The Australian Conservation Foundation has long enjoyed the contributions to their work of volunteer Maelor Himbury. I’ve long enjoyed one of his contributions – the daily compilation from the nation’s media of articles featuring the environment, conservation and climate change. Each weekday I receive Maelor’s list of articles, I scan the list and make an editorial comment on one that takes my fancy. Yes, I know, quite self-indulgent but it makes me look carefully through the daily offerings. I then send it on to the 40 or 50 people who have indicated that they wish to receive it. In turn, a number of them then pass the list on to people that they know. I’m never sure that Maelor knows just how many people appreciate his work – but I certainly do.
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Would a ban on using Round-up constitute ‘green tape’, I wonder? You might think Monsanto offering a settlement on a class action from cancer sufferers who used Round-up would be an admission of guilt and lead to a withdrawal of the stuff from the market. But no. This is why we must have regulation, we can’t have anyone standing between big agricultural pharma and a big profit.https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/30/monsanto-settlement-roundup-cancer-lawsuits
What could be a much-needed project following robust investigation and consequent environmental approvals is tainted. With the Eden-Monaro by-election his weekend, the announcement yesterday fits the frame of pork-barreling. If the project is good environmentally and is a serious contribution to energy policy, wouldn’t a responsible government avoid anything that might compromise its chances of success?https://www.miragenews.com/environmental-approval-for-snowy-hydro-20/
The refusal of this mob to deal with climate change and the real world consequences we face is breathtaking. Read Joelle Gergis’s article in The Monthly and you too will stay awake at night in worry about government inaction. And it’s not just inaction, there are actions that cause worry also. Remember, it was old Bookshelves Brandis as Attorney General who closed down the Australian Emergency Management Institute. It is seriously scary when government policy and programs pose danger to our country.https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-30/natural-disaster-bushfire-mitigation-fund-untouched/12402960
All too often conservation and animal welfare collide. Of course we should minimise individual suffering, but protecting species maintains the biodiversity that is essential to resilient ecosystems. To argue against playing God to determine which species lives or dies but leaving out the biggest threat of all, the human species, means we are already playing God. And why wouldn’t we, we played God in our release of mice in the first instance that caused the damage we are wanting to undo. There’ll be arguments in favour of protecting brumbies next.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/28/should-we-cull-one-species-to-save-another-huge-mice-killing-birds-gough-island
Within the mostly horrible 2020, there’s the occasional bit of good news. This land purchase for the national estate is most welcome. NSW Minister Matt Kean could show a few others how a Minister FOR the Environment should act.https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-27/narriearra-station-sold-to-become-national-park-in-nsw/12400344
The Coal Curse, Quarterly Essay No. 78, is proving to be a good read. I’ve finished Judith Brett’s discussion on the history of free trading and protectionism, industry policy and Hockey driving vehicle manufacturing out of the country. I’m up to the revolving door that links the mining industry to political offices and the senior bureaucracy that Guy Pearse first wrote about those years ago in Quarterly Essay No 33. It has only become worse. Even so, knowing how we got here should help in plotting where we need to be.https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/27/forgotten-farmers-mining-and-anti-green-invective-how-the-nationals-became-a-party-for-coal
A properly resourced and enforced EPBCAct could wonders for our environment. Instead, cut off support, ignore when possible and frame ‘environmental protection’ as ‘green tape’ and the self-interested, the vandals and the fossil fools have open slather. Watch out for the Samuels’ review interim report next week and be prepared to be an unquiet Australian.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/25/morrison-government-has-failed-in-its-duty-to-protect-environment-auditor-general-finds
Albo, don’t be gamed by this mob. Look for deeds rather than words before signing on to bipartisanship. Angus ‘Fantastic’ Taylor is hardly a credible source on climate policy. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jun/24/anthony-albanese-vows-to-set-new-medium-term-emissions-reduction-target …
When you next contact your local federal member, after you’ve mentioned your disgust at the attacks on the humanities, reduced funding for the ABC and the myriad other issues that need attention, tell them that you are appalled at the conflict of interest facing members of the National COVID19 Coordination Commission. You might then go on to describe the urgent need for a robust National Integrity Commission. Unless you tell them that you disagree with what they’re doing, they’ll continue in their default position of thinking they’re doing a great job.https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/gas-stench-permeates-the-covid-19-commission,14024
Arctic temperatures (see this and another article in today’s list) are ‘off the scale’, we’re in positive feedback territory there and that is truly scary. That ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ comes to mind, with consideration of Universal Basic Income, a Green New Deal and programs such as Thriving Tasmania. Can we have a Thriving Australia.