Australia can’t afford to ignore the various impacts of climate change
heatwaves dubbed the “silent killer” because they led to more deaths than do other natural events
Rising temperatures and possible lower rainfall have the potential to cut future farming output sharply.
Scorchers: the reality of a sunburnt country January 18, 2014 Peter Hannam Environment Editor, The Sydney Morning Herald “………Wang Xiaoming, a senior principal scientist at CSIRO, said lip-service is often paid to the [planning for climate change] issue but little more.
“If you’re looking at the current building codes, if you’re looking at engineering design standards, actually there’s nothing considering future climate change at the moment,” Wang said.
Building standards and design can make a big difference. According to CSR, a building materials producer, lax standards in the past mean the power system is strained each time an extreme event – hot or cold – arrives.
A prototype home design by CSR in western Sydney shows what can be achieved with products already on the market. When the city was breaking its maximum heat record on January 18 last year the house remained about 15-16 degrees cooler than outside temperatures without the need for any airconditioning, the company says……..
‘Silent killer’ Continue reading
South Australian government gives grant to uranium leach mining company
UraniumSA receives grant for Samphire Uranium project in South Australia Friday, January 17, 2014 by Proactive Investors UraniumSA (ASX:USA) has received a $50,000 grant from the South Australian Government to advance metallurgical test work for its Samphire uranium deposits in South Australia
UraniumSA will work in collaboration with the University of South Australia’s Ian Walk Research Institute to focus on finding a more efficient process for the removal and recovery of uranium from saline leach solutions, and to advance UraniumSA’s existing data and process understanding.
This grant will facilitate the continuation of recent research and test work by UraniumSA which aims to optimise pathways for uranium recovery from hyper-saline solution……http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/51977/uraniumsa-receives-grant-for-samphire-uranium-project-in-south-australia-51977.html
Wikileaks reveals weak wobbly wording of Trans Pacific Partnership’s secret environment plans
Secret draft of TPP talks on environment show few enforcement measures SMH, January 17, 2014 Peter Martin Economics correspondent A secret draft of what would be Australia’s biggest trade agreement shows it will be toothless in enforcing environmental agreements.
The draft environment chapter of the twelve-nation Trans Pacific Partnership agreement published by WikiLeaks proposes next to no enforcement 
mechanisms with those that are suggested opposed by each of the 12 nations other than the United Stastes.
A summary on the WikiLeaks website says the draft makes use of the ‘get out clause’ approximately 43 times, using language such as: “Where possible and appropriate, the Parties shall seek to complement and utilise their existing cooperation mechanisms and take into account relevant work of regional and international organisations.”
The word “may” is also found 43 times in the 23-page draft.
Governments are urged to “…make every effort to arrive at a mutually satisfactory resolution…”, “…take measures to prevent…”, “…make best efforts…”, “…exercise restraint in taking recourse…”, and retain “the right to make decisions…”.
WikiLeaks says other favourite words are “enhance” (12), “consider” (12), “encourage” (11), “address” (10), “endeavour” (9) and “seek” (9).
A report from the chairpersons of the environment section of the agreement despairs at ever getting meaningful agreement saying the so-called “red line” or non-negotiable positions appear irreconcilable.”Many of the red lines for some parties were in direct opposition to the red lines expressed by other parties,” it says.
“It bears emphasising that it is these differences that have prevented the environment working group from reaching agreement on all aspects of the chapter.”
Australia is siding with Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam in opposing US moves to give the resolutions of biodiversity, climate change, fisheries and conservation more force.
The environment chapter is the second published by WikiLeaks. The first, on intellectual property showed the US with Australian support attempting to impose on other countries tougher rules that would have strengthened the hand of copyright owners in disputes with consumers.
Each of the negotiating parties has resolved to keep the draft chapters secret until the negotiations are completed, meaning the chapters published by WikiLeaks are the only parts of the agreement in the public domain. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/secret-draft-of-tpp-talks-on-environment-show-little-enforcement-measures-20140117-30y8f.html#ixzz2qmVF0V00
Abbott’s “Direct Action” climate plan – a gift to big polluters?
Three major loopholes in the Direct Action climate plan The Conversation, Jemma Green Senior Research Fellow at Curtin University 17 January 2014, Under the draft plan, companies will be invited to bid for funding regardless of whether their project is commercially viable without it. Projects that are already viable without government help are naturally in a better position to make a competitive bid in the scheme’s “reverse auction” – by which the government will award funds to projects that promise the biggest emissions cuts for the least money.
