From: Maelor Himbury <M.Himbury@acfonline.org.au>
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2026 at 9:04 am
Subject: Daily Links Aug 13
To:
Post of the Day
A review of rescued climate data
The Trump administration has shut down innumerable climate programs, including public-facing sources of information. All is not lost, though, partly because of significant efforts to retrieve that information and partly because other nonprofit sources of user-friendly data have continued without interference. Here are some of the best places to find understandable dashboards, maps, and analysis for what can seem like overly complicated information.
On This Day
Climate Change
Trump ordered to release billions in climate grants meant for black communities
From the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, to sewage problems in Alabama, stalled projects could get new life after federal court rulings.
I was enjoying growing vegetables. Then the climate crisis raised its ugly head
Bim Adewunmi
My child and I were bonding over our hit-and-miss approach to reaping crops. But with heatwaves pushing more of Britain into drought, it’s starting to feel like a luxury we can’t afford
National
Coalition plan to scrap energy rules for new houses condemned as ‘cost-of-living timebomb’
Proposal to cut building costs by scrapping the construction code would increase bills for the poorest households, critics say
New twist in Australia’s bird flu battle amid ‘extinction-level impact’ warning
Scientists have also said there are limits to how many wild animals can be protected through vaccination.
Millions of kilograms of sea life are taken from marine parks every year. It’s completely legal [$]
The review of Commonwealth marine parks will consider new areas to protect, and the activities allowed within them – including industrial fishing practices such as bottom trawling.
Quitting gas, going electric could save public hospitals millions
Upgrading all of Australia’s public hospitals from gas to electricity could save millions of dollars in energy bills but only if the government acts swiftly.
Soursob weed is a persistent curse – but it can be beaten. Here’s how
Gregory Moore
When you are out and about at this time of year in many parts of Australia, a cold and sometimes drab winter is relieved by a blaze of brilliant yellow: soursob.
Northern Hemisphere extreme heat records just a warm up for the full El Niño theatre
David Leitch
We’ve seen impacts of the record-breaking El Niño in the Northern Hemisphere – including heat-related deaths and nuclear shut-downs. What’s in store for Australia?
Victoria
Confidential docs reveal how much it would cost to kill SRL [$]
A secret government briefing given to Ben Carroll reveals the amount of taxpayer money that would go down the drain if the Suburban Rail Loop was ditched.
Phillip Island penguins to be vaccinated for bird flu
The targeted vaccination of 5,000 penguins is claimed to be the largest wild bird vaccination program undertaken globally.
Cheap public transport plan part of fightback against WFH [$]
The City of Melbourne and business groups are pushing back against the state government’s proposed work-from-home laws and they say the cost of catching trains, trams and buses is key to getting workers back to the city.
New South Wales
Energy minister admits to mistakes during lagging renewables rollout
NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe says the rollout of renewable energy zones has been “too slow”, with mistakes inevitable as part of efforts to speed up the process.
Massive bailout for Australia’s largest aluminium smelter to be announced by PM and NSW premier
Rio Tinto said in December it may cease operations at the Tomago aluminium smelter at the end of its current electricity supply contract
How much is a job worth? At Tomago, it’s $2.5 million in taxpayer cash [$]
Nick Bonyhady
The Albanese government has scarcely met an ageing industrial facility that it doesn’t think deserves vast sums of federal support.
The NSW koalas-for-coal shakedown – and what it reveals about the carbon offset market
Rod Campbell
The NSW government’s plan for a Great Koala National Park now includes seeking the rights to the carbon in the trees to sell on the carbon market. If that sounds dodgy, it’s because it is.
The Australia Institute
This working paper examines the New South Wales government’s proposal to sell carbon credits in return for creating a national park to protect koala habitat. It proposes that the legislative instrument that would allow the park to generate carbon credits, which is currently before the Federal Parliament, should be disallowed.
Queensland
Low tide reveals Brisbane River’s dirty little secret
About 150 e-scooters were pulled from the river in the past year alone, challenging claims that vandalism is rare in Brisbane, and sparking fears over lithium leaks.
