Daily Links Jun 18

I recall one component of our English syllabus back in my high school days was clear-thinking, analysis of an argument and judgement as to its success. How do explain this article then? Is it a failing of our education system, the pervasive influence of the right-wing media or do too many people, frankly, not give a damn?

From: Maelor Himbury <M.Himbury@acfonline.org.au&gt;
Date: 18 June 2024 at 8:49:08 AM GMT+10
To: Undisclosed recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links Jun 18

Post of the Day
Almost half of those surveyed said target was ‘unachievable and hurting the economy’ and Australia should instead focus on 2050
 
On This Day
 
Climate Change
Swiss lawmakers have rejected a European court’s ruling that weak climate policies violate the human rights of older women.
 
National
Voters remain mostly in favour of a 2030 climate change target, with 52 per cent saying the government should stick to the current goal or make even deeper cuts to emissions.
 
Whitebark Energy has added to the geothermal and renewable energy experience on its board by naming Professor Rosalind Archer as a new non-executive director.
Climate 200 has announced it will support nine new community campaigns in Coalition-held seats, with as many as 14 more independent candidates set to receive funding before the next federal election.
 
Nationals leader David Littleproud declares a Coalition government will look at alternative energy sources so it doesn’t have to pursue large-scale renewables.
                          
How electricity can be free – SwitchedOn Podcast
Jetcharge cofounder Tim Washington on how bidirectional electric vehicle charging will change the energy game for consumers – and maybe even make electricity free.
 
Asma Aziz
When you graph electricity demand in power grids with lots of solar panels, it looks a bit like a duck, with high points in the morning and evening (when people are relying on the grid) and a big dip in the middle of the day (when many people use their own solar instead and need less from the grid). This is known as the “duck curve”. While it sounds cute, it’s become a significant challenge for energy utilities worldwide.
 
Peter Boyer
How does this work? The Coalition lost the 2022 election in large part because its decades-old climate policy of pretence, denial and delay hit a wall. Now it’s heading for another poll promising more of the same while it experiments with nuclear energy.
 
Judith Sloan
Most countries that have signed the Paris Climate Agreement have not legislated their targets, including the biggest emitters.
 
Australian editorial
Prime Minister Albanese finds himself on a difficult and slippery renewables slope.
 
Crispin Hull 
The informationally challenged and the information poor get to vote, and the information deniers do their utmost to influence that vote. It is perhaps why democracy is the worst system of government possible – except all the rest.
Philip Oldfield
Here’s how Australia can build new homes that not only keep us warm but cut emissions and avoid climate catastrophe
 
Tony Wood
Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s talk of stepping back from Australia’s 2030 emissions targets has created confusion and concern on several fronts, and sparked vigorous political debate over our pathway to a carbon-free future.
Bernard Keane
Australia facing a $97 billion bill for Peter Dutton’s energy policy — on generous assumptions, that is.
 
Victoria
Shannon Deery
The Allan government is introducing its long-anticipated suite of reforms to the youth justice system and if it bungles this it could prove costly at the 2026 election.
 
New South Wales
The cave has been used by generations of Awabakal women for sacred women’s business but for years they had to seek permission to access it via a proposed housing development. 
 
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to grow, some NSW residents have turned their attention to second-hand shopping. That move has helped divert 49 thousand tonnes of waste from landfill, while allowing residents to pocket millions in savings.
 
During a rare visit to Wollongong, National Party leader David Littleproud confirms that, if elected, the opposition will scrap both offshore wind zones in New South Wales.
 
Farmers fear a company that “couldn’t do the right thing” when exploring western NSW for rare earth minerals won’t be able to manage if its project goes into full production.
 
The River Murray is expected to emit an unpleasant odour this week but experts say it has been years since they have seen it so healthy.
 
Household power bills are set for a marginal increase thanks to a bizarre and expensive method of bushfire-proofing the state’s electricity infrastructure.
 
ACT
The Greens will look to capitalise on Canberrans’ support for having the party holding the balance of power in a bid to take the city’s inner-city Labor stronghold.
 
Work will begin this year on a new recycling facility for Canberra to replace the plant which was wrecked by a fire almost 18 months ago.
 
Queensland
The determination marks the first occasion on Australia’s east coast where native title has been recognised in a heavily urbanised area.
 
The federal court ruling grants traditional owners a number of rights over 365,345 hectares of land in south-east Queensland
 
Brisbane author and dedicated walker Simon Cleary set out to walk the entire length of the Brisbane River and he shares that journey in his latest book.
A Senate inquiry has heard most aircraft noise complaints come from one Brisbane suburb. Some residents are not worried.
Tasmania
Tasmanian power prices will remain almost unchanged for the next 12 months and, when combined with state and federal government rebates, consumers could see an overall reduction.
 
A tribunal stoush between a Launceston recycling company and the state’s environmental watchdog has been avoided at the 11th hour, after the firm abandoned its appeal.
 
Northern Territory
Gas companies and the Northern Territory’s environmental regulator have argued to a federal Senate inquiry that plans for a new LNG processing facility and existing plants on Darwin Harbour are not risking human health.
 
Western Australia
Reclaim the Void, a project representing the sadness expressed by Ngalia Elders over the many open mining pits dotting their land, aims to create a significant textile artwork in the form of a ‘dot’, which will be installed on land affected by mining
The energy market operator will again run a last-resort tender to help keep the lights on over summer, but there are signs the looming electricity shortage is easing.
 
Sustainability
A dredger boat which suddenly lost engine and steering control has hit a stationary cargo tanker, causing an oil spill in Singapore. 
 
The Cambodian authorities are trying 10 environmental activists on politically motivated charges to muzzle criticism of governmental policies, Human Rights Watch said today.
 
Latest levelised cost of energy report from US investment firm Lazard finds large-scale solar and wind significantly cheaper than coal and gas. Nuclear, meanwhile, just keeps getting more expensive.
 
The Green parties lost a third of their seats in the European Parliament, raising questions about the future of Europe’s climate movement.
 
Stephen Bartholomeusz
China has some big decisions to make about its electric car industry. It can’t afford to get them wrong.
 
Duncan Graham
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)(revival of the scholars) is Indonesia and the world’s largest Islamic organisation claiming almost 100 million members. If it digs coal it could become mega-rich. How dirty work marries with sending souls to paradise only Allah knows.
 
Nature Conservation
The California condor, once nearly extinct due to lead poisoning, has made a significant recovery thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, although lead bullets remain a persistent threat to their survival.
 
 

Maelor Himbury | Library Volunteer

Australian Conservation Foundation | www.acf.org.au
1800 223 669

     

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