Baseline call
The second problem hinges on the fact that emissions reductions cannot be calculated without reference to a previous “baseline” level. But the government has delayed its decision on how emissions baselines will be determined until mid-2015. How these are decided will be of greatest interest to the biggest emitters………
Long deadlines, minor penaltiesYet under the government’s current plan, even a company that is given a favourable historic baseline, and then exceeds it anyway, could be given plenty of leeway…….
What’s more, in cases where a company routinely fails to meet emissions targets, the government says it does not want the policy to be punitive. Therefore companies could well not comply, without suffering significant financial consequences.
The proposal is open for comment until February 21, and the plan faces plenty more scrutiny, particularly when new Senators take their seats in July. Those Senators also control the fate of the previous government’s carbon price, which has already been repealed in the lower house…..http://theconversation.com/three-major-loopholes-in-the-direct-action-climate-plan-21838
The reality of a heating Australia
New research by the Alternative Technology Association suggests that even with modest assumptions for technology improvements in solar power many communities and households will find it attractive to drop off the grid within a few years in “a quick and dramatic” change.
“A shift to cost-effective standalone power solutions appears highly plausible by 2020, in a wide range of market segments,” the report said, citing a study of Bendigo, Werribee and parts of inner Melbourne.
Scorchers: the reality of a sunburnt country, January 18, 2014 Peter Hannam, Environment Editor, The Sydney Morning Herald As searing temperatures swept across the country this week, Australians got a strong indication of summers to come. Peter Hannam asks if we are prepared for hotter days.
Sarah Perkins, a heatwave expert at the University of NSW, says heatwaves in Australia are arriving earlier in the season, are more frequent, more intense, and more prolonged. Previous major heatwaves, such as in 1939, are also linked to major bushfires. Along with the projections for more intense heat, research also shows fire-danger ratings are on the increase across south-eastern Australia. Australians will need to adapt to major changes in their lives – along with much of the world.
“For the first half of this century, we expect these [heatwave] trends to continue,” said Lesley Hughes, a professor studying climate change and ecosystems at Macquarie University. “Whether they continue beyond 2050, will be really up to how well we’ve reduced [greenhouse gas] emissions,”she said.
While sea-breezes spared much of Sydney and the coastal strip north from this week’s heat, few other affected regions were so lucky. Adelaide, Melbourne and Canberra each reached 40 degrees on Thursday for a second day in a row, and had only done that before on single days over the past 70 years of records. Canberra’s Friday maximum just missed making it three days in a row.
No El Nino this time Continue reading
Abbott’s attack on renewable energy is bad economic judgment
The most baffling thing about Abbott’s assault on renewable energy is that it also flies in the face of economic good sense.
Australian PM Ignores Climate Change, Trades Renewables for Coal , Triple Pundit, ““““Eric Justian | Thursday January 16th, 2014 “……..The Australian government, under Prime Minister Tony Abbott, seems committed to exacerbating its nation’s climate woes. Even as his Environmental Minister approved a vast coal mine that will produce 40 million tons of CO2-emitting coal per year, Abbott is calling Australia’s strong renewable energy sector into question.
He’s cutting funding for renewables, threatening to remove the 20 percent renewable energy standard and even falling back on the old and largely debunked criticism that wind power has negative impacts on human health. Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council looked into the issue in 2010 and again in 2012. And now Abbott is calling for another review. Because, why not?
And just for good measure, he’s also dismantling Australia’s well-regarded plans for curbing carbon emissions and jettisoning the nation’s goals for carbon reductions………
Australia can power itself entirely through renewable sources like wind and solar power by 2040. They could do it affordably, reliably and cleanly — working towards reducing the climatic impact on the nation. There’s simply no benefit to moving back toward coal, and nothing but risk.At least the U.S. doesn’t hold a monopoly on climate change denialists in public office. http://www.triplepundit.com/2014/01/australian-pm-ignores-climate-change-trades-renewables-coal/
Climate change being ignored by Australia’s leaders. to our cost
Giving financial assistance to the coal industry is irresponsible, to say the least. This is an industry that has profited, unhindered, for at least a century. This is an industry that should be phased out by Australia. This is an industry that will fall into the abyss, at the hands of its own customers, as the rest of the world takes on climate change.
What ever happened to climate change in Australia? http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=15927&page=2 David Leigh 17 Jan 14 In the lead up to the last election, climate change was part of usual rhetoric that politicians espouse, along with the many other championed causes. It was either about the Clean Energy Fund, fueled by the Carbon Tax and by the Labor camp, or it was about not believing the science from the Liberals. Actually, that is far from liberal open-mindedness, when you think about it.
