Whimsical travels into the Anthropocene

Random informal thoughts on travel, politics and climate change

[takvera]

Where are the trees to shade new bikepath at Merlynston?

“At last the Merlynston station bikepath is open again from the Shorts Rd crossing and Ararat Ave. But the tree plantings only go a short way. 

Where are the trees providing shade past the station, Dad? 

Don’t the landscapers understand #UrbanHeat and need for canopy shade given the #ClimateCrisis? 

No trees to Boundary Road. Sheeesh. 

What a dog’s breakfast in failing urban #ClimateAdaptation.”

[takvera]

DNA from Turquet’s octopus helping us understand West Antactic Ice Sheet collapse

Hidden within an Antarctic octopus genetics and DNA is a story of West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse at global temperatures similar to today, about 125,000 years ago during the Interglacial period.

Turquet’s octopus has been living around the Antarctic continent for about 4 million years. Collapse of the West Antarctic Ice sheet would create a deep channel from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea. The loss of the West Antactic Ice Sheet would entail 3 to 4 metres of global sea level rise. There would also likley be ice loss from East Antarctica contributing to sea level rise.

"scientists say they detected clear signs that, about 125,000 years ago, some octopus populations on opposite sides of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet had mixed together, with the only likely route being a seaway between the south Weddell Sea and the Ross Sea."

“That could only have happened if the ice sheet had completely collapsed,” said Dr Sally Lau, a geneticist at James Cook University.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/05/clue-to-rising-sea-levels-lies-in-dna-of-4m-year-old-octopus-scientists-say 

[takvera]

India pledges $US4 billion for energy transition in 2023 budget

India pledges $4 billion for green energy to cut carbon emissions, including allocation to Green hydrogen production.

But researchers say much more is needed to achieve the country’s climate goals of Net-zero by 2070. Read more.... https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00285-w

[takvera]

Warmer climate may drive fungi to be more dangerous to our health

A new study out of Duke finds that raised temperatures cause a pathogenic fungus known as Cryptococcus deneoformans to turn its adaptive responses into overdrive. Heat increases its number of genetic changes, some of which might presumably lead to higher heat resistance, and others perhaps toward greater disease-causing potential. This may ring a bell with viewers of the new HBO series “The Last of Us,” but minus the zombie part.

A new study out of Duke finds that raised temperatures cause a pathogenic fungus known as Cryptococcus deneoformans to turn its adaptive responses into overdrive. Heat increases its number of genetic changes, some of which might presumably lead to higher heat resistance, and others perhaps toward greater disease-causing potential. This may ring a bell with viewers of the new HBO series “The Last of Us,” but minus the zombie part.

[takvera]

Liberals unveil plan for 600km of bikepaths for Western Sydney

NSW Minister for Active Transport Rob Stokes announces blueprint for 600km of cycling pathways in Western Sydney from the $950 million active transport budget.

“This is a blueprint for bike lanes that maps out 58 corridors stretching from Box Hill to Burwood, down to Macarthur and back up to Western Sydney Airport and Penrith, transforming the way Western Sydney families travel,” Stokes said.

Given the approaching NSW election on 25 March I hope NSW Labor matches this commitment given the necessity to ramp up active transport infrastructure to reduce Transport Emissions. Conversion to EVs is not enough to decarbonise transport. Public Transport and cycling are important modes to encourage change in mobility behaviours.

There is no timeframe or timeline for rolling out construction of these strategic cycling corridors. While this planning is essential, construction needs to be prioritised by Transport for NSW and Local Councils.

References:

Transport for NSW, 2 Feb 2023, Western Sydney wins big with bike blueprint https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/media-releases/western-sydney-wins-big-bike-blueprint

NSW Strategic cycling corridor network plans are available: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/operations/walking-and-bike-riding/strategic-cycleway-corridors 

[takvera]

Time to Dump Santos from Tour Down Under, we need fossil fuel free ethical sports sponsorship

We need ethical sports sponsorship when it comes to the Climate Crisis, and the professional cycling Pro tour especially so.

