Brace yourself for more extreme weather, warns the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It makes for concerning reading, says Amber Jamieson.
Environment
New IPCC report: all you need to know
The IPCC’s Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation special report makes for concerning reading, writes Amber Jamieson.
Minister has two options to ensure Tarkine’s pristine future
To protect the integrity of the assessment process, and ensure all of project’s relevant impacts are evaluated, minister Burke needs to do two simple things, write Andrew Macintosh and Deb Wilkinson, from ANU’s Centre for Climate Law and Policy.
Bob Gosford’s Bird of the Week: the Buff-banded Rail
One of the perks of Bob Gosford’s new abode was the presence of an unexpected new flatmate: Buffy, the Buff-banded Rail. Sadly, though, things didn’t work out all that well for Buffy.
If Australia sells uranium to India, will Pakistan be next?
Like India, Pakistan is a nuclear armed state that refuses to sign the NPT. There is no doubt the Islamabad will be keeping a close eye Canberra and on Darling Harbour come Labor’s National Conference in December, says Dave Sweeney.
Suntech calls an Australian solar boom
Suntech, the world’s largest solar manufacturing company, has produced stunning forecasts for the solar PV industry in Australia, writes Giles Parkinson.
Minister’s delay on heritage listing puts Tarkine at risk with mining
In the next two weeks, the federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke, will decide whether a major mine in the Tarkine requires approval under federal environment law, write Deb Wilkinson and Andrew Macintosh from the Australian Centre for Environmental Law at the ANU.
Carbon tax passes but blood pledge remains
Crikey media wrap: It’s taken years of debates, discussion papers and fallen leaders, but yesterday the senate passed Australia’s first carbon legislation.
Minister: Gunns quit logging ‘because the market forced it to’
Stephen Mayne is wrong. Gunns does not have “a strong environmental story to tell”. It has been the author of an epic Tasmanian tragedy, a tale that has reduced good people to tears, writes Greens MP Cassy O’Connor.
People smugglers, Indonesian fishermen and our ‘extreme green’ policy
People smugglers arrested for delivering people to Australian shores are predominantly Indonesian fishermen, who had their fishing grounds taken from them by Australia in 1989, writes Crikey naturalist Lionel Elmore.
Mayne: Gunns believes pulp mill approval is inevitable — as it should be
Tasmanian forestry giant Gunns is working flat stick on its $2.3 billion pulp mill project. While the mainstream media has left the impression the project will fall over, there is a sense of inevitability on site that it will ultimately be delivered.
NSW’s great big coal subsidy scandal
If there is a single mechanism that stands in the way of clean energy development across the globe it is fossil fuel subsidies, writes Giles Parkinson, of Climate Spectator.
Bird(s) of the week: White-bellied Sea Eagle and more
Last week Bob Gosford drove out to the west coast of the NT’s Gulf of Carpentaria and wandered down to the foreshore, capturing beautiful images of some stunning birds.
Climate scientists slam George Pell’s ‘utter rubbish’ claims
Leading climate change researchers have launched a scathing attack on a speech delivered this week by Cardinal George Pell, describing it as “dreadful”, “utter rubbish” and “flawed”., writes Graham Readfearn.
GM canola spill reignites battle between farmers, mates
It has been a while coming, but Steve Marsh — the farmer who lost his organic certification last year because of GM contamination — is preparing a writ for a “common law” battle with his neighbour, writes Lisa Roth, of student publication 3rd Degree.
What’s non-strategic about saving a river?
Federal government water buyback is paying dividends for our river systems — since 2009 the government has delivered almost 600 GL of water back to the Murray-Darling Basin. So why are they now being called into question? asks Juliet Le Feuvre.
Call to stop Gladstone dredging until fish, human health impact resolved
With all this spin, deceit and bluster by the Queensland government, it is easy to forget that all of these fish and public health issues are in and around the Geat Barrier Reef Marine Park World Heritage area, writes Crikey naturalist Lionel Elmore.
Greens Senator: put the brakes on Gladstone dredging
Already 1.7 million cubic metres have been ripped up from the bottom of Gladstone Harbour in the past two months. Alarmingly, there’s still 44 million cubic metres to go, writes Larissa Waters, Greens Senator for Queensland
Climate change a ‘grave threat’ to health and security
Over in the UK, researchers examining the health and security implications of climate change are finding some worrying results. Think mass migration and humanitarian crisis, reports Melissa Sweet.
One of the planet’s “most destructive companies” stresses about Aussie image
A recent event hosted by the Indonesian Ambassador revealed just how concerned the large Indonesian forestry companies are about recent public debates in Australia focussing on rainforest destruction in Indonesia, writes Reece Turner.
Can lawyers save the planet?
Lawyers have been called many things over the years, but “greenie” generally isn’t one of them. Yet with politicians hamstrung to address environmental problems, the legal profession is fast becoming our planet’s last line of defence, writes Greg Foyster.
Abbott’s gory pledge would be a legal bloodbath
Tont Abbott’s hyperbole has certainly attracted the headlines, but it betrays a curious tactic, writes Fergus Green, a lawyer and policy analyst specialising in climate change.
Kisses all round as clean energy bills pass the House
When the last vote finally came to adopt the 18 clean energy bills as complete package, former Slater & Gordon lawyer Adam Bandt broke into a broad grin, his election night pronouncements 14 months ago having born fruit.
Green day: the real architects behind the carbon tax bill
On a reliably frigid Canberra morning holed up in a ramshackle hotel bereft of any kind of heating, the sound of Anthony Albanese seeping out of the clock radio to claim total credit for the passage of the carbon tax seemed too much to bear.
