Flash flooding emerging as new climate threat to Australians

As Australia’s climate sits just shy of 1.5 degrees of warming since records began in 1910, a new report from CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology has found flash flooding is emerging as a new climate threat. Cloudbursts of increasing intense rainfall are more likely as warming continues, since the air can hold 7 per cent more moisture for every degree increase in temperature.

Documents released to Guardian Australia under freedom of information laws have detailed how underresourcing, disagreement with state governments, and the growing list of species threatened with extinction have constrained the federal environment department’s ability to get on top of a backlog of conservation work.

And Barrister Greg McIntyre, who represented Eddie Mabo in the historic High Court win that overturned the doctrine of “terra nullius” and recognised land rights of First Nations people, has said traditional owners should have a right to negotiate over plans to frack the Northern Territory, and if these provisions were ignored then any application to mine for gas would be invalid.

‘Frightening new era’: Flash flooding to grow under climate change
Flash flooding is emerging as a growing natural disaster threat for Australia as the recent State of the Climate report warns Australia’s weather is becoming more chaotic and heavy rainfall bursts will continue to intensify, driven by rising temperatures.

‘Tangled mess of inaction’: hundreds of threatened species recovery plans expiring in next six months
Hundreds of plans for the recovery of threatened species will reach their use-by date in the next six months as the government considers how to reform Australia’s flawed system of environmental protections.

Eddie Mabo’s lawyer says NT fracking plans could go against native title
The high-profile lawyer who represented Torres Strait Islander man Eddie Koiki Mabo in his historic land rights victory says proposed Northern Territory laws that would allow gas companies to use or sell fracked gas found during exploration could contravene native title laws.

Queensland faces ‘significant’ wellbeing decline if it doesn’t quickly transition to renewables, report says
A Queensland government-commissioned report by global accounting giant Deloitte says there could be “significant” declines in wellbeing, assets left stranded and a stagnating economy if the state doesn’t quickly transition to renewables.

Record heat over Great Barrier Reef raises fears of second summer of coral bleaching
Ocean temperatures over parts of the Great Barrier Reef have reached record levels this month, sparking fears of a second summer in a row of mass coral bleaching.

Greta Thunberg and more than 600 youths are taking Sweden to court. Here's why
The legal action, which has been in the works for two years, comes as Sweden's new right-wing government faces mounting criticism over lacklustre climate goals.

NT government deletes references to 'petrochemicals' from Middle Arm website, rejects 'greenwashing' claims The yet-to-be developed site at Middle Arm - which received a $1.5 billion funding commitment in the federal budget - was previously promoted by the NT as a site for "low emission petrochemicals, renewable hydrogen and minerals processing", prompting accusations of greenwashing.

‘Protection zones’ for endangered possums already logged, environment groups say Forest areas the Andrews government recently set aside to protect the endangered greater glider had been logged before they were gazetted, providing scant additional habitat for the rare possum.

Climate Council report finds Queensland bears highest cost of climate disasters in Australia
A Climate Council report released today has examined the financial, social and economic costs of climate change-driven weather events, finding Queensland has lost a total of about $30 billion from extreme weather disasters since 1970 — about three times that of Victoria.

Whale hearing tested off Qld coast to help protect the mammals from man-made noises
A team of Queensland researchers are working to find out how much whales can hear by approaching migrating whales and attaching a tracker to find out how best to protect whales from man-made noises in the sea

A Qld court has recognised the cultural rights of First Nations peoples in a landmark ruling against a mine
The Land Court of Queensland has upheld an objection to the Palmer-owned Waratah Coal's Galilee project, west of Rockhampton, after a three-year court battle, finding it should be rejected because it "risks unacceptable climate change impacts" on the environment and on human rights.

CEFC gives $20.5 million to help drive down cost of electric car loans
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has allocated $20.5 million to support what it says will be $100 million of green car loans and  a new opportunity to lower the cost of electric vehicles for Australian customers.