From: Maelor Himbury <M.Himbury@acfonline.org.au>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2026 at 8:11 am
Subject: Daily Links Sep 23
To:
Post of the Day
Intergenerational Report: forecasts from false assumptions downplay the risks
David McEwen
The latest Intergenerational Report an opportunity missed to highlight real risks and uncertainties we face as Earth keeps getting warmer.
On This Day
Mabon – Paganism
Ecological Observance
National Tree Day – Canada
Climate Change
Researchers had a hunch about how to solve the climate problem caused by wastewater treatment
Scientists expected their artificial floating wetland to help only after cleaning the water. Instead, greenhouse gas emissions dropped months earlier, and nobody is sure exactly why.
These US cities set records over the summer with more 100-degree days than ever before
This summer was America’s hottest yet — and a new troubling analysis reveals several cities have seen more triple-digit temperature days than ever in 2026.
The end of humanity? What would happen if the Yellowstone supervolcano erupted now
A Yellowstone super-eruption would begin not with a sudden surprise, but with weeks of increasingly alarming warning signs such as migrating earthquake swarms, rapid ground uplift, changing geysers, and rising volcanic gases.
The hidden climate price of the AI revolution – SBS News In Depth podcast
The Prime Minister has just stood on a global stage, spruiking climate action as a crucial component of national security. Meanwhile, the world is wrestling with the problems and opportunities presented by a global A-I boom, powered by energy and water. The question now is whether the two priorities are at odds with each other. Can we afford to prioritise the climate over AI advancement? Can we afford not to?
Doomsday AI cultists aren’t just good marketers — they’re capturing governments [$]
Ketan Joshi
As soon as you realise the AI industry is packed with adherents to a cult of climate and fossil fuel dismissiveness, everything clicks into place.
Believe what you are seeing and feeling: The climate is changing
Larry Baker
Back in 1990, I attended a talk by Jim Hansen, a lead climate modeler and director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He concluded that the models were working well and could now reasonably predict global warming trends. An audience member asked when the public would believe the results of climate modeling. My recollection is that his response was “never,” before adding, “They won’t believe it until they personally experience it.”
National
Coalition unveils eight-point plan to end Bowen’s green revolution [$]
Reigniting the climate wars, the Coalition wants to abolish net zero, kill offshore wind zones and revive nuclear.
Our energy grid can’t power AI data centres. Do we need nuclear? [$]
The Australian’s Energy Nation forum tackles the big energy policy questions – and daily news podcast The Front is setting the scene with chief business correspondent Perry Williams.
A turning point for grid-forming inverters in Australia’s grid transition plan [$]
Mark Twidell
AEMO has changed its thinking about the ability of grid forming inverters to satisfy minimum system strength needs – a major step forward given the high cost of syncons.
Policy paralysis on energy leaving future uncertain [$]
Geoff Chambers
Leaders of the major parties can’t be surprised that voters struggling to pay their bills don’t care for political fights over net zero and renewables targets.
Australians need cheaper power, not more ideology [$]
Dan Tehan
Australia should have an energy system built around three non-negotiable principles: affordability, reliability and security. Everything else should be secondary.
Energy future must target all of the above abundance [$]
Australian editorial
Coalition has set the scene for a renewed contest in vital energy race.
Victoria
Inside the suburb flagged as Melbourne’s first walkable neighbourhood [$]
We look at life in the suburb which one of the world’s leading urban planners identified as an example of a future 15-minute city.
‘Too little, too late’: Data centre buffer carve-out leaves residents vulnerable [$]
At least three proposed data centre projects will breach a new 150-metre buffer, in communities which have fiercely protested against AI infrastructure.
New South Wales
One Nation wants environmental water ‘unlocked’ for agriculture this season
Irrigators and One Nation are calling for environmental water in the Murray-Darling Basin to be made available for agricultural production this season.
Why our state’s wildflower is being painted blue [$]
NSW rangers are deliberately ruining the look of NSW’s iconic crimson waratahs with blue paint in the wild to stop thieves from profiting from our state’s floral emblem.
Two native turtles are vying to survive in a coastal Australian river. One doesn’t belong there
Jessica Tout-Lyon et al
The Manning River Helmeted turtle (Myuchelys purvisi) might just be Australia’s most beautiful freshwater turtle.
Queensland
Traditional Owners across Queensland are leading research on Country to better understand how Cultural Fire and Indigenous Knowledge Systems can strengthen climate resilience, support healthier grazing landscapes and restore Country.
Glencore eyes $250m sale of mine site Qld handed over for free [$]
Traditional owners have backed calls for an inquiry into the Anglo-Swiss giant’s 12-year failure to develop a bauxite deposit it was given by the Newman government, and now plans to sell.
‘Nowhere else on planet’: Rocky rowing could wipe out endangered turtle [$]
Experts have warned the proposed Fitzroy River Olympic rowing venue could push two endangered turtle species to the brink of extinction.
South Australia
Rocket launch facility grounded by conservation body
A native vegetation ruling grounds a South Australian rocket launch complex despite having state and federal government planning approval.
Northern Territory
Outback community’s $23 million project brings CLP, feds together [$]
It’s taken a critical water security project deep in the outback to make the CLP and the feds admit they can work alongside one another and make a meaningful difference.
Western Australia
Traditional Owners sound alarm over native title claim they say was done ‘without due diligence’
Traditional Owners who have been working for years to build a native title claim in Western Australia are concerned a new claim which partially overlaps their own claim area could undermine their righ…
Sustainability
A clean energy source is buried under the desert, but it takes water to use it
Geothermal companies face tough tradeoffs over water as they aim to power the data center buildout in Western states.
‘World’s largest untapped energy source’: How waste heat could help Europe end its reliance on gas
Capturing and reusing waste heat could be the next “breakthrough” in Europe’s energy security and competitiveness – helping sever its reliance on gas.
This new concrete is stronger and pulls CO2 from the air
Researchers have created a concrete mixture that is both stronger and capable of absorbing carbon dioxide.
The grassroots revolt against pollution is growing
Sarah Brennan
We are in the midst of a widespread uprising of grassroots activism, from the data center rebellion sweeping the country, to Iowa where cancer is the number one issue this election cycle, to residents of Corpus Christi pushing back against industry’s rapacious use of water during a drought
Voices: The PFAS rollback is not the whole problem
Matthew Tunnell
Why regulating only a microscopic fraction of forever chemicals leaves the public exposed.
Nature Conservation
Scientists discover first new penguin species in more than 100 years
A new species of gentoo penguin has been discovered on the isolated Kerguelen Islands, the first new penguin species named in more than 100 years.
Maelor Himbury | Library Volunteer
Australian Conservation Foundation | www.acf.org.au
1800 223 669
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