Australia
GREAT BARRIER REEF THREATENED BY STARFISH
01/08/2018
Update Volume
48
Update Issue
1

An outbreak of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish has been found munching Australia’s World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. The predator starfish feeds on corals, and the outbreak hits as the reef is still reeling from two consecutive years of major coral bleaching. The threat has caused the government to start culling the starfish. The crown-of-thorns were found in large numbers last month in the Swains Reefs, at the southern edge of the Great Barrier Reef, by researchers from the reef’s Marine Park Authority.

AUSTRALIA TAKING STEPS TO LOWER ENERGY COSTS
10/16/2017
Update Volume
47
Update Issue
29

To help lower energy costs, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has threatened gas producers with export restrictions unless they plug domestic shortages. Despite having one of the world’s largest coal and natural gas reserves, as well as ideal conditions for clean power generation, Australia has the highest power prices in the world. Political indecisiveness and climate policy missteps have left the country’s power system in limbo, which has doubled electricity prices and increased the risk of blackouts.

ALBANIAN VILLAGE TO BE COMPENSATED FOR HYDRAULIC FRACTURING DAMAGES
03/06/2017
Update Volume
47
Update Issue
7

The Albanian village of Zharreza has been feeling the impacts of hydraulic fracturing since 2010. Over 80% of the town's homes have been damaged by earthquakes caused by disposing of fracking waste water in injection wells; 10% are no longer habitable. Last week the country’s Deputy Prime Minister announced that all villagers in Albania whose homes have been damaged by fracking will be fully compensated, though the fracking company, Bankers Petroleum, said they would only pay the compensation if their disposal activities are causally linked to the tremors.

CANADA AND AUSTRALIA DIVERGE ON CARBON PRICING
12/12/2016
Update Volume
46
Update Issue
35

As countries around the world begin to implement their nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement, there is a demonstrable rift between liberal and conservative governments. As of Friday, Canada’s government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and 10 provinces were set to agree on a national price for carbon. The plan allows provinces to implement either a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade market; those provinces not willing to choose will have a carbon tax imposed by the national government.

AUSTRALIA RATIFIES PARIS AGREEMENT, DESPITE CONCERNS ABOUT U.S. INVOLVEMENT
11/14/2016
Update Volume
46
Update Issue
32

Last week Australia’s government ratified the Paris Agreement, becoming the 105th country to commit to reducing global carbon emissions. Australia, the world’s 13th largest economy representing 1.46% of global emissions, intends to reduce emissions 26-28% from a 2005 baseline by 2030. The Australian Parliament was unable to ratify the Agreement in advance of it going into force as it was unable to start deliberations until after federal elections in July of this year.

INDONESIAN SEAWEED FARMERS SUE THAI PETROLEUM COMPANY
08/08/2016
Update Volume
46
Update Issue
22

On August 3, seaweed farmers from Indonesia sued the Thailand company PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) for more than $152 million. The lawsuit was launched in Sydney's Federal Court and would cover damages from the worst Australian oil spill, which occured in 2009 when an explosion at PTTEP's Montara drilling rig spilled approximately 30,000 barrels of oil into the Timor Sea over the course of 74 days. Lawyers arguing the case say that the spill reached as far as Nusa Tenggara Timur in Indonesia, a distance of 124 miles. The case is funded by the UK-based Harbour Litigation Funding.

AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COMPANY PLEADS GUILTY TO BREAKING DISCLOSURE LAWS
02/22/2016
Update Volume
46
Update Issue
5

AGL Energy Company pled guilty to 11 counts of breaking political donation disclosure laws. The prosecution followed a probe by anti-coal and gas activists, who prompted the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) to investigate AGL’s failure to provide full disclosure on donations made to New South Wales Labor and Liberal parties. The findings of the EDO showed that, since 2008, AGL has failed to disclose as much as $51,500 in reportable donations. During this period of time, AGL sought to drill 110 seam gas wells.

NEW ZEALAND TO CREATE SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN SANCTUARY
10/05/2015
Update Volume
45
Update Issue
28

New Zealand announced that it plans to create the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary, set to be one of the world’s largest, through a full ban on fishing and mining. The sanctuary will be 239,000 square miles, an area roughly the size of France. The area is currently home to endangered species such as dolphins, turtles, and whales. The announcement came as a surprise to New Zealand’s seafood industry and mining firms because it will preclude companies from gaining rights in the protected area.

AUSTRALIA TO CUT CARBON EMISSIONS BY 26 PERCENT BY 2030
08/17/2015
Update Volume
45
Update Issue
23

Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced a goal of cutting Australia's emissions by at least 26 percent by 2030. The prime minister stated that the pledge was an environmentally responsible move that would not sacrifice economic growth. Critics state that Australia's goal lags behind those made by the United States, European Union, Canada, Germany, and Britain, if a 2005 benchmark is applied.

AUSTRALIAN COURT SENDS COAL MINE PERMIT BACK TO MINISTER
08/10/2015
Update Volume
45
Update Issue
22

The Federal Court of Australia overturned mining conglomerate Adani's federal environmental permit for the controversial Carmichael coal mine planned for central Queensland. The ruling is the latest development in a series of legal and political challenges to what would be Australia's largest coal mine. The court found that Environment Minister Greg Hunt failed to properly consider agency advice regarding two endangered species, the yakka skink and the ornamental snake, when issuing Adani's permit.

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