Support for fossil fuel firms to pay for climate damage

Today’s Climate of the Nation survey, Australia's longest continuous survey of community attitudes to climate change, shows that many Australians believe the toll on communities from more severe storms, floods and bushfires should be covered by coal, oil and gas firms.

Pacific Island nations are seeking a climate change ruling for polluters at an international Oceans Court, calling for the court to issue an "advisory opinion" to clarify states' obligations to preserve and protect the marine environment. 

Australians are being kept in the dark by the federal government about the dire national security consequences of climate change, including the possibility of climate-induced political upheavals in the Asia-Pacific, a group of leading defence figures has warned.

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Support for fossil fuel firms to pay for climate damage
Many Australians believe the toll on communities from more severe storms, floods and bushfires should be covered by coal, oil and gas firms, a survey shows. The Climate of the Nation research is Australia's longest continuous survey of community attitudes to climate change. Independent Senator David Pocock will launch the benchmark report on Wednesday as calls grow for tougher taxes on fossil fuel producers and users. Respondents to the Australia Institute survey supported a polluter pays tax (74 per cent), windfall profits tax on the oil and gas industry (66 per cent) and a levy on fossil fuel exports to fund climate adaptation (59 per cent).

Pacific Island nations seek climate change ruling for polluters at international Oceans Court
The case was brought by the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS). It is not seeking a new law, but rather is calling for the court to issue an "advisory opinion" to clarify states' obligations to preserve and protect the marine environment. Pacific leaders said they were sick of "empty promises" and want legally binding obligations clearly spelled out for major polluters.

Government keeping climate report hidden blasted as ‘fatal mistake’
Australians are being kept in the dark by the federal government about the dire national security consequences of climate change, including the possibility of climate-induced political upheavals in the Asia-Pacific, a group of leading defence figures has warned. Former defence force chief Chris Barrie and other former senior personnel will urge the government to release a declassified version of a top-secret climate security threat assessment and to develop the country’s first national climate security strategy during a visit to Parliament House on Wednesday.

NSW government halts logging within proposed Great Koala National Park on NSW mid north coast
Logging has been stopped in parts of the proposed Great Koala National Park on the New South Wales Mid North Coast while the state government determines the impact on koalas and timber industry jobs. NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said logging was stopped on Friday and consultation on the next steps in establishing the park was to begin immediately.

‘Can’t wait until disaster’: Call for development bans, buybacks in high-risk areas
The insurance industry is calling for more funding to protect communities from natural disasters, bans on development in risky areas such as floodplains, and government buybacks of existing homes, amid warnings the cost of insurance will continue to soar.

‘Keep your cat indoors’: why conservationists are pushing for pet containment in Australia
Conservation groups are calling for state governments to implement measures to contain pet cats, which are estimated to kill 323m native animals in Australia each year. It comes after the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, last week unveiled a draft national plan to tackle feral cats. Plibersek acknowledged that while feral cats were the main threat to native wildlife, “domestic cats have to be properly managed as well”.

Antarctic helicopter mission helps confirm Totten Glacier melting from below due to warm water
Totten Glacier, the biggest glacier ice shelf in east Antarctica, is enormous, difficult to reach by conventional means, and thinning faster than any other part of the region. Research, conducted in 2019 and published this week, has shown why and how this is occurring — and may prove fundamental to understanding the impacts of Antarctic ice-melt.

Five cars destroyed at Sydney airport after luxury electric vehicle’s battery ignites
Five cars have been destroyed at Sydney airport after the lithium-ion battery of a luxury electric car ignited, sparking a fire that spread to four surrounding cars. Firefighters were called to a car park on Airport Drive in Mascot about 8.30pm on Monday night and they extinguished the blaze alongside the Aviation Rescue Firefighting Service. The battery that sparked the fire had been detached from the car.

Fish stock movement due to climate change prompts national security threat
The movement of the world’s fish populations to the north and south poles is now considered a national security threat amid fears it will bolster Beijing’s claim over the South China Sea and trigger a regional resource war. A scientific study led by Glasgow University in May made international headlines after it revealed climate change had prompted the majority of fish species to shift to the poles to colder waters.

New must-have for Aussie homes
You drive your electric car into the garage and plug it in to charge. On the roof are the latest ultra-efficient solar panels converting the sun’s energy to electricity and storing it in the home’s battery. The panels are backed up by windows which double as solar panels. It’s a glimpse of what could be the near future, with experts saying the key is making EVs affordable and accessible for families.