Sustainability and Global Issues - October 2006

NO DAM IDEA

24.Oct.06: THE Hume and Dartmouth dams are expected to be bone dry by April yet the Murray Darling Basin Commission still has no back-up plan for preserving water. ... more

Killer frost puts an end to crops

24.Oct.06: STANLEY fruit and nut growers have had enough of frosts after Sunday morning’s ripper. The temperature dropped to around minus four degrees Celsius ... more

Australia leaving behind 6th biggest ecological footprint

24.Oct.06: A new report shows Australia is officially the sixth biggest consumer of natural resources per capita in the world. ... more

Govt extends drought support payments

24.Oct.06: The Federal Government will extend drought support payments to another 44 regions across Australia, mostly in New South Wales and Queensland. ... more

Govt to announce major climate projects

24.Oct.06: THE Federal Government tomorrow is expected to take its biggest step yet in addressing climate change by allocating hundreds of millions of dollars towards clean coal projects and alternative energy technologies. ... more

Nuclear power plant 'a matter of time'

24.Oct.06: A nuclear power plant will be built in Australia as soon as it becomes commercially viable, federal Treasurer Peter Costello says. ... more

Holden gets environmental funding

23.Oct.06: Car manufacturer Holden will receive more than $13 million from state and federal governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on some of its vehicles. ... more

Ad campaign urges Govt to address climate change

23.Oct.06: The Climate Institute of Australia has taken out national newspaper advertisements calling on the Federal Government to seriously address global warming. ... more

Water trading market should include non-users: report

23.Oct.06: A Federal Government study on water trading has recommended the market be opened up to non-users. ... more

Private sector 'should invest in water'

23.Oct.06: AUSTRALIA'S water crisis could be eased if the private sector had the opportunity to invest in the local water industry, according to the federal MP overseeing Australia\'s water crisis, Malcolm Turnbull. ... more

Global warming may hit grapes

23.Oct.06: GLOBAL warming will hit Australian winegrowers hard, possibly reducing the area suitable for vineyards by more than 40 per cent by 2050, a scientific study showed today. ... more

Oil prices fall in Asian trading

23.Oct.06: OIL prices fell in Asian trade today as OPEC's move to cut production was discounted given comfortable levels of reserves in the United States, the world's largest consumer. ... more

Petrol to hold current levels: Woolies

23.Oct.06: GROCERY giant Woolworths Ltd believes petrol prices will remain at current levels until at least Christmas. ... more

Green groups tackling climate change

22.Oct.06: Environment groups have weighed into Victoria's election campaign, calling on political parties to back a seven-point plan to tackle climate change. ... more

Grapes vulnerable to climate change: research

22.Oct.06: A new survey by the University of Melbourne and the CSIRO has found climate change will dramatically alter the growing seasons for Australian grapes. ... more

Researchers defend Iraq war deaths estimate

22.Oct.06: Researchers have defended the accuracy of a controversial estimate by public health experts that hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died because of the March 2003 US-led invasion. ... more

Take Iraq death toll seriously: doctors

22.Oct.06: PRIME Minister John Howard should take a study into the Iraqi death toll seriously, according to a group of prominent Australian doctors. ... more

Support for Iraq death toll estimate

22.Oct.06: A CONTROVERSIAL estimate by public health experts that hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died because of the March 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq is probably an accurate assessment, researchers say. ... more

Items pinched from cars

21.Oct.06: WANGARATTA police have appealed for public help to catch a thief who has broken into at least 10 cars in the city in the past week. ... more

Cosgrove says Iraq war based on false premise

21.Oct.06: The former chief of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), General Peter Cosgrove, has acknowledged for the first time that Australia entered the war in Iraq on a false premise. ... more

Oil falls to 2006 low

21.Oct.06: OIL fell more than 2 per cent to fresh 2006 lows under $US57 a barrel today on concerns OPEC members may not comply with deep production cuts aimed at halting a drop in crude oil prices. ... more
Iraq 'hiding true casualty figures'

21.Oct.06: THE Iraqi Government has told medical authorities not to reveal to the UN the true extent of civilian casualties in the country's conflict, French newspaper Le Monde said today. ... more

Australian bird flu fears downplayed

21.Oct.06: AN Australian animal health expert has downplayed fears migratory birds from Indonesia may bring the avian flu virus to Australian shores. ... more

