Date: 11 October 2023 at 8:48:07 am AEDT
To: Undisclosed recipients:;
Subject: Daily Links Oct 11
Post of the Day
Australia opens $2 billion tender to support massive green hydrogen projects
Federal government formally opens the tender process for the $2 billion hydrogen head-start program as Australia tries to keep pace in the global green energy arms race.
On This Day
Climate Change
A ‘double whammy’ for fish — and humans — if climate targets are overshot
It could take hundreds of years — if not thousands — to reverse decline to ocean fish habitat if warming’s not kept below climate targets, according to new research.
Billions could face lethal heat this century if climate change worsens, new research claims
The study found humid heat will afflict major cities as it’s “coming up in places that we didn’t think about before”, highlighting rising risk in Australia and South America.
Climate crisis will make Europe’s beer cost more and taste worse, say scientists
Experts say hop yields and quality will continue to drop by 2050 if farmers don’t adapt to higher temperatures
The EU just kicked off its biggest climate experiment yet
The world’s largest single market has launched a bold plan to tax carbon at its borders. The rest of the world is paying very close attention.
Human emissions made deadly South American heat 100 times more likely
Research shows climate crisis by far main cause of recent unseasonable temperatures in southern winter and early spring
Climate crisis is ‘not gender neutral’: UN calls for more policy focus on women
Only a third of countries with climate crisis plans include access to sexual, maternal and newborn health services, UNFPA report finds
I’m concerned about climate change, but I can’t live without travel
Lee Tulloch
Lately, I’ve been feeling the profound burden of climate anxiety, a sense of dread that we’re approaching the tipping point leading to environmental and societal collapse, which will not just affect future generations (putting it into the realm of too far away to think about) but our own.
National
As bushfires devastate communities, one leader says a key preparation tool has been under-utilised
More bush could have been treated despite the wet weather of the last few years, according to Firesticks Alliance co-founder Victor Steffensen.
Three-quarters of coal-mining jobs to go by 2050
Queensland will be one of the world’s hardest hit coal regions, after China’s Shanxi and Indonesia’s East Kalimantan, a global report on the future of the sector shows.
Aust doing a poor job of protecting unique plants
Australia has the world’s highest proportion of unique plants but is doing a poor job of working out if they’re in danger, a global assessment has found.
Chris Bowen describes the opposition’s promotion of the banned energy source as an attempt to ‘continue the culture climate wars’
High-end electric car recalled due to battery fire risk
More than 230 Porsche Taycan electric vehicles are subject to the warning, issued on Tuesday, that affects all variants of the model.
Avocado and ants on toast? Chef says buzz is building around edible insects
Insect-eating advocate Joseph Yoon wants to help us get over our phobias and embrace the benefits for both the body and the planet.
Australia opens $2 billion tender to support massive green hydrogen projects
Federal government formally opens the tender process for the $2 billion hydrogen head-start program as Australia tries to keep pace in the global green energy arms race.
Early heat and insect strike are stressing urban trees – even as canopy cover drops
Gregory Moore
Have you noticed street trees looking oddly sad? You’re not alone. Normally, spring means fresh green leaves and flowers. But this year, the heat has come early, stressing some trees.
Carbon tax a fairer way to reach 2030 carbon target [$]
AFR editorial
A broad-based carbon tax would help take pressure off the decarbonisation challenge, retaining the economy’s energy competitiveness while keeping the lights on.
Atlas Network’s fossil-fuelled campaign against the Voice
Jeremy Walker
The campaign against the Voice to Parliament has ties with companies that have long been misinforming the public about the climate crisis.
Soil carbon and its magic credits another offset industry fantasy [$]
Bernard Keane
‘Soil carbon’ is an emerging area of carbon sequestration — but it has all the faults of other forms, and more. Does the government care?
ACCC chooses climate over competition for first time in landmark Origin ruling
Giles Parkinson
The ACCC approval of Brookfield’s bid for Origin is a landmark for Australia, given it is the first time climate change has trumped competition concerns.
Victoria
Federal Labor approves one of the world’s largest batteries to power 1 million Victorian homes
The Federal Labor Government has approved a new renewable energy hub in Plumpton, Victoria which will power over 1 million households.
Melbourne’s $12bn Metro Tunnel to open in September 2024, builder lets slip
The head of construction giant John Holland reveals the new, early completion date at a Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry event
The 10-year-old super-collector of bottles and cans set to cash in
Ashton Hanson always has an ambitious project on the go, but this time he’s roped in his brothers to take advantage of Victoria’s new container deposit scheme.