Extinction Rebellion’s Tour Down Under protests should be a wake-up call for cycling. 

Tennis Australia and the Science Schools Project have both dropped Santos as a sponsor, so why hasn't the Tour Down Under?

https://www.bikeradar.com/features/opinion/extinction-rebellion-tour-down-under/

[takvera]

Climate change ramping up EL Nino severity

After the flood: what an El Niño might mean for Australia’s ecosystems. Graham Readfearn's latest article.

The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are getting more extreme with climate change. The above graph charts the cyclic nature of El Nino/La Nina set against the rising temperature trend of global warming. La Nina years are now hotter than El Nino years from just a decade ago. 

The odds are that we may get a year or two of El Nino after 3 years of La Nina, although we won’t know for sure until after the autumn predictability barrier for the next cycle.

🔥 Dr Wenju Cai, a CSIRO ENSO expert on LaNina/ElNino, said climate models are suggesting that as the world keeps warming, there will be more extreme La Niñas and El Niños, less neutral years, and their impacts will be more extreme. “Heatwaves are worse and droughts are longer, deeper and harder to break,"

🔥 Dr Andrew King says as the climate warms, an El Niño “will really increase the chance of a record hot year globally.”

🔥 Dr Bowman highlighted Rising Bushfire risk after 3 La Niña years stimulating vegetation growth.

🐠 2022 saw the first Mass coral Bleaching event in a La Nina Year. Expect more decline in coral reef ecosystems, especially with El Nino.

After the flood: what an El Niño might mean for Australia’s ecosystems, 22 January 2023, The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jan/22/after-the-flood-what-an-el-nino-might-mean-for-australias-ecosystems

#ENSO #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #Bushfire #CoralBleaching #ElNino

[takvera]

Climate Scientist Ed Hawkins has mapped the global temperature trend from 1850 to 2022. Twitter Thread. “It is the increase of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that is the dominant cause of the warming. The sun has got slightly dimmer overall during the past 50 years when the warming has been most rapid.”

[takvera]

Priority needed to address tree canopy over Melbourne footpaths and bikepaths

In Melbourne's hot summer with urban heat island boosting temperatures that are also increasing due to climate change, local and State Governments need to improve tree canopy shade over footpaths and bikepaths. It is a matter of heat health and social equity.

Ben Rossiter from Victoria Walks said all levels of government should invest in planting trees around footpaths to encourage walking.

"We need to prioritise tree planting particularly routes to school, routes to public transport and to local shops," he said. "Older walkers, people with disabilities, families with young children all tend to walk slower, they need shade because they'll be out in the sun longer," he said.

"In disadvantaged areas, people have fewer transport options so walking is really central and if walking is unappealing they lose options for social connections but also they can't get to schools, work and shops."

#Urbanheat #heatwave #TreeCanopy #heathealth #ClimateChange #UHIE #urbanForest #VictoriaWalks #ClimateAdaptation

ABC, Even in Melbourne's leafy councils, some suburbs are battling to find the shade https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-15/melbourne-heat-island-tree-canopy-cover-banyule/101808170 

[takvera]

Saturday 14 January 2023. It’s 6pm and 38.1C at Bonwick Street shops in Fawkner (Melbourne). The Asphalt road spot temperature is 60C, the white concrete footpath is 52.5C in the sun and 44C in the shade, the white paint on the zebra crossing 55C. Ambient temperature has been above 31C in Fawkner since midday. Think I’ll go home now and enjoy the air con with Juliet and Jones Update: It is a nice 21.4C in my air-conditioned dining room at home. But upstairs in my bedroom (with window shutter over the window) the temperature is 32C. The west wall spot temperature is 31.6C. Ceiling is 32C. Bed Room is still at 31C at midnight. The Townhouse was only built in 2010, with the minimum insulation as per building regulations, no roof cavity. We need to do so much better at building design and construction to adapt to rising temperatures due to climate change. It is a matter of human health and adaptation.