The Brisbane suburb where air was eight times more toxic than New Delhi [$]
A Brisbane suburb’s air quality last week surpassed New Delhi’s pollution levels eightfold, after hazard reduction burns smothered parts of Queensland in toxic smoke.
One Nation slams LNP’s land-seizure laws [$]
One Nation has seized on a bitter row between Queensland farmers and the LNP government over proposed laws granting sweeping powers to acquire private land for major mining and renewables projects.
South Australia
Govt and SA Power Networks owed tens of millions after ZEN Energy collapse
The state government and another major creditor of the collapsed SA company founded by Ross Garnaut ZEN Energy have revealed their financial exposure.
Storm Boy made Mr Percival famous. Now pelicans like him are under threat
As the 50th anniversary of the release of the original Storm Boy movie approaches, it is estimated up to 70 per cent of adult pelicans in breeding colonies could be wiped out to the first wave of H5N1 bird flu.
Tasmania
Tassie’s bird flu plan – and the species it won’t save [$]
Tasmania’s government has confirmed it is developing a bird flu vaccine for critically endangered orange-bellied parrots, as an expert warns it won’t be the “answer”.
Hobart changes gear from scooters to e-bikes [$]
The City of Hobart has secured global e-bike giant Lime to roll out 350 e-bikes across the city, replacing its scrapped e-scooter program.
Northern Territory
Kakadu reopens iconic billabongs to fishos [$]
Kakadu’s most prized fishing holes have stayed shut longer than any fisho can remember, but the wait for Darwin’s barra faithful is almost over.
Gold rush: Developer green-lights giant $500m NT gold mine [$]
A gold mine left idle since 2003 is set to become the Northern Territory’s largest gold production plant after the $500m project has been greenlit.
Western Australia
WA town sliding into ocean gets funding for temporary sea wall
Local business owners welcome a WA government investment towards a temporary rock wall aimed to slow down coastal erosion, but critics say it is not enough.
Fremantle hits pause after residents protest plans to remove two dozen trees at popular park
It is the second tree-borne headache for the council in as many months.
Sustainability
“Cannot be explained” – New super steel stuns scientists
Scientists have created an unusually corrosion-resistant stainless steel that could replace costly titanium components used to produce green hydrogen.
Scientists turn Starlink into a giant scanner for Earth’s upper atmosphere
A new way to “see” Earth’s elusive upper atmosphere could help make increasingly crowded orbits safer.
Indonesia and India are jointly planning a hydrocarbon-powered future
Vijay Jayaraj
A millennium ago, India’s Chola Kingdom commanded the seas of Southeast Asia, forming deep mercantile and cultural ties with the Indonesian archipelago. The two developed a shared economic destiny that lasted for hundreds of years.
In the 21st century, these two giants are again engaging in complementary roles on the global stage.
Nature Conservation
Halting the march of the African armyworm: a natural cure offers hope to farmers
South African scientist’s breakthrough research shows soil fungus could be used in fight against devastating crop pest
Microplastic crisis grips Türkiye’s tourist coasts amid record plastic imports
Amicroplastic crisis is spreading along Türkiye’s Mediterranean coastline, according to a preliminary assessment by Turkish researchers. Record plastic waste imports are identified as one potential factor behind the pollution, with monthly imports exceeding 80,000 tons in April, the highest level in 10 years.
Marine heatwaves are cooking our ocean ecosystems – and will only become more common
Sina Pinter and Nicole L. Jones
You may have heard reports of fish die-offs or seen photos of hauntingly bleached coral. Those are just two signs a marine heatwave has swept through the sea.
If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender by return email, delete it from your system and destroy any copies.
Maelor Himbury | Library Volunteer
Australian Conservation Foundation | www.acf.org.au
1800 223 669
This email and any files transmitted with it may be confidential and legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you must not disclose or use the information contained in it.
If you have received this email in error, please notify us by return email and permanently delete the document.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community.
We pay respect to their elders past and present and to the pivotal role that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play in caring for country across Australia.