NSW has recorded 12,228 new cases and 14 deaths in the past 24 hours.
There are 2,027 people in hospital and of those, 60 are in ICU.
Continue reading...Citizen science survey should aid knowledge of populations, including that of small tortoiseshell ‘missing’ from buddleias
The apparent alarming absence of butterflies feeding on buddleia flowers this summer will be tested by the launch of the world’s largest insect survey.
People are being urged to take part in the Big Butterfly Count today to help discover if anecdotal reports of a lack of butterflies reflect a wider reality across Britain this summer.
Continue reading...Albanese hails Pacific Island Leaders Forum a success but Fiji’s prime minister says Australia must end its ‘fossil fuel addiction’
Pacific leaders have welcomed Australia’s “renewed commitment” on climate change and interest in co-hosting a United Nations climate summit with Pacific nations, as Anthony Albanese heralds a successful reset of relationships in the region.
At the close of the Pacific Islands Forum in Suva on Thursday, leaders emerged on time and smiling from their daylong leaders’ retreat, before cutting a cake with a ceremonial sword and posing for a selfie when Albanese pulled out his phone.
Continue reading...A Pew survey found more Americans favor stricter environmental laws and regulations – even at an economic cost
More than 80% of Democrats think the government is not doing enough to tackle the climate crisis, according to a large nationwide survey that found younger voters across both parties are most frustrated with the pace of political action on green issues.
Overall, Americans are largely split along party lines in how they view Joe Biden’s record on pressing climate and environmental challenges like clean water and air quality, according to the Pew Research Center survey of more than 10,000 adults.
Continue reading...Temperatures of over 40C cause red alert in the city and test records as heatwave ravages parts of Europe
China’s most populous city, Shanghai, has issued its highest alert for extreme heat for the third time this summer as sweltering temperatures repeatedly tested records this week.
The commercial and industrial hub of 25 million people declared a red alert on Thursday, warning of expected temperatures of at least 40C (104F) in the next 24 hours. Temperatures soared as high as 40.6 C in the afternoon but fell short of Wednesday’s 40.9 C, which matched a 2017 record.
Continue reading...Greens call for moratorium on new oil and gas projects as some independents urge Labor not to rush major policy for political reasons
The minister for climate change, Chris Bowen, is under intensifying pressure to beef up the government’s proposed legislation enshrining emissions reduction targets, with the Greens and some independents declaring the current commitments inadequate.
Bowen met on Thursday with climate focused independent MPs and representatives from the Greens to share a draft of the bill he will introduce during the first sitting week of the new parliament. He has invited MPs and senators to suggest amendments or ideas over the coming days.
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Continue reading...The International Monetary Fund could downgrade its expectations for global economic growth this month.
Its head Kristalina Georgieva has hinted as much, saying the war in Ukraine, higher than expected inflation and the Covid pandemic are to blame.
As G20 ministers and central bank governors gather in Bali this week, they face a global economic outlook that has darkened significantly.
Recent indicators imply a weak second quarter – and we will be projecting a further downgrade to global growth for both 2022 and 2023 in our World Economic Outlook Update later this month.
Continue reading...Adam Bandt vows to push Albanese government ‘further and faster’ on emissions reduction
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, says the party’s support for the government’s climate legislation may hinge on whether it continues to back new fossil fuel projects, vowing to push Labor to go “further and faster” on its emission reduction goals.
Hitting back at the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, after he suggested the government would not negotiate with the Greens to pass the legislation through the Senate, Bandt accused Labor of being the “only obstacle” to greater climate ambition in the new parliament.
Continue reading...Mahmoud Mohieldin tells Sydney audience Egypt talks will need to get from ‘summits to solutions’ amid increasing wild weather
Mahmoud Mohieldin, the United Nations climate change high-level champion for Egypt, says November’s Cop27 summit must focus on adapting to life in a changing climate and grapple with finance for loss and damage given the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
Mohieldin told the Sydney Energy Forum on Wednesday adaptation had been “forgotten for many years” at UN climate conferences “because of a generous assumption that we are going to be doing fantastically well on mitigation, so nobody should worry about adaptation”.
Continue reading...Cockroach alert at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane
As the Maroons and Blues prepare to face off in the State of Origin final decider tonight, another showdown is occurring between the SES and the “influx” of cockroaches in the stadium where the final will take place.
To be very clear, my government has not made this decision, this is a decision that was inherited from the former government and state governments.
I’d encourage concession cardholders to go and get the 10 free rapid antigen tests that they’re eligible for by the end of this month. There’s still a lot of time to go and do that. Of course, on top of that, there are free rapid antigen tests available in aged care facilities, across a range of areas as well in addition to that.
