NSW begin tender process for Waratah battery that will help replace biggest coal plant — RenewEconomy
NSW kicks off tender process for Waratah Super Battery that will help replace Eraring coal plant and will be largest of its type in southern hemisphere. The post NSW begin tender process for Waratah battery that will help replace biggest coal plant appeared first on RenewEconomy.
NSW begin tender process for Waratah battery that will help replace biggest coal plant — RenewEconomy
Greens refer carbon scheme to AG after whistleblower labels offsets “fraud to the environment” — RenewEconomy
Most of Australia’s carbon offset units lack environmental integrity, whistleblower claims, labelling them an “environmental and taxpayer fraud”. The post Greens refer carbon scheme to AG after whistleblower labels offsets “fraud to the environment” appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Greens refer carbon scheme to AG after whistleblower labels offsets “fraud to the environment” — RenewEconomy
As UK government touted ”media freedom”, Julian Assange in high security Belmarsh Prison was an embarassment
JULIAN ASSANGE POSED PR PROBLEM FOR UK GOVERNMENT’S MEDIA CAMPAIGN https://declassifieduk.org/julian-assange-posed-pr-problem-for-uk-governments-media-campaign/
UK officials were worried about public reaction to their hosting a media freedom event a few miles from Belmarsh prison, where Assange is incarcerated. The Foreign Office monitored activity online, developed ‘lines to take’ and warned ‘we should be ready’, emails show.
JOHN MCEVOY23 MARCH 2022 The UK’s treatment of Julian Assange posed a public relations problem for the Foreign Office’s media freedom campaign, files seen by Declassified UK show.
In July 2019, the UK co-hosted a Global Conference for Media Freedom, a first-of-its-kind event where 50 countries gathered to form a Media Freedom Coalition.
Costing £2.4 million, the event was hailed as “a major milestone” in the UK government’s “campaign to protect journalists doing their job”.
The conference was held just months after WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
He was transferred to Belmarsh prison, “the closest comparison in the United Kingdom to Guantánamo”, as a UK parliamentary report has described it.
Addressing the media conference, then foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt declared: “If we act together, we can shine a spotlight on abuses and impose a diplomatic price on those who would harm journalists or lock them up for doing their jobs”.
‘We should be ready’
The hosting of a media freedom event within miles of Belmarsh prison in southeast London was seen as a public relations problem. Internal Foreign Office emails show UK officials monitored online behaviour accordingly.
After Hunt announced plans for the conference in February 2019, one official complained about “a few individual crazy responses to the FS’ [Foreign Secretary’s] tweet”.
By June, officials were requesting “Lines to Take on how best to respond to questions we expect to be raised on this occasion about the UK handling of the case of Julian Assange”.
In particular, “Icelandic criticism of UK handling of [the] Assange case” was seen to be “affecting messaging on media freedom”.
This email was likely related to former Icelandic Interior Minister Ögmundur Jónasson, who had asserted in June that the Assange case put “the British justice system…on trial”
On 8 July, two days before the conference began, an unnamed official wrote about “a ramp up in activity by Assange campaigners”.
One cause for concern was Assange’s mother Christine, who had “joined calls for a tweetstorm during the conference”, as well as “accounts [which] are small scale or are run by active trolls and provocateurs”.
The official outlined rules for engagement, noting “our current approach is right and we shouldn’t engage…However, we should be ready. I’m keen that we agree ahead of time how and when our approach would evolve”.
In an email with the subject line “Media Freedom Conference – online register of interest form”, one official even questioned: “what if someone like Assange applied to attend?”
The Foreign Office emails discussing Assange remain heavily redacted for reasons of “national security”.
‘No communications strategy can make this go away’
According to a recent academic study, Julian Assange “was by far the most frequently discussed individual on Twitter” with regards to the Media Freedom Coalition.
“Numerous tweets highlighted the apparent irony that the UK was establishing and leading an international initiative on media freedom, while simultaneously undermining free media…in their handling of Assange”, the researchers found.
Since 2019, the UK has nonetheless continued to use the Global Conference for Media Freedom as a vehicle through which to claim it supports press freedom.
Rebecca Vincent, the Director of International Campaigns for Reporters Without Borders (RSF), commented:
“It is disappointing that rather than looking to address the very serious substantive concerns about the case of Julian Assange, the UK Foreign Office seems to have treated the matter as only a public relations inconvenience as it prepared to host the Global Media Freedom Conference and launch the Media Freedom Coalition.