[takvera]

Heatwave stretches across southern Australia while Monsoonal rains chill the north

“

13 January Mardie in NW Australia rose to 48.3C, new worldwide highest temperature of 2023.

Temperatures set to drop and while this temperature can still be surpassed in the next weeks, it might also resist for few months until the Northern Hemisphere beats it.”

Update: “14 January Onslow Airport in Western Australia reached 49.3C, which is the highest temperature worldwide since September 2022 and in the Southern Hemisphere since January 2022.” Via [email protected] 2 post thread

Map: 2m temperature anomalies for Australia 13 January 2023 showing the heat from the Pilbara region of Western Australia stretching across to encompass SE Australia including Tasmania. It also shows cold anomalies in the Kimberley Region across the Northern Territory to Northern Queensland due to monsoonal rains." title="Map of temperature anomalies for Australia showing the heat from the Pilbara region of Western Australia stretching across to encompass SE Australia including Tasmania. It also shows cold anomalies in the Kimberley Region across the Northern Territory to Northern Queensland due to monsoonal rains.

[takvera]

Importance of urban ecosystems for absorbing CO2 emissions

Vegetation in built up areas of cities are responsible for a surprisingly substantial take up of city CO2 emissions, researchers have found, looking at the biogenic CO2 flux in greater New York. Up to 40% of anthropogenic emissions during summer days may be sequested in New York.

The media release puts forward that: 

Most previous studies have calculated carbon uptake of vegetation by looking mainly at contiguous tracts of forest and grassland, but these comprise only about 10 percent of the metro area. Using newly available aerial radar imagery of New York City that mapped vegetation in unprecedented 6-inch grids, Wei and her colleagues included developed areas—the other 90 percent of the region, left out in most models. Here, they were able to pick out individual street trees, little backyard gardens, overgrown vacant lots and other small features.

Comparing New York to Melbourne?

New York has a tree canopy coverage of about 22%, and grasses (lawns) another 12% of the area. By comparison, Metropolitan Melbourne  has an urban tree canopy cover of 15.3%, based on 2018 data. (Vic Planning) This data for Melbourne doesn’t consider urban grasslands or lawns. The New York Study also found factoring in urban grasslands and lawns a problematic vegetation category which requires further research.

Looking at a breakdown by Local Government area:

The study Provides reason for further enhancing urban greenery and urban forests as part solution to the Climate Crisis.

Lead author Dandan Wei said "This tells us that the ecosystem matters in New York City, and if it matters here, it probably matters everywhere else.”

References:

Columbia Uni Media Release: New York City's Greenery Absorbs a Surprising Amount of Its Carbon Emissions https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2023/01/05/new-york-citys-greenery-absorbs-a-surprising-amount-of-its-carbon-emissions/

Study: High resolution modeling of vegetation reveals large summertime biogenic CO2 fluxes in New York City https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aca68f

[takvera]

The Rich are the biggest problem when it comes to GHG emissions - Inequality of emissions and income groups in the US

The inequality of emissions and income groups. New Study by Jared Starr et al (2023): Assessing U.S. consumers' carbon footprints reveals outsized impact of the top 1%

Abstract excerpt: "Results suggest significant GHG inequality across economic class and racial lines. In 2019, we estimate the U.S. top 0.1% had emissions (955 t CO2e) 57× higher than bottom decile U.S. households and 597× higher than an average low-income country household. White non-Hispanic household emissions were 1.3× higher than Black households. If climate policy does not account for such extreme emissions disparities, it will limit effectiveness, erode public support, and disproportionately harm economic and socially marginalized groups."

Graphic by [email protected] Fanning who also points out in a thread: "* They find US household emissions for the bottom 99% *declined* by 14-23% from 1996-2019, depending on the decile.

* emissions by the top 0.1% *increased* by a staggering 50% to reach ~950 t CO2e (and the next 0.9% increased by 9%).

* these household emissions are consumption-based measures that account for international trade.

