Read on Twitter
A couple of non-corona stories, if you have the capacity (acknowledging you may not):
The full impact of coral bleaching across the Great Barrier Reef will become clearer this week as aerial surveys of hundreds of reefs are completed in the bottom two thirds of the world’s biggest reef system. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/23/barrier-reef-watchers-anxiously-await-evidence-of-coral-bleaching-from-aerial-surveys
Scientists have described a failing system of wildlife protection in Tasmania, with govt staff feeling pressure to change advice to allow vital habitat to be logged + fewer than 15% of threatened species being actively monitored. #politas #tasinq #tasmania https://tasmanianinquirer.com.au/news/not-acting-is-a-decision-scientists-warn-failing-system-drives-wildlife-to-extinction/
New photos showing the devastating impact of bushfire in east Gippsland forests are sparking renewed calls for the Victorian government to rethink its approach to logging and bring forward the promised 2030 phase-out of the native timber industry. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/22/the-forest-is-now-terribly-silent-land-set-aside-for-threatened-species-entirely-burnt-out
Feels a little odd to be adding to this list at the moment but will from time to time
A push by power baron Trevor St Baker to access a Morrison government climate policy initiative to pay for an upgrade at a 42-year-old coal power plant has been rejected after a review found it should not qualify. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/24/push-to-get-taxpayer-funds-for-vales-point-coal-plant-upgrade-rejected
In other news from late yesterday https://twitter.com/adamlmorton/status/1242682165000691713?s=20
A couple more today
Engineers, economists, energy specialists and environmentalists are calling for a final decision on the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project to be delayed to allow an independent review, claiming it will cost far more and deliver far less than has been promised https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/mar/28/snowy-hydro-20-will-cost-more-and-deliver-less-than-promised-30-experts-say
NSW land-clearing approvals increased 13-fold since laws relaxed in 2016 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/27/nsw-land-clearing-approvals-increased-13-fold-since-laws-relaxed-in-2016?CMP=share_btn_tw
icymi amid everything https://twitter.com/adamlmorton/status/1243081301919334400?s=20
Positive story alert: the site of mass fish kills in 2019 has received significant inflows and the lower Darling River will finally reconnect with the Murray https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/mar/31/after-years-of-drought-water-reaches-parched-menindee
On the other hand https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/30/probably-the-worst-year-in-a-century-the-environmental-toll-of-2019
Antarctica: what it means when the coldest place on Earth records an unprecedented heatwave - via @ConversationEDU https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/31/antarctica-what-it-means-when-the-coldest-place-on-earth-records-an-unprecedented-heatwave?CMP=share_btn_tw
Climate crisis may have pushed world's tropical coral reefs to tipping point of near-annual bleaching, NOAA's coral reef watch coordinator tells @readfearn https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/01/climate-crisis-may-have-pushed-worlds-tropical-coral-reefs-to-tipping-point-of-near-annual-bleaching?CMP=share_btn_tw
Nearly 20% of Australia’s big polluting industrial sites increased greenhouse gas emissions above government-set limits last financial year, analysis of official data shows. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/apr/01/nearly-one-in-five-of-australias-big-polluters-breach-government-set-emissions-limits
Decision to renew Victorian logging agreements criticised after summer bushfires https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/apr/03/decision-to-renew-victorian-logging-agreements-criticised-after-summer-bushfires?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Shareholder motions demanding Santos set emissions targets aligned with Paris deal, including for scope 3 emissions, and review lobby group memberships gets support from more than 40%. A pretty extraordinary result for the shift in thinking it represents. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/apr/04/almost-half-of-all-shareholders-at-santos-agm-back-stronger-emissions-target?CMP=share_btn_tw
