Most recent 40 articles: AFR
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Expectations dim that COP28 will agree to phase out fossil fuels - AFR (Dec 10) |
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Dec 10 · Dubai | The COP28 climate summit is struggling to nail down a deal on the next global steps in tackling climate change, prompting conference president Sultan al-Jaber to urge countries to “put aside self-interest” and “shift gears”.
As earlier momentum for a deal appeared to be stalling – particularly on whether to commit the world to phasing out oil and gas – Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen backed up Dr Jaber’s call.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen delivers Australia’s national statement to the COP28 plenary.
He used Australia’s official national statement to the COP28 gathering to urge the 190-plus countries to pull together over the ... Read more ...
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Climate change could ruin Christmas as Panama Canal dries up - AFR (Dec 6) |
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Dec 6 · A drought in Central America is slowing the passage of container ships through one of the world’s busiest trade routes.
The impact of a record-breaking drought in Panama has spread beyond energy supplies and is now affecting container shipping, a crucial sector of the global freight market that moves everything from campervans to Christmas toys. Sudden downpours in the Central American nation may not be enough to mitigate changes to the way trade operates.
Low water levels outside the Miraflores locks of the Panama Canal near Panama City.
Rainfall this wet season – which runs from April to November – has been 41 per cent lower than normal, reducing levels at key ... Read more ...
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101 forest fires burning in Quebec with 10 out of control | CBC News - AFR (Jun 02, 2023) |
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Jun 02, 2023 · Wildfires in Canada have burned an enormous swath of land and forced thousands from their homes, prompting firefighters from across the globe to descend on the country to help douse the flames.
The scorched area is 2.7 million hectares in size, or the equivalent of more than 5 million football fields, government officials told reporters on Thursday (Friday AEST). That’s more than 10 times the average area typically burned by this time of year over the past decade.
Thick plumes of heavy smoke fill the sky in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Fires are raging from west to east coasts – from British Columbia to Nova Scotia – and have prompted about 28,000 Canadians to ... Read more ...
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26 years ago, Howard chose fossil fuels over the Pacific. What will Albanese choose? - AFR (Jul 14, 2022) |
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Jul 14, 2022 · Anthony Albanese has joined Pacific Island leaders to declare the world faces a “climate emergency” and the rise in global temperatures needs to be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid catastrophic consequences.
The release of the leaders’ communiqué at the Pacific Islands Forum after two days of talks adds pressure on Australia for even deeper emission cuts, despite Mr Albanese bringing to the summit his government’s higher target of a 43 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030.
Anthony Albanese with New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern and Fiji PM Frank Bainimarama at the forum on Thursday
The declaration is the first time Australia has officially associated ... Read more ...
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Climate change hits supply chains: Allianz - AFR (May 12, 2019) |
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May 12, 2019 · A worldwide increase in natural catastrophes is already hitting global supply chains and causing a spike in business interruption insurance claims, a senior executive with Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty has warned.
AGCS chief regions and markets officer Sinead Browne said this trend, which she directly linked to climate change, was pushing premiums up around the world, adding this "correction" was likely to continue for the "next few years".
While property damage is the most obvious effect of extreme weather events, Ms Browne said business interruption resulting from these events was proving costlier, claim for claim, than property ... Read more ...
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China flags further cuts to coal use - AFR (Mar 13, 2019) |
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Mar 13, 2019 · Shanghai | China has signalled further cuts to coal use as it steps up its battle against polluted skies, in the latest hit to Australian miners already concerned about restrictions on coal imports to the world's second-largest economy.
While Beijing did not set any official new targets for coal consumption, Ecology and Environment Minister Li Ganjie said coal's contribution to the energy mix, at 60 per cent of the total, remained too high.
"Climate change is a major global challenge facing all mankind," he said.
"The current energy mix weighs heavily on fossil fuels. Fifty-nine per cent is still a very large proportion . . . we still have a long way ... | By Michael Smith Read more ...
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Global race to net zero pushes up technology prices by 20pc - AFR (Jan 01, 2018) |
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Jan 01, 2018 · Solar and wind are still the cheapest form of new-build power generation in Australia, but supply chain issues since the pandemic have pushed up the costs of all power sources, according to a new report.
The GenCost report by the CSIRO and Australian Energy Market Operator, to be released on Tuesday, also revealed that nuclear power was still the most expensive form of generation out to 2050.
Large-scale solar and wind is the cheapest form of new-build power generation.
The report found the capital costs of all technologies had increased by about 20 per cent since 2021-22, ranging from 9 per cent for solar to 35 per cent for onshore wind.
The rising ... Read more ...
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What’s this, some good news on climate change? - AFR (Jan 01, 2018) |
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Jan 01, 2018 · Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt | Business groups have sounded the alarm that this year’s climate summit could water down the world’s commitment to keep global warming below the potential catastrophe threshold of 1.5 degrees.
As the rubber hits the road this week on negotiations for a concrete outcome from the two-week COP27 climate summit, business leaders have now joined climate activists in voicing concern.
Demonstrators at COP27 affirm their commitment to the 1.5-degree target.
A group of more than 200 corporate executives and companies, including Amazon, IKEA, Microsoft, Nestlé and Unilever, have issued a statement demanding that the 190-plus countries at the ... Read more ...
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Black Rock says coal is dead as it eyes renewable power splurge - AFR (May 26, 2017) |
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May 26, 2017 · Australia is "denying gravity" by continuing to encourage coal investments because renewable energy is now competing "head to head" with coal on cost, the global head of BlackRock's infrastructure investment group, Jim Barry, says.
"It's been amusing sitting back and watching Australia from afar because in effect it's been denying gravity," Mr Barry, who is based in Dublin, told theThe Australian Financial Review
"Coal is dead. That's not to say all the coal plants are going to shut tomorrow. But anyone who's looking to take beyond a 10-year view on coal is gambling very significantly."
Mr Barry, who plans to start investing ... Read more ...
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Climate is hotter, drier and more turbulent - AFR (Oct 26, 2016) |
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Oct 26, 2016 · Australia is continuing to get hotter and drier with higher sea levels, more extreme weather and more extremely hot days than average in the past three years, a new report says.
The number of days when the temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius have increased across most of Australia, although it has decreased in northern Australia where rainfall has also defied the drying trend in the south and increased.
The State of the Climate report is produced biennially by CSIRO, the national science agency, and the Bureau of Meteorology, and seeks to update the nation on the extent of atmospheric warming and other changes in the climate and inform government policy ... Read more ...
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China's new model helps it address climate change challenge - AFR (Sep 12, 2016) |
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Sep 12, 2016 · The picture of President Xi Jinping and President Barack Obama, beaming as they shake hands after jointly announcing ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement on the eve of last week's G20 summit, is the more striking when one considers just how far apart the two countries were on climate change as recently as 2012.
The Obama Administration deserves particular credit for its second-term diplomatic engagement with China on climate and energy issues. However, by far the biggest contributors to China's changed international stance on these issues are within China itself.
Fundamental changes in Chinese economic activity and government strategy, evident since around 2013, ... | By Fergus Green & Nicholas Stern Read more ...
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