Bush resists major course change in Iraq

21.Oct.06: US President George W. Bush said today he would resist election-year pressure for a major shift in strategy in Iraq, despite growing doubts among Americans and anxiety over the war among Republican politicians. ... more

Biodiesel plant looks for staff

21.Oct.06: AUSTRIAN engineers are putting the finishing touches on Barnawartha’s biodiesel plant as the green fuel producer begins it search for senior staff. ... more

Senate committee backs guest worker scheme rejection

20.Oct.06: A Senate inquiry has rejected farmers' arguments that Pacific islands guest workers should be allowed in to ease a national shortage of harvest labour. ... more

Antarctic ozone hole biggest on record: report

20.Oct.06: This year's ozone hole over Antarctica is bigger and deeper than any other on record, US scientists say. ... more

OPEC agrees to surprise 1.2m bpd cut in oil output

20.Oct.06: The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has announced it has has decided to cut the cartel's oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to 26.3 million bpd from November 1, following its extraordinary meeting in Doha. ... more

Millions more for drought-hit farmers

20.Oct.06: A multi-million dollar package of drought assistance for farmers will be put to the Victorian cabinet next week. ... more

Prepare now for bird flu, warns Qld govt

20.Oct.06: Businesses and households need to prepare now if they are going to survive a bird flu pandemic, a new Queensland government plan warns. ... more

Work to start on Vic water pipeline

20.Oct.06: Work on the first stage of an 8,000 kilometre water pipeline will begin later this month, the Victorian government has announced. ... more

No Iraq pull-out until 'victory': Bush

20.Oct.06: PRESIDENT George W. Bush insisted Thursday that US troops would not pull out of Iraq before "the terrorists are defeated," a day after acknowledging a possible parallel between violence there and the Tet Offensive during the US war in Vietnam. ... more

Aussies warming to recycled water: study

20.Oct.06: Australians are becoming more receptive to drinking recycled water, according to a university survey. ... more

Farmers look to rotten bananas for fuel

20.Oct.06: Queensland farmers are looking at using banana fuel to run their tractors. ... more

Drought won't derail economy, says Westpac

20.Oct.06: THE drought could be the worst since European settlement but is unlikely to derail the Australian economy or prevent another interest rate hike, a new analysis has suggested. ... more

Growers wait for tobacco exit offer

20.Oct.06: THE delivery of a Federal Government exit package for tobacco growers is a race against the clock. ... more

Livestock glut may soon be over

20.Oct.06: WODONGA saleyards have sold almost $30 million worth of stock in less than four months and Wangaratta\’s throughput has trebled but some industry experts suspect the drought-induced glut may be gone. ... more

Foreign workers 'treated like slaves'

19.Oct.06: Filipino workers in Australia were being treated like slaves under the double-whammy of federal migration laws and the Work Choices legislation, an inquiry has been told. ... more

Mudspill bill could be $43.7m - Santos

19.Oct.06: OIL and gas explorer Santos Ltd\'s share of fixing a huge mudspill at a gas well in east Java could be about $43.7 million, the compnay said today. ... more

Iraq, Vietnam comparison 'may be right'

19.Oct.06: US President George W. Bush today for the first time acknowledged a possible parallel between the raging violence in Iraq and the Vietnam War. ... more
Greenhouse Office budget 'underspent'

19.Oct.06: Labor claims the government\'s Greenhouse Office is not doing its job because it has underspent its budget by $362 million. ... more

Australia ready for bird flu: Abbott

18.Oct.06: The results of a massive health simulation will be studied to improve Australia's response to any future disease outbreak, Health Minister Tony Abbott says. ... more

MP 'lied to' over wind farm proposal

19.Oct.06: A Liberal MP says an environment department official lied to him about an unusual wind farm proposal. ... more

Australia heading for 'economic tsunami'

19.Oct.06: The head of an independent Australian think tank has called for policy changes to deal with what he describes as the "economic tsunami" of an ageing population. ... more

Greens hoping for farmland inquiry

19.Oct.06: The Greens are hopeful the federal government will support a Senate inquiry into the sustainability of Australia\'s agricultural lands, after being told the issue will be discussed by the joint party room. ... more

