Australian Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO biennial State of the Climate report.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO have released their fifth biennial State of the Climate report.

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State of the Climate 2018 is the latest biennial snapshot of climate change in Australia. It focuses on observed long-term trends that are happening now and are likely to continue into the near future, as well as significant climate events that have occurred over the past two years. These changes are described through the latest observations from CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology marine, atmospheric and terrestrial monitoring programs.
The report also summarises the latest climate research from Australia and around the world. This will help inform a range of economic, environmental and social risk assessments and responses by government, industry and communities.

See The Conversation Article

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Read more: State of the Climate 2016: Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO

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A Carbon Capture and Storage Plant

#carboncapture #carbonemissions #renewableenergy #climatecriminals #climatedeniers

The Conversation: Climate change: six positive news stories you probably missed this year

Climate change news can be incredibly depressing. In 2018 alone, The Conversation covered the loss of three trillion tonnes of ice in Antarctica; Brazil’s new president and why he will be disastrous for the Amazon rainforest; a rise in global CO₂ emissions; and a major IPCC report which warned we are unlikely to avoid 1.5℃ of warming. 

Then there were the rogue hurricanes, intense heatwaves, massive wildfires and the possibility we are emitting our way towards a Hothouse Earth. Global warming has left some wintery animals with mismatched camouflage, and it may even cause a global beer shortage.

But things cannot be entirely bad, can they? We asked some climate researchers to peer through the smog and highlight a few more positive stories from 2018.

See The Conversation article 

#climateaction #climatechange #animalextinction #forests #renewableenergy #solarenergy #coal

Australian Labor Party conference fails on climate and coal as Liberals’ Taylor misleads on Paris

climate emergency

The Australian Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today expressed his disappointment that Labor’s National Conference has failed to act on coal.
“It is fundamentally dishonest to move motions about the climate emergency but then have no plan to stop the burning and exporting of coal,” said Mr Bandt.

SBS News: Greens push Labor to quit fossil fuels

The Greens say fossil fuel companies' donations to Labor show it will be tough for the party to fully commit to renewable energy.

Bill Shorten has promised to make half of Australia's power renewable but the Greens say Labor wont give up on fossil fuels due to the donations it gets.

Data shows gas, oil and coal companies gave Labor $1.62 million over the past five years, including $641,000 from Woodside Energy.

"Climate change is one of the leading causes of habitat loss and extinction, yet the Labor Party is beholden to emissions-intensive polluters like Woodside, Santos and Chevron," Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says.

See SBS News article 

#politicaldonations  #LaborParty #Chevron #WoodsideEnergy #renewableenergy


 

The Guardian: The Guardian view on COP24: while climate talks continue, there is hope

"The first thing to say about the compromise struck at climate talks in Poland at the weekend is that it came as a relief. Ever since President Trump’s announcement in 2017 that the US would withdraw from the Paris agreement, the question has been whether the UN process could continue to work. Much like the communique that came out of the recent G20, the agreement on a set of rules to implement promises made in Paris shows that while multilateralism has been damaged, it is not dead. Flawed and inadequate though it is, the process that has developed since the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was signed in Rio in 1992 is still the best hope we have of staving off the most terrifying impacts of global warming. 

The sticking point of carbon credits, with new demands from Brazil regarding the treatment of forests, was pushed back to next year. But the agreement on how governments will measure and report on emissions cuts is important. The dynamic that previously pitted developing against developed countries has significantly shifted."

Read The Guardian article 

See also

UN climate accord 'inadequate' and lacks urgency, experts warn

#summitinPoland #carbonprice #forests #greenhousegaspollution #climatedeniers #carbon #unitednationsclimatetalks

Climate Change, a humorous timeline

Stop Adani Climate Action in Bellingen NSW

Stop Adani Coal Mine Climate Action in Bellingen NSW

 Bellingen does it again. Great turnout to our Waterfall Way vigil. We do this every month on market day morning.