Either way, the airwaves were full of discussion about the biggest threat to humanity of all time. Now, as we find ourselves 6-months into Abbott’s Australia, there is little or no discussion. First he attempted to silence the reporting body by removing its funding, as though stopping talk would make it all go away. Now, even the Labor opposition remains quite on the subject. Only the Greens appear to understand that it won’t abate, although the Green focus seems to be snagged temporarily on asylum seeker wellbeing. Incidentally, that is another subject that seems to have gone away since the reporting stopped.
Despite having just had the hottest year on record and every monthly Australian record being broken and with the US having an unprecedented cold snap with temperatures below –34c the subject has conveniently gone quiet. This of course suits the big end of town, because climate change is expensive to mitigate. They should also realize it is far more expensive to ignore.
Australia is still locked in the same old political cycle of red team, blue team and the policies of the current blue team – if you can call them policies – seem focused only on the next 3-years. It is a far cry from the time of independents like Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott, where governance was about policy not dogma Continue reading
Solar power combats effects of heat wave in Australia
Australian Heatwave Solar Power Statistics http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=4129 17 Jan 14, The contribution solar energy has made in combating the effects of the current heatwave is significant.
With electricity generation plants and mains supply networks feeling the strain of 40C-plus heat and demand caused by air-conditioning; solar has helped alleviate the pressure.
The Australian Solar Council has found that at their peak on Wednesday,solar panel systems were contributing the following as a percentage of state electricity use:
– 27.54% in South Australia
– 11.77% in Western Australia
– 8.14% in Queensland
– 5.38% in Victoria
– 5.23% in New South Wales
The value of this power was not only in the quantity, but also in its timing; with peak production between 2:30pm-5:00pm – a timeframe when demand is high. This helped to rein in wholesale pricing which has reached staggering levels at times and possibly reduced the number of blackouts and load shedding that may have otherwise occurred.
Load shedding and blackouts are not only inconvenient and can cause significant economic losses; the often sudden nature of these events can also be dangerous.
“As a community we should be congratulating those people who have made a significant personal investment in installing solar PV, which is now paying dividends for the entire community,” said John Grimes, Chief Executive of the Australian Solar Council.
“Because solar PV produces electricity where it is used and does not need vast network infrastructure, the power that is produced is all being used to best effect, which adds up to a big saving for solar.”
“In a country like Australia where 1 in 100 year heat waves are becoming more frequent, solar is the perfect solution” said Mr. Grimes. “We expect more and more Australians to invest in solar PV systems to take control of their own energy future.”
While some states are yet to feel any relief from the heat, it’s reassuring to know that thousands of solar power systems are quietly working away delivering clean energy and helping to keep the lights and cool on indoors for many.
Australian Renewable Energy Agency, (ARENA) funding offshore wind energy
Ocean Power Technologies forms new offshore wind power funding agreement With Australian Government http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/36498/ocean-power-technologies-forms-new-offshore-wind-power-funding-agreement-with-australian-government/ 16 January 2014
A$66.5 million grant will be used towards the cost of building and deploying a 62.5MW peak-rated wave power station off the coast of Portland, Victoria. The agreement with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, or “ARENA”, is a Deed of Variation to the original Funding Deed, through which a A$66.5 million grant was previously awarded by the Commonwealth.
Among the important changes included in the new agreement are:
The incorporation of milestones for each of the three stages of the project
Acceleration of reimbursement of eligible expenses for stages one and two
An increase in the number of milestones to better support project cash flow requirements The agreement also recognizes the role of Lockheed Martin as the lead for systems integration of the PowerBuoys and overall program management.
Australian Climate Denialism from Mont Pelerin Society to Tony Abbott
The argument put by Lindsay back in 2008 is identical to that put by Tony Abbott’s chief business advisor Maurice Newman in recent columns, the latest only a few weeks ago
Mont Pelerin Society Revealed As Home To Leading Pushers Of Climate Science Denial DESMOGBLOG.COM, GRAHAM READFEARN, 14 JAN 14 THERE’S a popular talking point coming from climate change denialists that all people who accept the science and the need to act on it are somehow blinded by faith.
In Australia, climate science contrarian columnists can barely touch their keyboards without typing out the words “global warming faith” or explaining how human-caused global warming is some sort of “new religion”.
This “climate religion” narrative often goes hand-in-hand with another favourite denialist talking point where climate scientists are only doing what they do because there’s a dollar in it.
Presumably the laws of physics, the melting ice sheets, the increasing risk of bushfires, the hottest decades on record and the acidifying oceans are also waiting for their cash.
Maurice Newman, the man hand-picked by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to be the government’s top business advisor, loves both of these debating points.