Reference: 

Jared Starr et al (2023): Assessing U.S. consumers' carbon footprints reveals outsized impact of the top 1%, Ecological Economics, Volume 205, March 2023, 107698 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921800922003597 

[takvera]

Ozone action on track, helping avoid 0.5C global warming by 2100

Restoration of the Ozone Layer  Back on Track, Scientists Say Rogue emissions from China of ozone-depleting chemicals had threatened to delay recovery by a decade. But the emissions were stopped, according to a U.N.-backed report says the New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/climate/ozone-hole-restoration-montreal-protocol.html

UNEP: Ozone layer recovery is on track, helping avoid global warming by 0.5°C https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/ozone-layer-recovery-track-helping-avoid-global-warming-05degc

#Ozone #MontrealProtocol #China #ClimateAction

[takvera]

Mixed messages from Chubb Review into the integrity of Australian Carbon Offsets

Chubb review into the integrity of carbon offsets  ignores the elephant in the room argues the Climate Council: too many major emitters are buying ACCUs so that they can continue to pollute as usual.

“The Chubb Review has provided some positive recommendations for improving the integrity and transparency of carbon credits. But the most important question is: where and how will carbon credits be used?" says Climate Council Head of Advocacy Dr Jennifer Rayner

“Big polluters shouldn’t be able to keep polluting as usual by offsetting much or all of their emissions under the Safeguard Mechanism."

The Chubb Review found the carbon offsets scheme was "fundamentally" well designed when it was first introduced, but called for more data transparency which would improve integrity, recommending that "the default should be that data be made public, including carbon estimation areas" and the government should consider a national platform to share this information.

"More transparent data and information sharing arrangements would enable communities and carbon market stakeholders to assess, understand and manage potential project impacts and opportunities more effectively" it said.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen welcomed the report, said the government had accepted in principle all of its recommendations

Andrew Macintosh who blew the whistle on the scheme, said "On the one hand, the panel has found there's a need to fight for sweeping governance changes. On the other hand, they're saying the projects and credits are largely fine."

Prof Andrew MacIntosh explained the problems with Chubb Review in an article at The Conversation which I briefly summarise as:

🌳report does not contain references to evidence relied upon to reach conclusions,

🌳includes very little analysis to support findings.

🌳does not address key questions around integrity of scheme’s rules.

🌳does not refer to findings of a review it commissioned from the Australian Academy of Science.

The Guardian in its report on the Chubb Review of carbon offsets scheme, said that "The extent to which credits should be made available to help meet government and corporate emissions reduction targets is contested. A UN group set up to crack down on the greenwashing of net zero pledges last year argued commitments must prioritise cuts in absolute emissions by 2030 in line with limiting global heating to 1.5C, with offsets to be used only for further reductions above and beyond that."

You can read that UN report on net-zero targets and Greenwashing and using carbon offsets as last resort from my blog

“ACF welcomes structural changes to the regulator and the inclusion of an integrity commission but the governance remains murky,” CEO Kelly O’Shanassy said.

“It is essential that the new integrity commission is fully independent and prohibits the appointment of people who have ties to the carbon credit industry.  

“ACF welcomes the move to prohibit new credits under the deeply flawed ‘avoided deforestation’ method but further assessment of existing projects is needed.

“The carbon credits previously approved under this method, which is one in five credits issued under the Emission Reduction Fund, do not represent real abatement and are essentially junk credits.

“The Clean Energy Regulator should now commit to an audit of these projects which we fear are not producing real-world carbon abatement.

“It is essential that projects are assessed in real-life – not just on paper as per the Chubb review.  

“If the Australian Government is serious about slashing carbon emissions, then it needs to critically address the problems on the ground.

“Carbon credits can play a small role in reducing Australia’s pollution but we can’t offset our way to net-zero.

“Offsets should only be used by hard to abate sectors after exhausting options to avoid, minimise, and mitigate emissions.

“The best way to slash emissions is to stop new coal and gas – not offset the pollution from these sectors - and prioritise a fast and fair transition to renewable energy.”  

