Duty of care to young people over climate impacts

Following years of advocacy from young people, independent Senator David Pocock will today introduce a Private Senator’s bill to impose a duty of care on politicians to protect young people from climate harm.

Victoria has announced that gas connections in new homes will be banned from 2023, in its race towards net-zero.

And electric vehicle sales in the first half of 2023 have already eclipsed the total sales in 2022, demonstrating their increasing popularity.

Top stories:

Pocock seeks to impose duty of care on Australian government over climate harm
The Senator’s bill calls for new conditions in Climate Change Act to influence decision-making on projects that could raise greenhouse gas emissions.

Victoria announces ban on gas connections to new homes from January 2024
Gas connections will be banned in new homes and government buildings built in Victoria from next year. The Victorian government announced the major energy reform on Friday as part of its plan to reach net zero emissions in the state by 2045.

Australian electric vehicle sales in first half of 2023 already higher than all of 2022, report says
Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular among Australians, with sales during the first half of 2023 already eclipsing last year’s annual total, though the industry has warned a federal policy vacuum continues to harm consumer choice.

Greens say Chalmers chose ‘watered-down’ gas super-profits tax
Labor’s plans to raise an extra $2.4 billion from oil and gas companies could depend on the Coalition after the Greens seized on previously confidential documents to argue the proposal does not go far enough.

‘Global boiling’: Confronting graph a warning for Australia
A confronting graph has laid bare what 24 days of record global temperatures looks like as July is on track to be the hottest month in recorded history.

ACT government proposes rethink of transport planning to promote safer cycling, walking options
With its fast, safe roads and sprawling suburbs, Canberra has long been a city addicted to cars. But the ACT government says it is time to redesign the national capital, to make active travel — such as cycling and "micro-mobility" alternatives like e-scooters — safer and more viable.

The gas industry used to be unassailable in Australia. Not anymore
It was not that long ago that the gas industry was unassailable in Australian politics. It had carefully positioned itself as a clean alternative to coal, its leaders had faced down efforts to increase taxes upon it, it had extracted subsidies for major export projects and had even spearheaded the nation’s economic response to the pandemic.

‘Climate emergency’: Minns must stop dragging his heels in transition to renewables
Minns wants to spend money on reviving the outmoded Eraring coal-fired power station. On top of that, he has no intention of making a date to switch from gas to electricity in NSW.

Extreme weather linked to climate change the 'number one threat' to natural World Heritage sites, research finds
Some of the world's most precious places are facing "unprecedented challenges from climate change" and could lose their World Heritage status, a research paper has found.