Wind turbines not harmful to health
No evidence that wind turbines make people sick Herald Sun: AAP * July 02, 2010 THERE is no evidence that wind turbines can make people who live nearby sick, Australia’s peak health body has concluded following a scientific review. Continue reading
Cane Toads a metaphor for uranium nuclear Australia?
Warmer Is Better: Invasive Cane Toads Set to Thrive Under Global Warming ScienceDaily (July 1, 2010) — As global warming threatens many animal species with extinction, the already destructive cane toad is set to flourish with increasing temperature, say Australian scientists. Continue reading
Visual guide to Zero Carbon Australia
The Oil Drum: Australia/New Zealand | Zero Carbon Australia by Phil Hart on July 2, 2010 The Oil Drum: “…..key graphics and information from the synopsis report by Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE). Note also the launch of the full report in Melbourne on 14th July.
Energy efficiency, gas and renewables, could replace coal power
The grimy valley struggles on, Reportage Enviro, 2 July 2010 Jenny Jägerhorn “………………….The brown-coal-fired generation plants in the valley account for 85 per cent of Victoria’s greenhouse contributions. Hazelwood power station produces up to 16 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, which is almost 15 percent of Victoria’s annual greenhouse gas emissions, and 3 percent of Australia’s total carbon emissions. Continue reading
Greens offer Gillard to vote in a carbon tax
Greens make Gillard a climate offer,Tradingroom.com.au, By Cathy Alexander June 29 2010, Pressure is mounting on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to reveal what she will do on climate change, with the Australian Greens making her an offer. Continue reading
Renewable energy- UK feed-in tariff a boost to rural incomes
Rural estates and farms could use the new renewable energy feed-in tariff scheme to increase their annual income by tens of thousands of pounds each year
UK – Renewable energy feed-in tariffs set to transform rural estate incomes, according to Knight Fr Meat Trade news Daily, 30 June 2010, Key points: Continue reading
Young voters will judge Gillard on Climate Change action
The new Prime Minister has an opportunity to win voters with a fresh approach to climate change. Last year, 97.5 per cent of the 37,000 young people who voted in Youth Decide, a national youth referendum organised by the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, supported stronger cuts in emissions than what was then offered by the ALP…
…At the next election, for the first time, more than one in five voters will be of Generation Y. Young people’s future, and Julia Gillard’s future, will depend on her ability to implement effective climate change solutions.
Gen Y to Julia: Take a bold stance for our climate, Sydney Morning Herald, from Australian Youth Climate Coalition, JOEL DIGNAM, June 28, 2010, Julia Gillard can be more than Australia’s first female Prime Minister: she can be our first prime minister to take the necessary steps to tackle carbon pollution.
Now Julia Gillard is in a perfect space to take prompt action to position the ALP as the only major party with a serious climate policy. Continue reading
Australia must act on Climate Change, but Nuclear is Not the Answer
Australian climate could be a “harbinger of change” to the rest of the world. What scientists say we have ahead of us if global warming is not prevented, such as Severe droughts and Fires, are already rife in Australia as climate change warms their already hot environment……
……All eyes will be on Australia in the coming years. It may well show a bleak future for the rest of us, unless we act now to prevent further global warming. Global Warming In Australia: A Climate Changing | Global Changes
Renewable energy would be a vote winner for Gillard
Green power an easy win for Australia-scientists , Australia needs CO2 price but other steps should come first* More support for wind, solar key to climate policy puzzle By David Fogarty, , June 29 (Reuters) – Australia’s new leader should ramp up renewable energy use and enshrine tougher energy efficiency standards to fight global warming, leading climate scientists said on Tuesday, describing them as easy policy wins…. Continue reading
Water scarcity an increasing problem for nuclear industry
what, in particular, does this mean for the nation’s fleet of nuclear power plants?
Drought and heat waves in the United States and other countries have highlighted one of nuclear power’s most intractable vulnerabilities: water scarcity.
(USA) Water Scarcity: Nuclear Power’s Achilles’ Heel, THE HUFFINGTON POST Kyle Rabin: June 28, 2010, Scientists, researchers and other experts warn that the United States is entering an era of water scarcity.
Back in 2003, the US General Accounting Office (now known as the US Government Accountability Office or GAO) projected that 36 states, under normal conditions, could face water shortages by 2013. However, those shortages were realized in 2008 — five years sooner than predicted. Current forecasts suggest that climate change will only exacerbate the challenges of managing and protecting water resources. Continue reading
Australia’s hope for action on Climate Change
The Australian Labor Party used to be inspired by Ben Chifley’s 1949 speech about “THE LIGHT ON THE HILL”.
That light dimmed as decades went by, and things in Australia have been pretty dark – especially for the environment, over recent decades.
Now, perhaps, there’s a glimmer again. Prime Minister Julia Gillard says that she is not intending to promote those ALP power brokers, (whose goal is self-advancement, and bugger the environment – my words, not Gillard’s).
Julia Gillard will fight for a carbon tax. That’s a start, as all thorough students of global warming come up with a carbon tax as the only practical way to start to address Australia’s problem of its immense per capita greenhouse gas output.
Prime Minister Gillard will fight for a carbon tax
Gillard to fight for carbon tax, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Jun 27, 2010 Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she wants Australia to have a carbon tax and is prepared to fight for it.
Ms Gillard told the Nine Network this morning she had doubts about the emissions trading scheme because there was no lasting and deep community consensus for it….
Ms Gillard says she will work to get a price on carbon.”I believe in climate change. I believe it’s caused by human activity and I believe we have an obligation to act,” she said. Gillard to fight for carbon tax – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Climate Change will hit Australia hardest
Dire climate change warning to Australia Herald Sun: AAP * June 28, AN international conference on the Gold Coast this week will hear Australia will be one of the hardest hit developed countries when climate change starts to bite. Continue reading
Will Gillard ACT on Climate Change, as well as TALK?
New Australian PM ‘should focus on cutting emissions’, Low Carbon Economy, 6/25/2010 There are hopes that Australia’s new prime minister could help improve the country’s environmental record………..In her first speech as prime minister Ms Gillard said she believes in climate change and that humans are contributing to the problem….
..Greenpeace Australia Pacific said that the first steps Ms Gillard should take would be to move subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, introduce a carbon levy and limit emissions from new power stations. New Australian PM ‘should focus on cutting emissions’ – Low Carbon Economy
Griffith University’s Zero Energy building
Australia’s First Zero-Energy Teaching and Research Building Unveiled, Inhabitat by Bridgette Meinhold, 06/25/10 Griffith University in Australia recently secured funding for a $21 million dollar research facility that will be the country’s first zero-emission and self-powered building driven by solar-hydrogen energy. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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