Issue date : Fri 1 May, 2020
Estimated Reading Time : 03 Min 54 Seconds
Number of items : 46
Claims of 445% rise in Australian green tape based on 'lazy' and 'flawed' analysis
The Guardian
Fri 1 May, 2020
Claims that environmental regulations have risen “by 445%” are based on a flawed word-counting methodology developed at a US conservative thinktank and should not be relied upon, legal experts have told Guardian Australia.
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Angus Taylor-linked firm poisoned endangered grasslands in Corrowong, NSW
The Australian
Fri 1 May, 2020
Richard Taylor is not yet ready to call it quits on grassgate, an environmental storm that has snared his high-profile brother, federal energy minister Angus, in a case of the poisoned native pastures.
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Mike Kelly retires as Eden-Monaro MP, says climate change is big issue for region
The Canberra Times
Fri 1 May, 2020
"Climate change is a huge issue for us. We're the canary in the coalmine in Australia. I don't think people realise how important the ski industry is to the Monaro for example,
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Queensland Government released almost half of $80 million bond to company that purchased Blair Athol mine
ABC News
Fri 1 May, 2020
A company linked to an array of Labor figures, which bought a mine for just $1, enjoyed multimillion-dollar refunds from its environmental bond after concessions from the Palaszczuk Government, Right to Information documents (RTI) show.
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Want an economic tonic, Mr Morrison? Use that stimulus money to turbocharge renewables
The Conversation
Fri 1 May, 2020
The chaos of COVID-19 has now hit global energy markets, creating an outcome unheard of in industrial history: negative oil prices. With the world’s largest economies largely in lockdown, demand for oil has stagnated.
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We will deliver energy security
The Australian
Fri 1 May, 2020
This pandemic has had a profound impact on global oil markets.
As households and businesses have curtailed travel, consumer demand for oil products has dropped dramatically, with the price of US oil recently falling into negative territory. With this comes an opportunity to strengthen our fuel supply chain and build a strategic reserve, while boosting our local fuel sector and supplies. We are seizing these.
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Coronavirus: CSIRO armed nation for infectious invader
The Australian
Fri 1 May, 2020
COVID-19 is unprecedented, but we’re not unprepared.
There’s a lot that science can help us predict. Drought combined with climate change will lead to more bushfires; finite resources will lead to seeking renewable solutions; and increased global traffic will lead to faster disease transmission.
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Corporate social responsibility: How can companies take a stance?
In the Black
Fri 1 May, 2020
With corporate social responsibility part of the business mainstream, companies are now expected to make a profit and a difference. How can they ensure their corporate image aligns with their behaviour?
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Deep dive: Why “step change” to high renewables grid will deliver low cost, reliable grid
Reneweconomy
Fri 1 May, 2020
Modelling considers two key pathways for the future development of the NEM, including our Central case for the “current transition” of the market, and an Alternative case, reflecting AEMO’s “step change” shift to renewable energy in line with a “well below 2°C” carbon budget under the Paris Agreement.
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Where city meets country
Utility Magazine
Fri 1 May, 2020
As Victoria experiences a rise in climate emergencies, population growth and threats to food security, it’s now more important than ever for the rural and urban water sectors to work together, says Cameron FitzGerald, Managing Director of Southern Rural Water.
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Perth’s biggest DIY self-isolation project? How one family went green to beat the blues
WAToday
Fri 1 May, 2020
Being placed in mandatory quarantine with your ex-spouse sounds like the stuff of a TV show, but it really happened to Perth’s Chris Ferreira – with surprisingly beautiful results.
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The AgeThe Brisbane Times
The Sydney Morning Herald
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More roads, fewer tigers, study suggests
Cosmos
Fri 1 May, 2020
Nearly 24,000 kilometres of new roads will be built in Asian tiger habitat by mid-century, potentially increasing the risk of the animal’s extinction, according to a new study.
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More Than 150,000 Flamingos Paint Major City Pink During COVID-19 Lockdown
Ten Daily
Fri 1 May, 2020
Animals of all shapes and sizes are reclaiming parts of the Earth that have long been rendered less inhabitable by human activity.
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Satellites map melting ice sheets
Cosmos
Fri 1 May, 2020
Ice sheet losses from Greenland and Antarctica have outpaced snow accumulation and contributed around 14 millimetres to sea level rise over the past 16 years, a new analysis of data from NASA’s laser-shooting satellites has revealed.
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ABC NewsSatellites show melting ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland have contributed to 14 mm sea level rise in 16 years
'Rebound effect' drains even more water from Murray-Darling Basin
The Sydney Morning Herald
Fri 1 May, 2020
The public has spent $4 billion on water-saving works in the Murray-Darling Basin, but in many cases it has simply funded even greater extraction of water.