Continue reading...Eleven nations least responsible for global heating must spend up to 22% of GDP on dealing with effects of it
African countries that are the least responsible for the climate crisis will have to spend up to five times more on adapting to global heating than they do on healthcare.
Analysis of 11 nations with a total population of more than 350 million lays bare the huge financial toll of taking action to avert the severe environmental consequences of global heating.
Continue reading...The region’s worst drought in 70 years is expected to hit crop yields significantly, driving up prices by as much as 50%
Supplies of olive oil, risotto rice and passata are under threat as northern Italy suffers its worst drought in 70 years, stirring up the cost of living crisis further.
Specialist importers are preparing for price rises of as much as 50% or more for rice and tomatoes and are considering looking for new sources of supply, after growers in the Po valley, the home of arborio rice used in risotto, warned of a “significant reduction” in crop yields this year.
Continue reading...At least 86 Chinese cities issue alerts, while temperatures soar in south-west and central US and Iberian peninsula
Dangerous heatwaves are engulfing parts of China, Europe, south-west and central US this week, as dozens of cities have found themselves dealing with soaring summer temperatures.
By Tuesday afternoon, at least 86 Chinese cities in eastern and southern parts of the country had issued heat alerts. Chinese meteorologists forecast temperatures in some cities would top 40C (104F) in the next 24 hours.
Continue reading...Payments extended to eight more local government areas and sped up to prioritise victims over auditing; free Covid rapid tests for concession card holders to end this month. This blog is now closed
A new campaign has launched today to tackle racism by the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Chin Tan, the race discrimination commissioner, was on ABC Radio this morning discussing the campaign he says calls on all Australians to reflect on the causes and impacts of racism, not only on its victims but Australia’s collective wellbeing as a society.
Continue reading...Electricity demand expected to surpass supply as temperatures hit triple digits, shattering records
Texans sweltering under record temperatures and high humidity have been urged to conserve energy as the power grid struggles to cope with a surge in demand.
An extreme heatwave across the south-west and central US has led to searing temperatures since Friday, with heat warnings in place for millions of Americans until at least midweek.
Continue reading...Prime minister will open international forum in Sydney, saying the Indo-Pacific faces ‘enormous’ challenges but also opportunities
Anthony Albanese will declare Australia has now rejoined the ranks of “trusted global partner” on climate action while committing his government to finding common ground across the Indo-Pacific to address both the climate crisis and the emerging economic opportunity of the clean energy revolution.
The prime minister will open the Sydney Energy Forum on Tuesday before travelling to the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji, where he hopes to progress Australia’s proposal to co-host a United Nations climate summit with Pacific neighbours.
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Continue reading...Parliament approves measures to use mothballed sites to produce electricity and preserve gas supplies
Germany’s two houses of parliament have passed emergency legislation to reactivate mothballed coal-fired power plants in order to support electricity generation amid fears of gas shortages as Russia curbs capacity.
The move has been described as “painful but necessary” by the government’s environmentalist economics minister, Robert Habeck. It has the backing of leading Greens in the coalition government, who argue it is needed as a short-term crisis management tool.
Continue reading...Washburn fire is burning near southern portion of the park, Mariposa Grove, home to over 500 mature giant sequoias
Yosemite national park has been partially closed as firefighters try to contain a wildfire that has now stretched across more than 60 acres.
The Washburn fire is burning near the southern portion of the park, Mariposa Grove, which is home to more than 500 mature giant sequoias in the park, officials said.
Continue reading...Warmer conditions around the western Pacific have led to torrential rain and burst rivers
Dangerous and widespread flooding has been widely reported over the past week in eastern parts of Australia, particularly New South Wales. Tens of thousands of people have been forced from their homes after incessant torrential rain led to significant flooding from burst rivers.
The central Pacific Ocean is currently in a weakening “La Niña” state, whereby sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific are lower than normal, while in the western Pacific, particularly around Indonesia and eastern Australia, they are warmer than normal. This increased warmth in the latter raises moisture content and tends to lead to wetter conditions. This has been the driver for the huge volumes of rain witnessed over the past few days, generated by a series of Pacific storms.
Continue reading...Pacific Elders Voice also called for Australia to end gas and coal developments ahead of Pacific Islands Forum
Former Pacific leaders have called for “urgent actions” to reduce global carbon emissions, including a commitment to no new coal or gas projects as Anthony Albanese prepares to travel to Fiji for the most important diplomatic regional meeting in the Pacific.
A group of former leaders of Pacific island nations, called Pacific Elders Voice, have called for accelerated efforts to move beyond coal and gas, and for new finance to be made available for loss and damage caused by the climate crisis, in the foreword to a new report released today by the Australia-based Climate Council.
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