The Canopy is a weekday morning email newsletter provided by the team at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.

Whistleblower claims dolphin deaths, oil spill downplayed by Santos

A Santos employee has accused the Australian oil and gas company of covering up the extent of an oil spill he says killed dolphins off the Western Australian coast last year. The claims were tabled by independent Senator David Pocock in federal parliament on Thursday. Greenpeace Australia Pacific has called for a full investigation into the incident.

There are fears commercial whaling operations could recommence in the Southern Ocean after a Japanese company announced it is building a new whaling ‘mother ship’ designed to travel as far as Antarctica. Greenpeace Australia Pacific condemned the practice of whaling as “brutal and unnecessary”.

And the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption, which could be seen from space when it spewed out ash and water vapour in Tonga last year, could impact Australia’s weather for up to eight years.

Top stories:

Santos whistleblower accuses company of covering up extent of oil spill that killed dolphins
A Santos employee has sought protection from federal parliament to accuse the Australian oil and gas company of covering up the severity of an oil spill that killed dolphins off the northern Western Australian coast. Greenpeace Australia Pacific is calling for a full investigation.

Japan’s new whaling ‘mother ship’ being built to travel as far as Antarctica
A Japanese company is building a new whaling ship designed to travel as far as Antarctica, sparking fears commercial operations could resume in the Southern Ocean. Greenpeace Australia Pacific condemned the practice of whaling as “brutal and unnecessary”.

Tongan volcano eruption may affect Australia's weather
Lasting impacts from an enormous volcanic eruption in 2022 may have a cooling and rainy influence on parts of Australia for up to eight years, according to scientists.

Groundwater concerns grow as Glencore plans to store waste CO2 in Great Artesian Basin
Landholders and peak agricultural bodies say a plan by gas giant Glencore to store waste CO2 in the Great Artesian Basin is a "major threat" to groundwater.

Call for urgent overhaul of Australia’s monitoring of ‘astronomical’ plastic pollution problem
The Australian Academy of Science has called for an overhaul of the nation’s approach to studying plastic pollution, warning there is an over-reliance on volunteers and a lack of consistent data to document the “astronomical” problem.

Antarctic sea ice hits record low
The area of sea ice around Antarctica has hit a record low, with scientists reporting “never having seen such an extreme situation before”. 

World risks descending into a climate ‘doom loop’, warn thinktanks
A thinktank warns simply coping with the escalating impacts of the climate crisis could draw resources and focus away from the efforts to slash carbon emissions.

More work needed to boost Australian EVs
A new report, to be released today by The Centre for Economic Development Australia, says the target of 3.8 million EVs on the road by 2030 would remain a pipe dream without greater policy work from all levels of government.

‘Mass exodus on a biblical scale’: UN warns New York, London, Shanghai to be impacted by rising sea levels
The UN says an estimated 900 million people, or more than one in ten of the world's population, will be affected by rising sea levels around the world.

WA town adds battery storage for more rooftop solar
Roll out of nine battery energy storage systems to remote WA towns will allow more than 1,000 households and 500 businesses to install rooftop solar.

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