UN report on extreme weather

The Sydney Morning Herald

The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that a new report on extreme weather events will be released later this year, which will support previous findings natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity around the world, including bush fires, droughts and floods.  The report finds that Australia is particularly vulnerable, but predicts it will better able to adapt than developing countries like Burma and Bangladesh.

posted by ruby on May 17, 2011 at 8:18 am · filed under

Business leaders want incentives over taxes

The Australian

Some business leaders are calling for the government to dump its carbon tax plan, with Seven Group Holdings chief executive saying that incentivising emissions cuts will work better than a tax.  The Queensland Labor government, meanwhile, has made a submission to the federal government’s multi-party climate change committee in which it calls for support to emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries and coalminers that’s at least as generous as the approach agreed to under Kevin Rudd’s proposed ETS, which was blocked by the Greens for its leniency.

posted by ruby on May 17, 2011 at 8:14 am · filed under

Greens disappointed in Federal Budget

ABC News

The Australian Greens have criticized the 2011 Federal Budget for benefiting large mining corporations. Greens leader Bob Brown noted some good elements, but described the overall Budget as “lacking vision” and “a missed opportunity”.

posted by seamas on May 11, 2011 at 7:29 am · filed under

Forum on Deforestation (Canberra, May 13)

ANU

Crawford School Dialogue - Australia’s Role In Reducing Regional Deforestation

A forum discussing what Australia should do to help limit the process of deforestation and forest degradation in neighbouring ‘rainforest nations’ - focusing on Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

At the Weston Theatre, ANU.

posted by seamas on May 11, 2011 at 2:50 am · filed under

Majority support renewable energy shift

GreenPages

A national poll by the Australian Conservation Foundation has found that 87% of Australians want revenue raised by taxing pollution to be invested in renewable energy innovation; and 84% want that revenue to be used to rehabilitate our environment.

posted by seamas on May 7, 2011 at 8:36 am · filed under

Garnaut recommends $26 per tonne carbon tax

ABC News

Key government climate advisor Professor Ross Garnaut has delivered his final report recommending that carbon polluters be charged $26 a tonne. If implemented, the new tax is expected to raise $11.5 billion in its first year. Professor Garnaut has advised the tax be introduced in 2015, with revenues to be divided between household and business compensation, as well as pollution reduction innovation.

posted by seamas on May 3, 2011 at 1:16 pm · filed under

Inshore fish species harmed by warming waters

CSIRO

An Australian study has found the first known negative impact of ocean warming on a fish species in the southern hemisphere. The study, published in Nature Climate Change showed harmful effects on the growth of the banded morwong, an inshore species of fish from south-east Australia and New Zealand. Growth rates of the fish actually increased with mild rises in water temperature, but at average annual water temperatures of above around 17°C the fish suffered a decline in growth, thought to be caused by physiological stress.

posted by anna on May 2, 2011 at 6:46 pm · filed under