Conservation group can’t accept oil company’s spin on Timor Sea spill

The Wilderness Society

Western Australia’s Wilderness Society is appalled by oil company PTTEP’s claim that its response to the Timor Sea oil spill was “world class”. With the 2,000-3,000 barrel-a-day spill yet to be fully contained and possibly continuing into 2010, and another gas leak just reported nearby, conservation groups are worried about the risk further oil and gas exploration poses to marine sanctuaries and species.

posted by seamas on October 30, 2009 at 7:43 am · filed under

Institute admits clean coal won’t be viable for decades

ABC News

The cost of carbon capture and clean coal technologies is expected to make them commercially nonviable for at least 20 years, according to analysis by the Australian Government’s Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute. Despite this, the Government is still expected to invest millions of dollars into demonstration projects for the technologies over the next decade.

posted by seamas on October 30, 2009 at 7:17 am · filed under

Tenders called for Smart Grid trial

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts

The Rudd Government has invited industry bids to deploy a commercial-scale trial of the  Smart Grid, Smart City initiative, which is intended to provide a two-way flow of information between energy suppliers and consumers, enabling environmental benefits through reduced energy loss and better demand management.

posted by patrick on October 29, 2009 at 5:46 pm · filed under

Water for Murrumbidgee Wetlands

Minister for Climate Change and Water

Almost 2 billion litres of water purchased through the Australian Government’s Murray-Darling water buyback program will be released into wetlands containing endangered species in Yanga National Park, in southern New South Wales. A number of endangered species in the region could benefit from the release.

posted by patrick on October 29, 2009 at 5:35 pm · filed under

Victorian bird species in dramatic decline

Australian Conservation Foundation

Newly published research by Monash, Deakin and Melbourne University ecologists, has caused alarm amoung an alliance of environment groups concerned about Victoria’s native birds. The study suggests two thirds of woodland bird species in northern and central Victoria have declined dramatically over the past five years.

posted by seamas on October 28, 2009 at 7:40 am · filed under

Australia must plan around rising sea levels

ABC News

With several states areound Australia beginning to look at ways to cope with rising sea levels, the Planning Institute of Australia is calling for a standardized nationalapproach to prevent developments in areas likely to be affected.

posted by seamas on October 28, 2009 at 7:34 am · filed under

Sustainability Drinks (Melbourne, Nov 4)

Melbourne Sustainability Drinks is a regular green networking evening event held the first Wednesday of every month. The next one is on November 4, 2009, from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at Tjanabi @ Fed Square (beside the Atrium), Flinders St, Melbourne.

posted by seamas on October 27, 2009 at 12:44 pm · filed under