Crikey » ENVIRONMENT

The trans-Tasman cat fight: why Fluffy has to go

Crikey — Fri, 24 May 2013 01:49:54 +0000

Wandering cats are a menace to native birds and wildlife, but the cat "right to life" lobby is preventing them being euthanased. Gareth Morgan and Geoff Simmons of NZ's Morgan Foundation want a cat crackdown.

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Fishing through memories of catching the Flathead Mullet

Northern Myth — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:22:12 +0000

On the southern Gold Coast men still go down to the sea in small boats to catch the Flathead Mullet. Peter Shaw reflects on fishing, drinking goon and telling stories.

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Europe, Australia and the slow death of carbon trading

Crikey — Thu, 23 May 2013 23:15:01 +0000

Europe’s carbon pricing woes cast further doubt on the credibility of Australia’s scheme and on Treasury’s revenue forecasts. Climate change law research Fergus Green writes at Inside Story.

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What if Nick Xenophon decides our carbon future?

Tristan Edis — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:43:04 +0000

If Nick Xenophon holds the balance of power in the Senate after the election, climate change policy will get very interesting. Here's one possible scenario -- which sees an ETS return, but in a different form.

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Critics cry fowl over arsenic levels in chicken

elsewhere — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:27:02 +0000

Crikey Clarifier: why is the EU carbon scheme hitting our budget?

Crikey — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:53:50 +0000

Europe's low carbon price hit Australia's budget last week in a big way. Erwin Jackson from the Climate Institute explains why, and looks at what might happen next.

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Sydney spinners sail to King Island for anti-turbine fight

Andrew Crook — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:34:30 +0000

The PR war over wind turbines on King Island is heating up as professional operatives jump on board. Ben Haslem and John Wells are backing the No TasWind Farm Group to run the project off the island.

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A free kick for Abbott? Carbon accounting for Direct Action

Tristan Edis — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:32:25 +0000

A change to the way Australia’s emissions are accounted for could make it a lot easier for us to meet our 2020 emissions reduction target. It may prove to be a big gift to the Coalition.

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Climate: sweeping cuts to programs — and more to come?

Cathy Alexander — Wed, 15 May 2013 02:53:23 +0000

The budget has axed $2.4 billion from climate programs as the government compensates for a likely big drop in revenue from the carbon price from 2015. And there might be much bigger cuts to come next year.

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Crikey Clarifier: why is the Great Barrier Reef in danger?

Crikey Intern — Thu, 09 May 2013 01:26:31 +0000

UNESCO has held off putting the Great Barrier Reef on its endangered list -- for now. Crikey intern Sasha Petrova finds out why the reef's in trouble and what the next steps are.

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Bird of the week: the beauty of the Burrowing Owl

Northern Myth — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:13:40 +0000

Driving around the bottom end of south-eastern California, Bob Gosford spent a day observing Burrowing Owls, which feature significantly in North American culture and religion.

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The dirty secret of fossil fuels: more expensive than you think

Crikey — Thu, 02 May 2013 01:29:43 +0000

Fossil fuel fans say we can't afford to switch over to renewables. But maybe we can't afford not to. Laura Eadie, research director for the Centre for Policy Development's Sustainable Economy Program, reports.

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PromiseWatch 2013: climate change and carbon pricing

Andrew Crook — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:52:59 +0000

Crikey's PromiseWatch project shifts its gaze to climate change.

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Buzz from the Right is wrong, to bee sure

Guy Rundle — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:17:11 +0000

European bees are disappearing, and the buzz from politicians is out of line. The politics of ecological protection are fascinating, writes Crikey's man in London.

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Curbing population to cut emissions lazy and damaging

Bernard Keane — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:24:42 +0000

Curbing population growth will reduce Australia's greenhouse emissions but at a profound economic cost -- and it won't decarbonise our emissions-intensive economy. There's a more viable solution.

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Why business wants the carbon price to stay

Tristan Edis — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:14:47 +0000

With questions hanging over the Coalition's climate policy, it's becoming obvious the business community wants the carbon price to stay. Here's four reasons why ...

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Authorities examine complaint against anti-wind farm activist

Amber Jamieson — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:54:46 +0000

Prominent anti-wind farm activist Sarah Laurie is being examined by the National Health and Medical Research Council's ethics committee regarding claims she has breached ethical research codes.

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Population v environment: the problems with a Big Australia

Crikey — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 02:46:36 +0000

Australia's population growth is exacerbating problems with traffic congestion, water, waste disposal, queues for healthcare and easy access to fresh food, argues academic Jonathan Sobels.

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The dirty little secret to tackling climate change

Cathy Alexander — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:51:58 +0000

Recent data shows that without Australia's population boom, we'd probably have greenhouse gas emissions under control. So why is no one talking about whether an Australia of 62 million is environmentally sustainable?

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Hold the panic over the EU carbon price plunge

Tristan Edis — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 01:48:38 +0000

Claims Australia's carbon price is in terrible trouble due to the price plunge in Europe's carbon scheme need to be seen for what they are. Australia's polluters have a sweet deal from our carbon price, and they know it.

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Don’t blame the greenies: the real reason for timber decline

Crikey — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 03:00:45 +0000

Australia's native forest industry simply cannot compete in the global marketplace. Handing over more taxpayer-funded assistance will not solve the problem, writes ANU associate professorAndrew Macintosh.

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Could North Korea nuke Australia? (Yes, but don’t worry)

Crikey — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 01:38:05 +0000

North Korea is beating its chest about its nuclear potential. So would the rogue state have the capacity to bomb Australia? Freelance writer David Donaldson asks some big questions.

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Margaret Thatcher: a climate warrior?

Crikey — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:27:15 +0000

Margaret Thatcher was much hated by the Left for her economic policies, warmongering and union-busting. But Jon Dee says she did a great deal towards starting the fight against climate change.

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Climate lunacy, or how Bolt can’t read a graph

Mark Latham — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 01:51:54 +0000

How can Andrew Bolt point to a graph as showing a "pause" in global warming, when it unequivocally shows the opposite? He's a propagandist of the highest order.

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How I got my gun licence and joined the duck hunters — in protest

Crikey — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:05:35 +0000

Writer and environmental activist Debbie Lustig wasn't allowed to join the Victorian duck hunt without a gun licence and licence to hunt waterfowl. So she got both, and headed off with the hunters -- in protest.

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