Monthly Archives: August 2015

OzPolitics

Australia’s 2030 climate target: Coalition spin

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The federal coalition government has set the target for Australian emissions in 2030 as a reduction of between 26% and 28% from 2005 levels.  This is the target that Australia will take to the Paris meeting in November.  The Coalition spin on these targets is considered below.

Compare this with other emission targets:

Other

WA Liberal treasurer and ex-head of IPA backs solar!

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Here’s a welcome change in conservative thinking.  It’s from Mike Nahan, the West Australian (WA) Liberal Party Treasurer and Energy Minister and former head of the right wing think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA). In a landmark speech, Nahan said his government was committed to facilitating a move to solar photovoltaic power as it:

  • Would meet the daytime electricity needs of WA within the next decade
  • Was cheap, and democratic [supported by the people]
  • Was likely to account for all new generation capacity
  • Would displace the state’s ageing coal generators

Continue reading WA Liberal treasurer and ex-head of IPA backs solar! →

Other

Climate change disrupting the Middle East

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A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA study finds that climate change is a major factor behind  the increase in Mediterranean winter droughts.

Microsoft Word - JCLID1100296_CoverSheet.doc

Winter precipitation trends in the Mediterranean region for the period 1902 – 2010.  The black line is a moving average of rainfall.  The red rectangles show years with low rainfall.

Reds and oranges highlight lands around the Mediterranean that experienced significantly drier winters during 1971-2010 than the comparison period of 1902-2010.

Continue reading Climate change disrupting the Middle East →

Other

Pumped hydro for storage of solar electricity in Australia

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Initial investigations suggest that pumped hydro could provide ample storage of electric power to accommodate the intermittency of solar and wind generated electricity – and so provide baseload power for Australia.  Pumped hydro storage is efficient, flexible, economical and commercially available on a vast scale.

Continue reading Pumped hydro for storage of solar electricity in Australia →

Technology

How to wipe out household energy bills in 9 steps

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A new book “The Energy-Freedom Home” offers up-to-date information on how you can wipe out your electricity and gas bills in nine steps.

The book could really help the 50 % of Australians looking to renovate their homes over the next four years – with detailed, yet easy to comprehend, information on moving towards an energy-bill free home, and possibly saving around $2400 a year.

The book can become a resource, so when an appliance fails, or when there’s some money to spend on a renovation, solid information is there to help make an informed decision.

Continue reading How to wipe out household energy bills in 9 steps →

Temperatures, Extremes

High global temperature records smashed in 2015

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Chart: Global average temperatures between Jan and July each year from 1880 to 2015 (NOAA)

2015 was a hot year, even before the El Nino developed.  Now a very strong El Nino has developed and this is pushing global temperatures higher.  The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported:

  • July was the hottest month of the 1627 months on record since 1880
  • The first seven months of the year was the hottest January-July on record
  • The year-to-date globally-averaged land surface temperature beat the previous record in 2007 by a whopping 0.15°C

Continue reading High global temperature records smashed in 2015 →

Other

One experienced climate scientist’s suggestions to PM Abbott

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Having advised 3 prime ministers, scientist Dr Graeme Pearman would suggest to Tony Abbott that he:

  • Listen to real experts, scientists, economists and engineers, and Academies about options
  • Listen to the real trend occurring overseas in particularly with respect to energy sourcing and application options
  • Look beyond the term of the current Government
  • Think strategically, and
  • See [climate change] as an opportunity rather than a negative.

Continue reading One experienced climate scientist’s suggestions to PM Abbott →

Religion

The Muslim religious duty to take action against climate change

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Muslims have a religious duty to take action against climate change, according to a declaration released by a major group of Islamic scholars, faith leaders and politicians from 20 countries. The Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change, launched in Istanbul, is aimed at the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims and suggests mosques and Islamic schools should immediately take action.

Continue reading The Muslim religious duty to take action against climate change →

OzPolitics

Statistics warped for Coalition fear campaign

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graph-oz-gdp-2010-2030-carbon-price

This chart shows Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2010 and 2030 for 4 scenarios: (1) no carbon price, (2) a low carbon price, (3) a medium carbon price and (4) a high carbon price. (Chart 3.32 from a Treasury report)

The Murdoch Daily Telegraph took a bunch of numbers concocted in Environment Minister Greg Hunt’s office, based on this Treasury report, and produced the screaming headline “ALP’s $600B Carbon Bill”…. The story was full of “shocking predictions”: “Economic growth shattered”, “Thousand of jobs lost”, and “a devastating blow to the economy, slashing thousands of jobs”.

Treasury wrote that the economic effects of all scenarios considered “are small compared with the ongoing growth in GDP” (p. 72).

Continue reading Statistics warped for Coalition fear campaign →

Other

The Herald Sun fully supports the Coalition’s target

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The Herald Sun reports that: Prime Minister Tony Abbott is intent on setting a realistic target in committing to cut greenhouse gas emissions by between 26 and 28 per cent by 2030. In doing so he recognises that vastly bigger cuts, as proposed by Labor, would mean slashing jobs and plunging the economy into possible recession. Continue reading The Herald Sun fully supports the Coalition’s target →