The Week That Was - July 10 2013

This week – Mr Abbott launches his green army, the discussion around ETS vs carbon price continues, as do discussions around the implications of both. Yet more on what impacts are likely if we don’t fix climate change, and - are we soon to see the end of climate deniers being given air time?

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"As well as climate change, important though that is, we have very big environmental challenges much nearer to home."
Tony Abbott, Leader of the Opposition

New research tells us that our power usage is down on the Eastern coast of Australia and that that is due to the price on carbon.

Despite the cut of 12.2 million tones of carbon emissions in the electricity sector, after only one year of the price on carbon, Mr Abbott reckons he has a better idea. Gee doesn’t he look comfortable behind that tree.

Climate Leader Alex White has his own version of what Mr Abbott’s plans are about – published here.

In parallel, Prime Minister Rudd continues his mission to replace the carbon price with an emissions trading scheme. Meantime there is speculation on fellow Liberal party member Malcolm Turnbull and his thinking on the matter.

And in South Australia, leading clean energy industry figures tell the federal government that it should expand its clean energy programs to ensure the future of the renewable energy sector. While David Ritter pens his latest observations on Australia’s climate policy - under the title the coal industry vs everyone else.

Here is something to cheer us up at this slightly gloomy moment in the proceedings!

Now back to the harsh realities at hand. We probably all know this already – but here is the most recent piece written about how we are all going to get MORE hot an bothered if we live in the city. Parts of Sydney will be up to 3.7 degrees hotter by the year 2050… oh well, just another reason why you should live in Melbourne and not Sydney J

It’s not only city slickers who are going to feel temperatures rising. In regional areas, too, you will notice the temperature will rise, we are told.

A new study shows almost half of Antarctic krill offspring would struggle to survive in vast regions of the Southern Ocean if carbon emissions continue unchecked, according to climate study projections. And so say researchers at the Australian Antarctic Division.

If you are reading this, I think I can safely assume that you are not allowing the topic of climate change to slip into the background – nonetheless this piece in The Conversation is an interesting, and timely, read…

And while Maurice Newman, ex ABC Chair, seems to still have plenty of clout to expose his views against anything renewable - this give me hope.

Stay warm and ready for more of The Week That Was next week! Bye for now.



Image: Hot day in the city (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)