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The AgeThe Brisbane Times
WAToday
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The GuardianIrrigators given subsidies under $4bn Murray-Darling scheme drew more water, study finds
Microplastic hotspots on the seafloor
Cosmos
Fri 1 May, 2020
The ocean currents that transport nutrients and oxygen to organisms on the deep-sea floor also carry microplastics there, creating hotspots of up to 1.9 million pieces per square metre, according to a study published in the journal Science.
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New ScientistOcean currents are sweeping microplastics into the deep sea
Yahoo News
High microplastic concentration found on ocean floor
Australian weather forecast: BOM predicts cold snap with first frost in NSW this weekend
News.com.au
Fri 1 May, 2020
A severe weather warning is in place across southern NSW for Friday, while Victorians are set to shiver through chilly temperatures.
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The Herald SunThe Weekly Times
Australian agribusiness bucking trends as economic predictions grow gloomier amid COVID-19 pandemic
ABC Rural
Fri 1 May, 2020
Australian agriculture is well set-up to weather worsening economic conditions and growing uncertainty stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, according to a range of analysts.
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AEMO lays out “action plan” to manage 75 pct wind and solar by 2025
Reneweconomy
Thu 30 April, 2020
The Australian Energy Market Operator has laid out an action plan to accommodate levels of up to 75 per cent “instant” penetration of wind and solar in Australia’s main grid by 2025, saying the country had the technical know-how to cope with such a high penetration of wind and solar, but needed to urgently update the market and regulatory settings.
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The GuardianAustralia's electricity grid could run with 75% renewables, market operator says
The New Daily
Renewables could generate 75 per cent of Australia’s energy supply in five years
Energy operator wants to remotely switch off rooftop solar systems amid 'uncontrolled growth'
ABC News
Thu 30 April, 2020
Australia's electricity grid operator wants the power to remotely switch off or constrain the output of new rooftop solar systems, as it finds ways to manage South Australia's world-leading levels of "invisible and uncontrolled" solar output.
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Loggers return to native forests burnt in summer bushfires
The Age
Thu 30 April, 2020
Government logging has resumed in fire-damaged forests in Victoria and New South Wales despite warnings that devastated bushland and endangered wildlife are too fragile to withstand "business as usual".
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The Brisbane TimesThe Sydney Morning Herald
WAToday
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The Sydney Morning HeraldLogging returns to NSW native forests hit by bushfires
Gas fracking in Channel Country should stop, leaked department report told Queensland Government
ABC News
Thu 30 April, 2020
A leaked expert report shows the Queensland Government was advised to stop further gas fracking in the state's sensitive Channel Country, but a separate department had already extended gas exploration until 2030.
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UN calls coronavirus tragedy an "opportunity" to fund green industries
Sky News Australia
Thu 30 April, 2020
The secretary general of the United Nations has declared the coronavirus tragedy is actually an “opportunity” to pour trillions of dollars into climate change fighting industries.
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We have a chance to rebuild a thriving, circular tourism industry
The Fifth Estate
Thu 30 April, 2020
The tourism industry is in trouble but what if a new, more sustainable narrative for tourism rises from the ashes?
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'Breakthrough moment': Woodside investors revolt on climate change
The Age
Thu 30 April, 2020
Woodside Petroleum has been hit with a record-breaking investor push to slash emissions and link executive pay to achieving bold new targets, as Australia's oil and gas industry emerges as the next front for shareholder pressure on climate change.
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The Brisbane TimesThe Sydney Morning Herald
WAToday
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The GuardianInvestors call on Australia's largest oil and gas company to set greenhouse targets
The Australian
Woodside faces climate revolt with oil prices in the doldrums
Climate friendly investments performing better amid Covid-19 disruption
Reneweconomy
Thu 30 April, 2020
One of the world’s banking giants has found that climate resilient investment options are outperforming the rest of the market, successfully bucking the disruptions caused by Covid-19.
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FASEA too soft on ethical investing: Advisers
Financial Standard
Thu 30 April, 2020
During a Responsible Investment Association of Australasia webinar some financial advisers have suggested that FASEA's Code of Ethics doesn't go far enough on ethical investing.
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Northern Trust touts new ESG tool to instos
Financial Standard
Thu 30 April, 2020
The fast-growing custodian is pitching a new ESG analytics tools to local superannuation funds and asset managers to track, compare and benchmark their ESG score.
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CEFC should expand into bushfire resilience, adaptation, investor group says
Reneweconomy
Thu 30 April, 2020
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation should be able to invest in climate change resilience measures, which would help spur investments in bushfire responses, a group representing some of Australia’s largest institutional investors has said.
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Wind energy overtakes gas to be leading source of electricity in Ireland
Reneweconomy
Thu 30 April, 2020
For the first time wind energy became Ireland’s leading source of electricity for a full quarter, beating out natural gas for the first three months of 2020, when it accounted for 43.8% of demand compared to natural gas’s 41.8%.