Thank you everyone.
We will #StopAdan!

Coffs Coast Climate Action Group

 

#climate action #Adani Mine #coal #coalmine #Queensland #LaborsAdaniCoalMine #climatechange

CNBC: California clears final hurdle for state's landmark solar panel mandate for new homes

solar energy

• A requirement for new homes built in California starting in 2020 to include solar electric systems is now formally part of the state's building code.
•  
• It follows approval Tuesday by the California Building Standards Commission of a plan endorsed in May by a state energy panel.
•  
• California is the first state in the nation to mandate solar-energy installations on most single-family homes as well as multi-family residential buildings.

Read CNBC article 

#California  #solarenergy  #buildingcode #solarpanels #climateaction #climatechange

Good climate news: the fossil fuel industry is weaker than ever

Some rare good climate news: the fossil fuel industry is weaker than ever 

 If you’re looking for good news on the climate front, don’t look to the Antarctic. Last week’s spate of studies documenting that its melt rates had tripled is precisely the kind of data that underscores the almost impossible urgency of the moment.

And don’t look to Washington DC, where the unlikely survival of the EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, continues to prove the political power of the fossil fuel industry. It’s as if he’s on a reality show where the premise is to see how much petty corruption one man can get away with.

But from somewhat less likely quarters, there’s been reason this month for hope – reason, at least, to think that the basic trajectory of the world away from coal and gas and oil is firmly under way.

Read The Guardian article 

#fossilfuelindustry #1.5degrees #polaricemelt  #USA #coal #oilcompanies  #methane gas

Ways to convince people to take climate action and avoid total climate catastrophe

Climate Action Angel at rally in Coffs Harbour NSW

I was wrong. This is environmentalism’s biggest problem.

The IPCC Report has come and gone and it seems that it has now largely disappeared from the news cycle. It is likely that, in the coming years, the pace of carbon cuts will quicken, and there is a chance that the 1.5°C will be met. Convincing people to get on board, though, is much more difficult. Here’s the key problem, and a potential solution.

 Read Medium article

#climateaction #climatecatastrophe #1.5degrees, #meat, #climatedeniers, #agriculture, #farmers, #fisherfolk

NSW is most coal dependent Australian state

"We have such a long way to go! 

Doctors for the Environment Australia

Our government needs to listen to the wise voice of humanity, take the brakes off, move out of the Fossil Fuel Age and into a Healthy Planet, Healthy People future. They need to be yelling out "Bring it on" when it comes to Renewables, and they need to demand the new generation of Environmental Laws. Who dares wins!

Email Premier Berejiklian and Opposition Leader Michael Daley and
get them to get serious on clean energy and climate change @ https://www.nature.org.au/…/nsw-politicians-its-time-for-a…/

Take the Pledge to Protect our children and our future health from Climate Change @ https://notimeforgames.dea.org.au"

 #NSW #Morrison-McCormackgovernment #coalmining #coal, #health #climateaction

Australia sucks up to Trump at Poland Climate Change Conference

Australian Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said the Morrison government was sucking up to Donald Trump at the global climate change conference (the 24th Conference of the Parties) in Katowice, Poland. 

Instead of siding with countries who are serious about the transition away from coal, Australia overnight cosied up to representatives from Trump’s climate-denying administration who were spruiking fossil fuels, joining them on a panel to promote fossil fuels and Chevron’s giant Gorgon LNG project.

Climate Change: Sanjeev Gupta shows up Australian Coalition Government on energy leadership

Gupta signs up solar farm to power Victoria steelworks (RenewEconomy)

GFG's announcement to transform Whyalla into a renewable energy super power shows the Coalition Government's lack of leadership is letting Australians down.
"This is the leadership Australia needs to transition to a new, clean economy," Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Rolling Stone: The Truth About These Climate Change Numbers

"A new report shows carbon emissions are moving in the wrong direction, and we’re running out of time."

