions to the climate crisis, one place to look is the shoreline — and the abundant seaweed that can grow there.
Maelor Himbury | Library Volunteer
Australian Conservation Foundation | www.acf.org.au
p | 1800 223 669 t | @AusConservation
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