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Coronavirus slows global energy demand causing carbon dioxide emissions to plummet
SBS World News Australia
Thu 30 April, 2020
Carbon-intensive coal demand has so far been hit the hardest by the pandemic, with projections down eight per cent for 2020 as a whole.
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Yahoo NewsCOVID-19 to cause record emissions fall in 2020: IEA
The Australian
Coronavirus: Global carbon emissions in record tumble, IEA reports
We need green spaces and better urban design more than ever says UNSW professor
Architecture and Design
Thu 30 April, 2020
UNSW associate professor Paul Osmond says buildings and cities need to change after this pandemic and is urging people to soak up nature on balconies, gardens or exercise in parks during COVID-19.
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Making infrastructure sustainable offers a bigger bang for our buck
The Fifth Estate
Thu 30 April, 2020
Infrastructure’s social licence to operate is in jeopardy thanks to the community’s construction fatigue and sheer opposition, with around $20 billion worth of infrastructure projects delayed, cancelled or mothballed over the past decade. Making these projects certified under a sustainability rating scheme could turn the tide.
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Infrastructure MagazineHow sustainable infrastructure will aid COVID-19 rebound
No, Aussie bats won’t give you COVID-19. We rely on them more than you think
The Conversation
Thu 30 April, 2020
In this pandemic it’s tempting to look for someone, or something, to blame. Bats are a common scapegoat and the community is misled to believe getting rid of them could be a quick fix. But are bats really the problem?
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Cannon is a giant leap for salmonkind on Canada’s Fraser River
The Australian
Thu 30 April, 2020
A “cannon” is being deployed on one of Canada’s great salmon rivers to fire the fish over an impassable waterfall and towards their spawning grounds.
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Debate over whether deer a pest or resource for hunters flares up
The Weekly Times
Thu 30 April, 2020
It is time for deer to be declared a pest species — not a resource for hunters — says the chief of Australias Invasive Species Council. A WAR of words has erupted over the management of feral deer in Tasmania with calls for more to be done.
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The ibis has thrived in a world without humans
The Daily Telegraph
Thu 30 April, 2020
The deserted streets have suited the ibis - colloquially known as the bin chicken - down to the ground, proving they don’t need humans to survive.
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NT NewsTopic Also Covered By
Sea turtles return to beaches around the world amid coronavirus pandemic
News.com.au
Thu 30 April, 2020
While the COVID-19 pandemic has been a horrific time for humans, it has been a time of relief for nature – and the latest beneficiaries of the crisis are the world’s sea turtles.
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The Weekly TimesTopic Also Covered By
From the burbs to the bush, animals are reclaiming and exploring the world during coronavirus
ABC News
Thu 30 April, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic that has caused the human race largely to retreat inside their homes is creating a new world for animals, both in the wild and in controlled places like zoos.
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Winds of change: Rethinking disaster relief after Cyclone Harold
The Interpreter
Thu 30 April, 2020
Wind speeds over 215 kilometres per hour, more than 180,000 people affected, communities and their infrastructure hit hard, and countries in lockdown – Cyclone Harold is the most recent climate-fuelled calamity to wreak havoc in the Pacific islands. Combined with the Covid-19 pandemic, this recovery will be one of the most challenging for the region.
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Rare macadamia trees destroyed in Queensland bushfires
The Brisbane Times
Thu 30 April, 2020
A cluster of rare and important macadamia trees that were already at risk of disappearing has been destroyed by bushfires in Queensland.
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The AgeThe Sydney Morning Herald
WAToday
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Pandemic: Less air pollution means thousands fewer die
Yahoo News
Thu 30 April, 2020
There will be 11,000 fewer deaths in European countries under coronavirus lockdown due to a sharp drop in fossil fuel pollution during April, according to research released Thursday.
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Single-use plastic ban delayed to reduce coronavirus risk at restaurants and cafes
ABC News
Thu 30 April, 2020
A ban on some single-use plastics will be pushed back in South Australia to allow restaurants and cafes to use disposable items to improve hygiene amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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Coronavirus could nudge product design in a more circular direction
The Fifth Estate
Thu 30 April, 2020
It’s time for wide-open creativity as we work our way of the pandemic crisis. What about more local manufacturing and production – and a big eye on circular economy as we go? New research that just received grant funding might help lead the way.
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Vale Robert May, the legendary scientist who helped us understand ecosystems, chaos theory and even pandemics
The Conversation
Thu 30 April, 2020
Lord Robert “Bob” May, Baron May of Oxford, who has died aged 84, was one of the greatest Australian scientists of the past century.
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'Impressive' cold snap to send Sydney's mercury plunging to decade low
The Sydney Morning Herald
Thu 30 April, 2020
Sydney's run of mostly balmy and dry weather has come to a soggy April end, making way for the coldest start to May in more than a decade.
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The AgeThe Brisbane Times
WAToday