Newman has described climate scientists as being a “global warming priesthood” and belonging to a new “religion”. In a second opinion column in two weeks in The Australian, Newman repeats his cynicism over the IPCC and climate scientists, describing them as a “cartel” that “will deny all contrary evidence”. Newman even repeats the myth that in the 1970s scientists were certain the world was heading for global cooling, when in fact, as this study shows, a healthy majority of scientific papers were predicting the opposite. ……
In Australia, Mont Pelerin Society members include Continue reading
Accidents and dismal uranium prices plague Paladin Energy
Paladin revenue dwindles as output rises Justin Niessner Wednesday, 15 January 2014 PALADIN Energy recorded strong production figures for the December quarter but posted lower sales revenue on a stubbornly weak uranium price.
Revenues for the quarter were down 31.6% year on year at $US101.7 million ($A11.2 million) on the sale of 2.8 million pounds of uranium oxide. It represents roughly the same sales volume compared to a year ago but at a 23.8% lower price of $36.67 per pound of uranium oxide……
Safety was a difficult issue for the company over the period, with an electrical incident sending three workers to hospital in early October. The company confirmed that the most seriously injured worker died on October 29. Two lost time injuries were recorded as a result of the incident…..
a price of at least $70/lb would be necessary to support new uranium supply Earlier this week Paladin said it would not pursue development of its Manyingee project in Western Australia due to the low uranium price. http://www.miningnews.net/storyview.asp?storyid=801876475
A step forward for solar thermal plant in Port Augusta
Australian Youth Climate Coalition 16 Jan 14 We’re excited to share a great win with Repower Port Augusta
Today the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the South Australian Government announced that they have committed to funding for Alinta Energy to run a feasibility study into building solar thermal in Port Augusta.
This is a huge step forward in building our first solar thermal plant!
You can read more here:http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2014/1/15/energy-markets/arena-funds-port-augusta-solar-thermal-study
The Australian Greens BREAKING NEWS: South Australia is one step closer to having a solar thermal plant!
On a day when we are sweltering under record-breaking heat, and climate change looms large, it has just been announced Alinta Energy has received ARENA funding for a feasibility study into solar thermal in Pt Augusta.
A huge effort from the team at Repower Port Augusta who have worked tirelessly on this project, and great news for the Port Augusta community. Bring on a healthy clean energy future!
Australia voted with USA against Declaration for Rights of Indigenous Peoples
TPPA Environment Chapter & Chair’s Commentary Posted by WikiLeaks Issues for NZ 1Professor Jane Kelsey 16 January 2014 (NZDT) The consolidated draft text of the Environment chapter of the Trans-Pacific partnership Agreement and the accompanying chair’s commentary have been posted in Wikileaks (http://wikileaks.org/tpp-enviro). The documents are dated 24 November 2013, the final day of the 
Salt Lake City round in November…..
The most egregious threat to the environment is the investment chapter, in particular the prior consent by all countries except Australia to investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS). The vast majority of investment arbitrations under similar agreements involve natural resources, especially mining, and have resulted in billions of dollars of damages against governments for measures designed to protect the environment from harm caused by foreign corporations. The US is also demanding that contracts between investors and states that involve natural resources also have access to ISDS.
Chapters that may impact on environmental measures, with some examples, include:…..
Paladin Energy slashing costs in “unsustainable” uranium industry
Paladin Energy uranium mine sale expected in coming weeks, Mining Australia 15 January, 2014 Vicky Validakis Paladin Energy said talks around the sale of its Langer Heinrich uranium mine were progressing as the price for uranium continues to deteriorate.
The Perth-based miner flagged its intentions to sell its stake in the African mine in August when it announced a raft of cost-cutting measures to combat the weakening price of uranium.………While Borshoff the project was a long-term play for the miner, he said the stubbornly low uranium price meant all new developments had been put on the backburner.
“It’s unsustainable at the moment,” Borshoff said.
“Everyone has declared a moratorium on new projects. It’s all hanging by a thread and at some point this year it has got to turn.” Last year the company made a $US173 million loss in the three months to June.
Paladin signalled it would slash corporate and exploration costs by $US10.8 million, a 24 per cent reduction……..Paladin has five uranium exploration projects operating in Australia. http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/paladin-energy-uranium-mine-sale-expected-in-comin
Bernie Fraser warns about axing of Climate Change Authority
‘Environment will suffer’ if CCA axed CHERYL JONES THE AUSTRALIAN JANUARY 15, 2014BUSINESS interests could “overwhelm” environmental concerns should the Climate Change Authority be axed without replacing it with an alternative body to provide “independent and balanced” advice, according to chairman Bernie Fraser.
The former Reserve Bank governor said it would be a pity for any government to “eschew expert, independent advice, particularly on a subject so important and so complex as climate change”…(subscribers only)
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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PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
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