"A new report issued this week by the Global Carbon Project shows that, far from making progress, we’re going in exactly the opposite direction. After several years when global carbon emissions flatlined, giving hope to some that the turning point had come, the new report shows that carbon emissions are projected to increase by 2.7 percent in 2018. That may not sound like a lot, but given what’s at stake with our rapidly changing climate, it’s the equivalent of an alcoholic who had sworn to go cold turkey taking a couple of shots of Jack Daniels at lunch."

 #carbon #china #usa #coalmining #globalwarming #climateaction #carbondioxide #1.5 degrees

Read the Rolling Stone Article

GQ: Billionaires Are the Leading Cause of Climate Change

After the Paradise fires

This week, the United Nations released a damning report. The short version: We have about 12 years to actually do something to prevent the worst aspects of climate change. That is, not to prevent climate change—we're well past that point—but to prevent the worst, most catastrophic elements of it from wreaking havoc on the world's population. To do that, the governments of Earth need to look seriously at the forces driving it. And an honest assessment of how we got here lays the blame squarely at the feet of the 1 percent.

"Politicians Discussing Global Warming" by Isaac Cordal, a statue in Berlin

"Politicians Discussing Global Warming" by Isaac Cordal, a statue in Berlin

See also: Billionaires are a leading cause of climate change

World Economic Forum: Climate change is speeding up. Our response needs to be even faster

There is no more room in the atmosphere for our carbon.pollution

"The race is on. This northern summer’s deadly, record-breaking heatwaves and wildfires leave us in no doubt that the impacts of global warming are accelerating, in many cases much faster than scientists predicted. 

One of the most important, but least understood, aspects of the Paris Agreement is that it legally obliges every country to deepen its emission reduction targets every five years. I call this five-yearly cycle the Agreement’s beating heart, because it provides the life force for achieving the temperature goals that will keep the worst impacts of global warming at bay."

Read the WEF article 

 #carbon #china #usa #coalmining #globalwarming #climateaction #carbondioxide #1.5 degrees

The Guardian: Gina Rinehart company revealed as $4.5m donor to climate sceptic thinktank

"Billionaire’s company gave significant donations to the Institute of Public Affairs in 2016 and 2017

Australia’s richest person, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, has been revealed as a key funder of the rightwing thinktank the Institute of Public Affairs – a consistent promoter of climate science scepticism.

Rinehart’s company, Hancock Prospecting, donated $2.3m to the IPA in 2016 and $2.2m in 2017, according to disclosures made to the New South Wales supreme court."

Read The Guardian article 

 #carbon #china #usa #coalmining #globalwarming #climateaction #carbondioxide #1.5 degrees

BBC News: Climate change: COP24 fails to adopt key scientific report

"Attempts to incorporate a key scientific study into global climate talks in Poland have failed. 

The IPCC report on the impacts of a temperature rise of 1.5C, had a significant impact when it was launched last October.

Scientists and many delegates in Poland were shocked as the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait objected to this meeting "welcoming" the report."

Read BBC News article 

Related: Australia's silence during climate change debate shocks COP24 delegates

WEF: Climate change is making our food less nutritious

Vital crops from wheat to rice are at risk of becoming less nutritious due to rising carbon levels.

Image: REUTERS/Desmond Boylan DB/jk

"Rising carbon emissions could make vital food crops from wheat to rice less nutritious and endanger the health of hundreds of millions of the world's poorest, scientists said on Monday.

Certain staple crops grown in open fields with elevated carbon dioxide levels had up to 17 percent lower levels of protein, iron and zinc compared to those grown amid less of the gas, according to a study in the journal Nature Climate Change."

Read WEF article.

NY Times | The Depravity of Climate-Change Denial

Aftermath Paradise Fires

Risking civilization for profit, ideology and ego.

The Trump administration is, it goes without saying, deeply anti-science. In fact, it’s anti-objective reality. But its control of the government remains limited; it didn’t extend far enough to prevent the release of the latest National Climate Assessment, which details current and expected future

impacts of global warming on the United States.

