By Helen Davidson 3 March 2014 (theguardian.com) – Doctors have warned of serious health risks to people living around the Morwell coalmine fire, due to a carcinogenic air pollutant reaching levels up to 20 times the average level. The Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) group, which spoke to a rally of Morwell residents on […]
By Elisabeth Behrmann 25 February 2014 (Bloomberg News) – Lend Lease Group, Australia’s biggest listed property developer, won’t take part in a planned coal terminal expansion close to the Great Barrier Reef after a mandate for the project lapsed. Lend Lease is no longer part of the AP-X expansion at the port of Abbot Point, […]
By Lenore Taylor17 February 2014 (theguardian.com) – The Abbott government has appointed a self-professed climate sceptic to head an “extensive” review of the renewable energy target. Dick Warburton, a veteran industrialist and current chairman of the Westfield Retail Trust, described his views on climate science in a 2011 interview on ABC. “Well I am a […]
By Katie Valentine13 February 2014 (Climate Progress) – The Earth’s oceans are warming rapidly, absorbing about 90 percent of the heat created by anthropogenic climate change. Now, new research shows that this heat has caused “almost unprecedented” damage to ancient corals of the coast of Western Australia. The research, which has yet to be published […]
By Holli Riebeek11 February 2014 (NASA) – With high temperatures and strong winds, fire conditions reached dangerous levels on February 8-9, 2014, in the Australian state of Victoria. Several large bushfires burned in and around Snowy River National Park, producing dense clouds of smoke. The largest of the fires, Yalmy, had burned 79,893 hectares as […]
By Bridie Jabour 3 February 2014 (theguardian.com) – Two of the board members of the authority that approved the dumping of 3 million cubic metres of dredging spoil in the Great Barrier Reef waters are still involved in an investigation for potential conflicts of interest, including links to mining companies. The environment minister, Greg Hunt, […]
By Lucy Cormack13 January 2014 (Sydney Morning Herald) – Australia’s standing as the home among the gumtrees could be challenged, with increased climate stress causing extensive change to Australia’s eucalypt ecosystems. A study by the National Environmental Research Program’s Environmental Decisions Hub has found that climate stress on eucalypts will mean many of Australia’s 750 […]
By Valerie Craig 30 January 2014 (National Geographic) – There was great news out of Mexico this week when the Mexican government announced a permanent ban on fishing for great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). The measure applies to national waters on both coasts and is notable because it means that white sharks caught accidentally – […]
2 February 2014 (SSCS) – At approximately 0650 AEDT today, the Bob Barker was hit by the Japanese whaling fleet’s harpoon vessel, the Yushin Maru No. 2, as the harpoon vessel crossed in front of the bow of the Sea Shepherd ship at 67° 29′ S 164° 01′ W. The incident is a part of […]
By Jackson Gothe-Snape 3 February 2014 (The Advertiser) – Australia’s stifling heatwaves are threatening to make summer Australia’s deadliest season, experts have warned, as Adelaide sweltered through its hottest February day on record Sunday. Sixty-six people affected by heat stress have presented to South Australian hospitals since Thursday and ten have been admitted for treatment […]
