Aligned National Energy Pathways
Australia Needs 1.5°C Aligned National Energy Pathways. 'The Australian government has objectives that contradict each other, and lacks a omprehensive plan for how it will achieve its emissions reduction goals.' (Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis, Lakewood, Ohio, USA) >
Murray River Choking on Sediment Build-Up
'The river’s regulated flow capacity through the Barmah–Millewa Reach is reducing due to the build-up of sand on the bed of the river from gold mining and land clearing practices upstream in the 1800s.' The Barmah–Millewa Program (Murray–Darling Basin Authority, Canberra) >
Record Breaking Fossil Fuel Subsidies
$57.1 billion: Record Breaking Fossil Fuel Subsidies Following Climate Election 'New research shows fossil fuel subsidies over the forward estimates have increased to a record breaking $57.1b, up from the $55.3b forecast in 2022.' (Australia Institute, Canberra) >
ASIC’s Recent Greenwashing Interventions - May 2023
Listed companies, managed funds and superannuation funds are increasingly making claims about their environmental, social and governance (ESG)' Report released May 2023. (Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Canberra) >
First Court Proceedings Alleging Greenwashing
ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) launches first Court proceedings alleging greenwashing. '...commencing civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court against Mercer Superannuation (Australia) Limited (Mercer) for allegedly making misleading statements about the sustainable nature and characteristics of some of its superannuation investment options.' (Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Canberra) >
UN Plastic Pollution Treaty
UN Plastic Pollution Treaty ‘one step closer’ to being realised. 'WWF welcomes ‘tangible progress’ as the vast majority of countries show support for an ambitious and impactful treaty with binding global rules' (World Wide Fund For Nature) >
Sustainable Coral Reef Restoration
An integrative framework for sustainable coral reef restoration. 'Restoration of coral reef ecosystems as a management aid has accelerated globally in response to ever-degrading reef health under climate change. As of 2021, more than US$0.25 billion has been invested into reef restoration activities that are often established without the necessary sustained operational or financial strategies in place to meet their longer-term measurable ecological or social restoration goals.' (One Earth journal) >
Marinus Link Cables (Tasmania)
Transmission Determination Commencement and Process Paper. 'This decision allows Marinus Link to progress the project and submit a regulatory proposal to the AER for early works, allowing for better revealed costs and ongoing engagement with consumers and affected stakeholders.' (Australian Energy Regulator, Canberra) >
Tasmanian Waters, Commonwealth Problems
'Tasmania has the poorest levels of marine protection of any Australian jurisdiction. Only 1.1% of Tasmanian state waters are fully protected, yet there has been a moratorium on any new marine parks since 2014.' (The Australia Institute, Canberra) >
Is the Finance Sector Bankrupting the Planet?
'The vast majority of financing decisions do not take planetary boundaries into account, and this has to change.' (The Ecologist, England) >