Victoria port submits plans for Australia’s offshore wind terminal
Plans to develop critical offshore wind port infrastructure in Victoria to handle the massive wind turbines have been submitted for environmental assessment.
New South Wales
When two little penguins recently came ashore on NSW’s far south coast and mated they were, without knowing it, pioneers in re-establishing a colony that had been locally extinct for decades.
‘The stench of it!’ Carcasses left to rot in pristine waters of the Snowies
Confronting images have emerged on social media of brumby carcasses left to rot in some of the Snowy Mountains’ most pristine waterways after winter culling programs.
New mayor rolled as another Sydney council marches toward ban on gas
Woollahra’s new mayor has been rolled in his attempt to stop a ban on gas appliances in new homes and renovations, with the council following in the footsteps of other Sydney municipalities phasing out the fossil fuel.
‘Holy grail’ moment as small population of long-footed potoroos found for first time in NSW
The critically endangered species has never been sighted before in NSW, despite traces of hair and scat being discovered in forests 30 years ago.
ACT
Concrete plan to bring back natural flow to Sullivans Creek [$]
Sullivans Creek, parts of which have run through a concrete channel in Canberra’s inner north for close to seven decades, would be restored to a more natural form under a proposal by the ACT government.
Queensland
Completely new fish species found ‘in plain sight’ on Great Barrier Reef
The Lady Elliot shrimp goby is the first new fish species discovered on the reef since 2019, much to the delight of the researchers who stumbled across it by chance.
‘We are vulnerable’: demand for drought aid rises as El Niño takes hold in Queensland
Rural Aid charity says requests for mental health support, financial counselling and emergency livestock feed doubles in a month
As Annastacia Palaszczuk announces a desal plant costing up to $8bn, experts point out a $2.7bn recycled water scheme is being left largely dormant
Explained: Is recycled water really safe to drink? [$]
The state government has approved a new multibillion-dollar desalination plant. But where will the water come from and will Queenslanders taste the difference?
South Australia
Council slams plan to turn parklands into ‘trailer park’ for Adelaide 500 [$]
Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith says the parklands could look like “Daytona 500” under an “appalling” proposal to house 150 campervans for the Adelaide 500.
Drilling for hydrogen kicks off [$]
Drilling for naturally-occurring hydrogen has started on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula in a first for the resources sector.
Global giants back network of small scale solar and battery projects in regional Australia
South Australia-based Yes Group has received a $70 million boost to its plans to roll out up to 30 small solar and battery projects in regional Australia.
Tasmania
Launch of Big Tree State website
Media release – The Tree Projects
The website, created by environmental group The Tree Projects, is a one stop place where the public can access detailed information on Tasmania’s giant trees and the best places to visit them. This is the first website that is dedicated to providing information and advice on how and where to visit Tasmania’s premiere giant tree sites.
Northern Territory
Sacred site at popular NT hot springs impacted by government-constructed bore
The ABC can reveal a sacred women’s site in the Northern Territory has been impacted by government infrastructure at a popular tourist hot spring.
Western Australia
Locals urged to take part in Aussie Bird Count
A Nambeelup business is encouraging people to get behind Australia’s largest annual citizen science event this month.
Sustainability
US agency refuses to examine toxicity of ‘inactive’ pesticide chemicals to crops
EPA says too many pesticide formulas exist to check all for the safety of ingredients that could harm humans, plants and wildlife
800,000 tons of radioactive waste from Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry has gone “missing”
Waste from the oil and gas industry contains toxic and radioactive substances. Disposal of this waste is supposed to be carefully tracked, but 800,000 tons of oil and gas waste from Pennsylvania oil and gas wells is unaccounted for, according to a recent study.
Al Gore doesn’t say I told you so
The former Vice-President revisits his early advocacy for the environment, assesses the impact of Elon Musk, and explains his optimism about two existential crises.
Nature Conservation
Orangutan killings in Borneo likely still occurring in large numbers
Despite it being taboo and illegal to kill critically endangered primate, 30% of villages have evidence of killing in ‘last five to 10 years’
Rising ocean temperatures and marine heat waves are pushing whales closer to busy shipping lanes. Flexible speed reduction areas could help prevent ship collisions, scientists say.
Maelor Himbury | Library Volunteer
Australian Conservation Foundation | www.acf.org.au
p | 1800 223 669 t | @AusConservation
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Maelor Himbury | Library Volunteer
Australian Conservation Foundation | www.acf.org.au
p | 1800 223 669 t | @AusConservation