Washington Post: It’s time to face the inescapable truth: We’re running out of time on climate change

THE WORLD is heading in the wrong direction, and it does not have much time left to change course. After several years in which global greenhouse-gas emissions leveled off, they spiked to record 

levels this year, according to projections a group of scientists released Wednesday. Along with some major developing nations, emissions in the United States are projected to grow substantially. So much for all those assurances that the market would take care of the problem.

The news comes just after the United Nations released a report finding that climate change will disrupt human society, kill many people and permanently reshape the Earth unless stemmed aggressively, and soon.

Read The Washington Post article

Read more:

Max Boot: I was wrong on climate change. Why can’t other conservatives admit it, too?

Eugene Robinson: Climate change is real. Welcome to the new normal.

Robert J. Samuelson: We’re on mission impossible to solve global warming

 

Australian Senate calls on Government to admit Paris failings

The Senate has backed the Australian Greens' motion calling on the Government to make a clear statement about its inaction on climate change.
"It is time for this anti-science Government to front up to the fact they are failing the nation and the planet," Greens environment spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young

said.

"Enough is enough. Scientists have made it very clear that we must reduce pollution and transition out of fossil fuels. If not, we will sink further and further into dangerous climate crisis. Australia has a responsibility to act for its citizens, environment and the planet. The Morrison Government is in denial and the Senate has called it out.

Major parties ignore climate change impacts on the Murray

J.Buckingham MLC in Darling River

The Labor and Liberal parties have refused to support including the impacts of climate change in the flawed Murray Darling Basin Plan in the Senate today.
"Labor says they're taking climate change seriously, but they refuse to acknowledge it affects the Murray Darling Basin," Greens water spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

Video / The Guardian: David Attenborough: collapse of civilisation is on the horizon

"Naturalist tells leaders at UN climate summit that fate of world is in their hands.

The collapse of civilisation and the natural world is on the horizon, Sir David Attenborough has told the UN climate change summit in Poland.

The naturalist was chosen to represent the world’s people in addressing delegates of almost 200 nations who are in Katowice to negotiate how to turn pledges made in the 2015 Paris climate deal into reality."

Read The Guardian article 

Related: Coal, coal, coal and soaring emissions – as a Liberal, I have had enough

Related:  It is time for a green rebellion

Video: Climate Scientists Reveal Their Fears For The Future

ABC News (Australia)

Climate scientists rarely speak publicly about their personal views. But in the wake of some extreme weather events in Australia, the specialists who make predictions about our climate reveal they're experiencing sometimes deep anxieties. 

Published on Jun 27, 2017

Climate scientists rarely speak publicly about their personal views. But in the wake of some extreme weather events in Australia, the specialists who make predictions about our climate reveal they're experiencing sometimes deep anxieties.

Video: UN Secretary-General António Guterres calls for global action on climate change

"Climate Change is the defining issue of our time and we are at a defining moment. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. 
Without drastic action today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly."

Read more

Take Climate Action Messenger Bot

"Take Climate Action

We will only succeed in limiting climate change if everyone is involved. On 3 December, the United Nations will launch a new campaign- a Climate Action Messenger Bot (link opens Facebook Messenger) on the United Nations Facebook page during the UN Climate Conference COP24 in Katowice, Poland - to make it easier than ever before for people to learn what actions they can take to tackle climate change. Be part of a movement and show your support for urgent climate action! 

Every climate action that we take, no matter how insignificant it may seem, matters a lot when a lot of people do them. If many people take actions that will reduce emissions, it will add up. And it will send a message to leaders, in government and the private sector, that people want climate action, and are willing to take it."


Read the full press release about the campaign here.

Tropical Rainforest Burning!!!!!!! It's happening now!

"What does the first-ever catastrophic fire warning in Queensland look like? This is what's left of rainforest at Eungella, in tropical north Queensland near Mackay.

Climate damage, here, now."