“But the truth is that no communications strategy can make this go away. As long as Assange remains detained in the UK and as long as the US continues to seek his extradition and prosecution for publishing information in the public interest, this case will serve as a thorn in the sides of both governments and the Media Freedom Coalition itself.”
She added: “They should instead lead by example by dropping the charges, releasing Assange, and putting an end to his persecution once and for all”.
Bitcoin miners want to recast themselves as eco-friendly
Bitcoin miners want to recast themselves as eco-friendly
Facing intense criticism, the crypto mining industry is trying to change the view that its energy-guzzling computers are harmful to the climate.
Wilful ignorance
Rachel Withers
The Coalition dismisses climate warnings as “politicisation” and “chattering” – even when they’re coming from the polls
Record-smashing heatwaves are hitting Antarctica and the Arctic simultaneously. Here’s what’s driving them, and how they’ll impact wildlife
Dana M Bergstrom et al
Record-breaking heatwaves hit both Antarctica and the Arctic simultaneously this week, with temperatures reaching 47℃ and 30℃ higher than normal.
Temperatures hit ‘unthinkable’ highs at both of Earth’s poles on the weekend. Climate scientists are trying to find out why
Temperature records have been sent tumbling simultaneously in parts of Antarctica and the Arctic. Here’s what’s happening.
Wildfires caused by global warming ‘are accelerating global warming’
Wildfires caused by global warming ‘are accelerating global warming’
Wildfires blazed around the world last summer, burning land from California to Siberia – and the carbon released is accelerating global warming.
“Everyone disagrees with him”: Turnbull takes aim at Angus Taylor — RenewEconomy
Turnbull labels latest gas industry subsidies “surreal”, and says energy sector has been united by Angus Taylor: “Everyone disagrees with him”. The post “Everyone disagrees with him”: Turnbull takes aim at Angus Taylor appeared first on RenewEconomy.
“Everyone disagrees with him”: Turnbull takes aim at Angus Taylor — RenewEconomy
AGL says energy hubs and offshore wind could bring early closure of coal plants — RenewEconomy
AGL says Bayswater coal plant could close by 2030 and Loy Yang A by 2040 if new energy hubs built and market conditions met. The post AGL says energy hubs and offshore wind could bring early closure of coal plants appeared first on RenewEconomy.
AGL says energy hubs and offshore wind could bring early closure of coal plants — RenewEconomy
The Farm Biodiversity Stewardship Market Bill 2022 – Watch out for weasel words — Sustainability Bites
The Morrison government’s new Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Market Bill 2022, was introduced last month with very little fanfare. It fails the weasel-words test. It should not be passed by the Senate.
The Farm Biodiversity Stewardship Market Bill 2022 – Watch out for weasel words — Sustainability Bites
CS Energy to build 50 tonne green hydrogen and refuelling plant in Western Downs — RenewEconomy
CS Energy to build renewable hydrogen plant next to its Kogan Creek power station, but the facility will be powered only by behind the meter solar. The post CS Energy to build 50 tonne green hydrogen and refuelling plant in Western Downs appeared first on RenewEconomy.
CS Energy to build 50 tonne green hydrogen and refuelling plant in Western Downs — RenewEconomy
FRV says its seventh Australian solar farm is now fully operational — RenewEconomy
FRV brings its seventh solar farm in Australia into full production. The post FRV says its seventh Australian solar farm is now fully operational appeared first on RenewEconomy.
FRV says its seventh Australian solar farm is now fully operational — RenewEconomy
March 23 Energy News — geoharvey
World: ¶ “French Energy Giant TotalEnergies To Stop Buying Russian Oil By Year-End” • French energy giant TotalEnergies said it would stop buying Russian oil and oil products by the end of 2022 at the latest, according to a press release from the company. Due to European logistics capacities, it will take two to three […]
March 23 Energy News — geoharvey
Thought for the day- we’ve really got to get rid of this rotten Morrison Liberal government.
How bad is it? Where to start?
For me – the trashing of the Australian environment – our animals and birds deprived of habitat – that’s a big one, Then there’s the plight of Aboriginal people. There’s the lies and cheating on climate change. The corruption of a government squarely in the pocket of fossil fiuel industries and big corporations…….
1 This month.
20 September –National Day of Action in Melbourne on the International Day of Peace
Help Aunty Sue Protect Her Land and Sacred Sites From Destructive Rocket Testing.
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Australians deserve the truth
about
AUKUS – https://aukuspublicinquiry.com/
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 