The week in climate and nuclear news Australia

A bit of good news – Renewable cities arising around the world. or listen on You tube

AUSTRALIA

BUSHFIRES and CLIMATE CHANGE. Australia on fire. Scott Morrison under fire over bushfire emergency. UN climate talks: what’s on the agenda in Madrid and what it means for Australia. COP25, and Australia’s position at the Madrid climate talks. Australia is copping it at COP25 – and rightly so. Australia slammed for using First Nations people to try and dodge climate bill.

Australian govt’s dodgy climate accounting tricks to be tested in Madrid. Energy Minister Angus Taylor escapes the House and heads for Madrid, where more fact checkers await. Australia burns, as government leaders choose not to discuss this. Fire? What fire? It’s business as usual in Morrison’s Canberra bubble.

Hypocrisy of Australian Labor Party on climate change. Peter Garrett urges Labor to reconnect with environmental movement, warns ‘true believers are dying’. To National Party members. “Climate Change” is real, not “dirty words”.

Morrison sponsored report says reef tourism may be virtually wiped out by climate change . Australia warned on climate refugees .

NUCLEAR. Community of small rural town Kimba “blown apart” by nuclear waste dump plan. Money, Money, Money, or perhaps not. Plan to dump nuclear waste in the Flinders Ranges. Dr Jim Green busts ANSTO’s spin about nuclear wastes.

Traditional Aboriginal owners will not give up fight against planned WA uranium mine, despite legal loss.

BHP’s Olympic Dam expansion plan deserves serious scrutiny. BHP’s plan to take yet more water for huge copper-uranium mine.

ENVIRONMENT Investigative journalism – Victoria’s chemical waste scandal. Australia – water ownership and the politics of water. Environment is downgraded, as Morrison merges government departments. Morrison carves up environment and energy, praises Angus Taylor for waving big stick.

RENEWABLE ENERGY.

Coalition said 50% renewables would wreck the economy. Now their modest climate targets depend on it. Australia’s biggest businesses could deliver “a Yallourn” of new wind and solar. Huge influx of solar will reduce risk of power outages this summer, says AEMO

How Australia’s rooftop solar boom can be good news for the grid. Electricity prices set to plummet as strong wind and solar investment kicks in. NSW installs record 60MW of rooftop solar in November. NCH Launches built-for-purpose solar Panel cleaner for harsh Australian conditions. Cattle Hill wind farm starts sending power to the grid in Tasmania .

INTERNATIONAL

Water shortages to hit 1.9 billion people as glaciers melt.

Research shows that Climate models have correctly predicted global heating. UN chief praises youth leadership on climate action, deplores government inaction. Coal power becoming ‘uninsurable’ as firms refuse cover.

9 climate tipping points pushing Earth to the point of no return.

Bacteria to consume CO2 – a climate change solution?

.Antarctic ice sheets could be at greater risk of melting than previously thought.