Archived News for Green Sector Professionals - November, 2013
A 16-turbine wind farm will be built against the wishes of some residents, with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) ruling that wind farms do not cause health problems.
CEFC points to high cost of collapse, no returns
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has defended its own existence, as the Federal Government continues its plan to shut-down the renewable-energy investor.
Dragonflies spied as anti-bacterial provider
Australian researchers have looked to the great repository of innovation for their latest creation – pinching designs from nature to create exciting new materials.
More fines from North Queensland copper dump
A mining company has been fined $120,000 for the heavy pollution of waterways in Far North Queensland.
Office model to take the heat off commercial bills
A new system developed by University of Adelaide engineers can model and predict temperatures within a building, promising significant reductions in commercial energy use.
Reef record shows two-thousand year growth spurt
A study led by University of Sydney scientists has had a long look back at the Great Barrier Reef’s history, probing deepwater fossils for the natural wonder’s life story.
Santos spreads wells for knowledge
Australian oil and gas company Santos Ltd. is sinking eighteen water monitoring bores around its operations in New South Wales – saying that if water tables are diminished or damaged, they will know about it.
Study seeks to unpick conflicts, cut to core of land issues
A new project has been launched to find out exactly how the values of people in rural areas are affected by land use conflicts caused by CSG drilling, wind farms, irrigation and agriculture.
Why pollution changes clouds to anvils in the sky
Airborne pollutants do more than just accumulate over time – we now know they contribute to the make-up of storm clouds, creating more direct weather effects.
Double-barrel build to link Abbot with Galilee
With partial approval recently given to Queensland’s Abbot Point coal port terminal expansions, GVK Hancock and Aurizon have announced a plan to start building the rail infrastructure that will move millions of tonnes from the Galilee Basin to coastal ports.
Glowing road could light path to cyclist safety
A high-tech and hauntingly beautiful new safety system is on trial in the UK, lighting up the night in the name of cyclist safety.
New NASA launch to peek behind Venus' veil
Biting at the heels of NASA’s latest launch, the space agency is preparing to send up a rocket to probe the atmosphere of Venus.
Board bid harpooned, point still made
A former industry executive has made the remarkable call for energy giant BHP to move toward environmentally sustainable technology and processes, while also trying to get a job on BHP’s executive board.
Path clear but no big steps taken in Warsaw
Industry insiders reporting from the UN-sponsored climate change talks in Warsaw say the solutions to the energy market’s effect on the environment are already here.
Polls show direct action as popular as inaction
According to recent polls, the Federal Government’s plan to replace the carbon tax with a direct action policy has been as well-received as having no policy at all.
Process cut to get gas freely floating
The Australian Government is continuing its pledge to dissolve approval processes it deems unnecessary or duplicative, this week announcing a new ‘one-stop-shop’ environmental process for offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas storage activities.
Suppliers say Australia has room for more wells
The chief executive of a major mine pumping equipment supplier says Australia needs to ignore the concerns of environmentalists and other residents, and surge full-steam into coal seam gas extraction.
BHP boss says direct action may work for them
The chief executive of BHP Billiton says a ‘direct action’ approach to dealing with climate change is the best way to protect trade-exposed industries.
Coastal title claim covers ten councils
Councils are considering a native title claim which would see stewardship transferred for a large portion of Australia’s east coast.
NSW moves to put lid on Crown Lands
Legislation is making its way through the New South Wales Upper House to amend the Crown Lands Act, in an effort to protect licence agreements for hundreds of farmers.
Algae growth shows centuries of sea-ice shifts
The ebb and flow of annual changes in sea-ice cover is reflected in the algae underneath, allowing scientists to plot changes in the ice by counting the ‘age rings’ of water plants.