Scientists see little respite from warming climate

CSIRO

The CSIRO says short-term climate variations, including good rainfall on Australia’s eastern coastline, mean little in the bigger picture, as we experience a gradual warming of the planet caused by CO2 emissions and forest clearing. Long term climate trends remain a serious concern and challenge.

posted by seamas on December 30, 2010 at 6:24 pm · filed under

Critics question NT nuclear waste dump bill

ABC News

The Australian Greens and Australian Conservation Foundation have voiced their objections to proposed legislation that will see a nuclear waste storage facility for the country established at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory. They say the legislation, which has just been recommended for passage by a parliamentary committee, was developed in a rushed process that failed to adequately consult the public or nearby traditional land owners.

posted by seamas on December 27, 2010 at 7:25 am · filed under

Sustainable Living Festival (Melbourne, Feb 12-27)

The Sustainable Living Festival at Melbourne’s Federation Square aims to raise awareness and offer tools for change by showcasing premier ideas and solutions to tackle ecological and social challenges. The festival is a fun, community-centric way to promote the uptake of sustainable living amongst Australians.

posted by seamas on December 26, 2010 at 9:41 pm · filed under

Government’s Green Start initiative stalls

Sydney Morning Herald

The Australian Government’s planned $212 million Green Start initiative has been shelved less than a week before it was set to begin. Minister for Climate Change, Greg Combet, blamed poor state records for making Green Start to risky to implement. Designed to replace the scrapped Green Loans program, the new initiative was going to provide free energy audits and tips to help poorer households reduce their power consumption. The Government will still have to pay around $30 million to compensate the thousands of people trained to conduct household energy audits and the employment futures of those trained is now uncertain.

posted by seamas on December 24, 2010 at 7:31 am · filed under

New climate change principles pave way for price on pollution

ACF

Following the release of the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee’s guiding principles, the Australian Conservation Foundation has renewed its call for the Federal Government to legislate a price on pollution that makes companies pay for the pollution they produce, and that effectively benefits the environment. ACF believes the stated principles could pave the way for an effective price on pollution and that the Committee should get more specific and recommend an implementation timeline.

posted by seamas on December 21, 2010 at 2:58 pm · filed under

Murray-Darling Authority needs to make case for reform clear

ACF

The Australian Conservation Foundation says the Murray-Darling Basin Authority needs to back up its water reform plan and analysis work with good communication to ensure public concerns are well informed and consider probable outcomes. The ACF says the Authority has so far “failed to communicate that the consequences of business as usual will lead us to a dead river which will not support environmental, social or economic values”. ACF want the Authority to clearly model the direct and indirect short, medium and long term benefits of returning substantial environmental flows to the river.

posted by seamas on December 19, 2010 at 4:47 pm · filed under

Rising seas will eat away at coastal cities

Sydney Morning Herald

Climate change driven sea level rises will swamp parts of Sydney and other Australian coastal cities this century, according to new projections. Mapped data released by OzCoasts shows low lying areas vulnerable to sea level rises in detail for the first time. Unchecked, the anticipated water inundation is expected to cost billions of dollars in lost infrastructure, homes and property.

posted by seamas on December 16, 2010 at 9:03 pm · filed under