Australian Government must heed Attenborough climate warning says Bandt

Australian Greens climate and energy spokesperson, Adam Bandt MP, says the Australian government must heed Sir David Attenborough’s warning that climate change is a threat to human civilisation.

Mr Bandt also called on the Australian government to avoid being a wrecker at the climate conference.

Attenborough’s warning came in the opening sessions of the UN global climate summit in Katowice, Poland. The representatives of the world’s countries are seeking agreement on the ‘rulebook’ that will implement the Paris Agreement to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees.

BBC: Climate change: 'World at crossroads' warning as key talks begin

Four senior figures behind efforts to limit climate change have warned that the planet "is at a crossroads" as key talks opened a day early in Poland. 

"In a rare move, four former presidents of the United Nations-sponsored talks called for decisive action.

The meeting in Katowice is the most critical on climate change since the 2015 Paris agreement. 

Experts say that drastic cuts in emissions will be needed if the world is to reach targets agreed in Paris."

Go to BBC site

Mother Jones: 19 of 20 World Leaders Just Pledged to Fight Climate Change. Trump Was the Lone Holdout.

“The United States reiterates its decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.”

It is telling that on two of the most contentious topics at the Buenos Aires Group of 20 meeting, the United States eventually joined 19 other world leaders on trade, but when it comes to climate change, President Donald Trump remained firmly alone in his belief that it is a hoax. 

Read the Mother Jones article

Geoengineering is a last-ditch option to stall global warming

Geoengineering is a last-ditch option to stall global warming — and it’s getting a first test

Harvard researchers want to see what adding calcium carbonate could do to the stratosphere.

"And while solar geoengineering helps address the temperature issues related to global warming, that’s hardly the only concern with climate change. As Irfan notes, geoengineering could threaten crop yields by reducing crops’ access to sunlight, and it does not address ocean acidification, a significant environmental threat associated with climate change.

But if the world continues on its current emissions path, we might have to choose, in 2030 or 2040 or 2050, between the (quite bad) option of geoengineering and the (also quite bad) option of enduring and adapting to the effects of large-scale global warming. And the Harvard experiment could help us understand which of those two bad options would be worse."

Read full Vox article 

Vox: Here are 10 ways to accelerate progress against climate change and a simple guide to the climate policies that work.

EJA: Response to ASIC report on climate risk disclosure

By Madeleine Egan    September 20, 2018

"Today ASIC released its report Climate risk disclosure by Australia’s listed companies. ASIC reiterated that the law requires the directors of a listed entity to publish an Operating and Financial Review in an annual report that includes a discussion of climate risk when it could affect the entity’s achievement of its financial performance or disclosed outcomes."

Read full EJA article 

NYT: How Wildfires Are Making Some California Homes Uninsurable

"California’s wildfires keep growing bigger, more frequent and more destructive. Of the 20 worst wildfires in state history, four were just last year, giving rise to a record $12.6 billion of insurance claims.

It hasn’t gotten any better this year. The Mendocino Complex Fire in August was the biggest in state history, and the Camp Fire that wiped out the town of Paradise is the deadliest. It had destroyed nearly 12,000 homes as of Monday morning.

This has put pressure on property insurers, some of which have been declining to renew homeowners’ policies in fire-prone areas. When the houses that burned this year are rebuilt, their owners may find that no one is writing insurance there — at least not at affordable prices."

Nov. 20, 2018

Read the NYT article

The Guardian: Climate change is the biggest threat to our futures, not striking from school

"We are walking out for a day to send the Australian government a message: you can no longer pretend we are not here

"This month, hundreds of children are going on strike from school to demand urgent action on climate change. From rural Victoria to Townsville, we are walking out of school for a day or more to tell our politicians to listen to us and protect our futures."


Read The Guardian article

Students strike for climate change protests, defying calls to stay in school

 

Australian Students Stage School Strikes Over Climate Change Inaction

 

Protest in Melbourne - From NY Times