Happy Autumn and happy Clean Up Australia Day!!!
Today in environmental news, some poor performances by mining companies and the Australian government but still lots of hope among young people and industry regulators.
Equinor abandons mining in the Bight
Equinor, a mining giant announced that they are scrapping their plans to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight. They are the third company to rule out drilling in this area after BP and Chevron. This comes after months of campaigning and protests from the conservation community and general public and puts renewed pressure on mining companies to stop destroying the Great Australian Bight and on the government to list it as a world heritage site.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-25/equinor-abandons-plan-to-drill-for-oil-in-great-australian-bight/11997910
Government reluctant to embrace renewables
Energy minister Angus Taylor flagged the possibility of dumping research programs into solar and wind power in favor of emerging technologies outlined in his Technology Investment Roadmap. He spoke about the need to research technologies such as hydrogen and lithium power as well as reducing livestock emissions through feed supplements as part of a plan for long-term emission reductions. The Roadmap aims to assess the financial viability of new technologies to identify the best opportunities for investment however environmentalists worry that the government is simply delaying action on emissions reduction and neglecting the huge sector of renewable energy.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2020-02-28/shake-up-of-energy-policy-flagged-dumping-solar-wind-investment/12009938
Greta joins strike at Bristol
Greta Thunberg has joined more than 15 000 people striking for the climate in Bristol, England, two years after she started striking from school on Fridays. As part of the Youth Strikes 4 Climate movement, Greta led the march through the city calling on politicians to address the climate emergency. Greta again promised that she “would not be silenced when the world is on fire.” This comes after Greta had the opportunity to meet her role model, Malala when talking at a university in England.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-51663632
Gas mining potential could throw out emission reduction targets
Beetaloo Basin in NT has been identified as a shake gas resource that could power Australia for 200 years. However, in developing this basin, our commitments to emission reductions would be impossible. Indigenous rangers that work to prevent the release of C02 from bushfires in the NT worry that there work will be canceled out by this project which could release between 39 million and 117 million tonnes of C02. Communities in the top end are frustrated with the lack of care of the planet as they face fires and floods, more extreme than ever before.
The gas field so big it could knock Australia off course from our climate target
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-29/beetaloo-basin-gas-field-could-jeopardise-paris-targets/12002164
Environmental concerns are first priority of Infrastructure Australia
Infrastructure Australia has, for the first time, made environmental concerns its top priority. A large part of the concern is the potential damage to infrastructure from floods and rising sea levels. They also cited resilience during drought with water resources under more pressure as a major problem. Infrastructure Aus also called for the country’s waste recycling capacity to be lifted from 55% to 70% to reduce landfill waste.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/26/environmental-concerns-get-top-billing-in-infrastructure-australia-priority-list-for-first-time
Today in environmental news, some poor performances by mining companies and the Australian government but still lots of hope among young people and industry regulators.
Equinor abandons mining in the Bight
Equinor, a mining giant announced that they are scrapping their plans to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight. They are the third company to rule out drilling in this area after BP and Chevron. This comes after months of campaigning and protests from the conservation community and general public and puts renewed pressure on mining companies to stop destroying the Great Australian Bight and on the government to list it as a world heritage site.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-25/equinor-abandons-plan-to-drill-for-oil-in-great-australian-bight/11997910
Government reluctant to embrace renewables
Energy minister Angus Taylor flagged the possibility of dumping research programs into solar and wind power in favor of emerging technologies outlined in his Technology Investment Roadmap. He spoke about the need to research technologies such as hydrogen and lithium power as well as reducing livestock emissions through feed supplements as part of a plan for long-term emission reductions. The Roadmap aims to assess the financial viability of new technologies to identify the best opportunities for investment however environmentalists worry that the government is simply delaying action on emissions reduction and neglecting the huge sector of renewable energy.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2020-02-28/shake-up-of-energy-policy-flagged-dumping-solar-wind-investment/12009938
Greta joins strike at Bristol
Greta Thunberg has joined more than 15 000 people striking for the climate in Bristol, England, two years after she started striking from school on Fridays. As part of the Youth Strikes 4 Climate movement, Greta led the march through the city calling on politicians to address the climate emergency. Greta again promised that she “would not be silenced when the world is on fire.” This comes after Greta had the opportunity to meet her role model, Malala when talking at a university in England.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-51663632
Gas mining potential could throw out emission reduction targets
Beetaloo Basin in NT has been identified as a shake gas resource that could power Australia for 200 years. However, in developing this basin, our commitments to emission reductions would be impossible. Indigenous rangers that work to prevent the release of C02 from bushfires in the NT worry that there work will be canceled out by this project which could release between 39 million and 117 million tonnes of C02. Communities in the top end are frustrated with the lack of care of the planet as they face fires and floods, more extreme than ever before.
The gas field so big it could knock Australia off course from our climate target
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-29/beetaloo-basin-gas-field-could-jeopardise-paris-targets/12002164
Environmental concerns are first priority of Infrastructure Australia
Infrastructure Australia has, for the first time, made environmental concerns its top priority. A large part of the concern is the potential damage to infrastructure from floods and rising sea levels. They also cited resilience during drought with water resources under more pressure as a major problem. Infrastructure Aus also called for the country’s waste recycling capacity to be lifted from 55% to 70% to reduce landfill waste.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/26/environmental-concerns-get-top-billing-in-infrastructure-australia-priority-list-for-first-time