References:

ABC Report, Carbon credit scheme review rejects criticisms it is flawed, recommends changes to improve transparency  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-09/australian-carbon-credit-units-review-report/101836478

The Guardian: Chubb review recommends new integrity body for Australian carbon credits scheme https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/09/chubb-review-recommends-new-integrity-body-for-australian-carbon-credits-scheme

Climate Citizen: Addressing Greenwashing and net-zero pledges at non-state levels: New report by UN Expert group at COP27 https://takvera.blogspot.com/2022/11/addressing-greenwashing-and-net-zero.html 

ACF Chubb review: sound recommendations, gaping holes remain https://www.acf.org.au/chubb-review-sound-recommendations-gaping-holes-remain

Andrew MacIntosh, The Conversation, Chubb review of Australia’s carbon credit scheme falls short – and problems will continue to fester https://theconversation.com/chubb-review-of-australias-carbon-credit-scheme-falls-short-and-problems-will-continue-to-fester-197401 

[takvera]

ANZ Bank still top financer of fossilfuels, but one activist wrote a media release 10 years ago of what ANZ should do

Ten years on from the ANZ spoof media release regarding finance for Whitehaven Coal in 2012 – Jonathan Moylan reflects on bank financing and new coal. Read his reflections at All Our Yesterdays: 

https://allouryesterdays.info/2023/01/07/ten-years-on-from-the-anz-spoof-jonathan-moylan-reflects/

Read my story from 10 years ago: Uncovering the real hoax: ANZ Bank greenwash while financing coal and climate change

Market Forces identify ANZ Bank at their 2022 Annual General Meeting that "Despite its commitments to the Paris Agreement and net zero by 2050, and in the knowledge that achieving these goals leaves no room for new fossil fuel projects, ANZ has received the dubious honour of being the most active lender to the fossil fuel industry in the last two years."

So what did this spoof media release say in 2012? It argued for ANZ Bank to discontinue its financing relationship with Whitehaven and adopt ESG policies in line with climate science. Remember this was before the Paris Agreement.

ANZ divests from Maules Creek Project

ANZ today announced it has withdrawn its $1.2 billion loan facility to Whitehaven Coal, which was primarily intended to develop the Maules Creek Coal Project.

The decision is related to volatility in the global coal market, expected cost blow-outs and ANZ's Corporate Responsibility policy.

ANZ Group Head of Corporate Sustainability, Toby Kent, said: “We want our customers to be assured that we will not be investing in coal projects that cause significant dislocation of farmers, unacceptable damage to the environment, or social conflict. The decision to withdraw our loan facility has been made after a careful analysis of reputational risks and analysis of the returns on this mine in the current climate of high volatility in the coal export market.”

Whitehaven Coal has been consulted in relation to the decision and the withdrawal of the loan facility became effective yesterday afternoon. The loan facility, which was drawn up on December 21, generated significant customer feedback and will no longer be enforceable. ANZ is currently undertaking a review of coal and gas investments on productive agricultural lands and areas of high biodiversity.

[takvera]

WA Gas Fracker fined $40k for Greenwashing by ASIC

Black Mountain Energy, which plans controversial hydraulic fracturing to export gas from the Kimberley region in Western Australia, has been fined nearly $40,000 by the corporate regulator ASIC for allegedly false and misleading claims it would achieve net-zero emissions, aka Greenwashing.

The company paid the fine on a 'no-admissions' basis.

The company argues on its website that gas is a transition fuel and is “committed to protecting the environment to achieve long-term sustainable operations. We aim to develop Project Valhalla as an environmentally friendly natural gas operation once in production. The aim is to incorporate environmentally standards where possible in relation to emissions.”

The company received approval from the WA Labor government to export gas in late 2021, from the Valhalla Project in WA's Canning Basin, west of Fitzroy Crossing.

Black Mountain plans to start drilling in 2024 and commence early-stage production in 2026.

The IPCC and IEA say no new fossil fuel projects should be started to meet global climate goals. 

The Kimberley region is currently experiencing its worst flood event on record, contributed by rising greenhouse gas emissions by use of fossil fuels. 

Story Source: https://www.watoday.com.au/business/companies/kimberley-fracker-fined-for-greenwashing-with-net-zero-claims-20230105-p5cakq.html

Map of the Kimberley region, including lease EP371 held by Black Mountain. Image from Black Mountain website.