Bird flu not \'if\' but 'when', says expert

18.Oct.06: AUSTRALIA has been warned to boost its preparedness for a bird flu outbreak by identifying new strains of the virus as they develop overseas. ... more

Angry farmers hit the streets

18.Oct.06: IRRIGATORS angered by having to pay for undelivered water will target the Victorian Government in the lead-up to next month\’s election following a big protest rally in Shepparton yesterday. ... more

Long recovery for wine industry

18.Oct.06: THE wine industry could take as long as five years to recover from the crippling grape oversupply in which 100,000 tonnes of fruit was left to rot on vines this year. ... more

Bracks shares $2.4bn pipe dream

18.Oct.06: THE Victorian Government today announced the first step in a $2.4 billion plan to pipe recycled water from Melbourne to Latrobe Valley power stations in return for fresh Gippsland water ... more

Scant details add to Mokoan frustrations

17.Oct.06: LAKE Mokoan irrigators cannot make any decisions about the State Government\’s offset packages because of a lack of information, the Victorian Farmers Federation said yesterday. ... more

Extended lifeline may help devastated areas survive

17.Oct.06: CASH-strapped farmers, in exceptional-circumstances declared zones received a boost yesterday with an extension of those declarations until March 31, 2008. ... more

Jupiter pulls plug on $75m biofuels spin-off

16.Oct.06: Less than two weeks after launching a $75 million capital raising, West Perth-based oil and gas explorer Jupiter Energy Ltd has pulled the pin on a float of its biofuels subsidiary, citing a lack of market interest in the sector. ... more

Drought assistance injection fires up viability debate

17.Oct.06: The Federal Government's $350 million drought assistance package has ignited debate over the viability of some Australian farms. ... more

Jasper to push minister for aid

17.Oct.06: THE Victorian Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron will attend a drought meeting at Cobram tomorrow. ... more

Dams dry up at night, says study

17.Oct.06: ALMOST half of all evaporation from Australian dams occurs in the night, new research shows. ... more

Global warming intensifying drought patterns: CSIRO

16.Oct.06: The CSIRO says the drought can mostly be attributed to Australia's normal weather patterns but says global warming has intensified it. ... more

Resources Minister endorses nuclear option

16.Oct.06: Federal Minister for Resources and Industry, Ian Macfarlane, has delivered a strong endorsement for nuclear energy in Australia at a conference in Sydney today. ... more

Nelson promotes year 12 recruitment plan

16.Oct.06: Defence Minister Brendan Nelson says the plan for young people to spend a year in uniform will build character and impart skills which employers desire. ... more

Govt announces first $350m of drought package

16.Oct.06: The Prime Minister, John Howard, has announced the first part of Federal Cabinet's drought package and promised to offer help to more types of producers and extend the amount of time it is offered. ... more

Petrol prices 'still going down'

16.Oct.06: PETROL prices have fallen to nine-month lows and motorists can expect them to keep on falling, a leading economist says. ... more
Australia 'nuclear in a decade'

16.Oct.06: AUSTRALIA could have its first nuclear power plant within a decade as part of the federal government\'s push to find alternative energy sources. ... more

Oil prices rise in Asia

16.Oct.06: OIL prices rose in Asian trade today, hovering around $US60 a barrel ahead of an extraordinary OPEC meeting this week to discuss a production cut to check a price decline, dealers said. ... more

Tough new water curbs as Bracks acts on crisis

15.Oct.06: Harsh stage-two water restrictions are to come into force in Melbourne as water catchments drop to dangerously low levels. ... more

Libs promise bottle recycling refunds

15.Oct.06: Victorian Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu has promised to introduce a scheme to pay people to recycle bottles, if his party wins government at next month's state election. ... more
PM gives strong backing to nuclear power

15.Oct.06: Prime Minister John Howard has given his strongest support yet to the use of nuclear power in Australia, backing the development of the "clean" energy industry. ... more

Beazley outlines water policy

15.Oct.06: FEDERAL Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has outlined a plan to safeguard Australia's water supply for the future. ... more

Nationals push to lift ethanol cap

15.Oct.06: THE Nationals will push the Federal Government to scrap the 10 per cent cap on ethanol blended fuel in a bid to increase the uptake of biofuels. ... more

Tough Farm north-west plan 'has problems'

15.Oct.06: DESPITE the abundant supply of water for agriculture in north-west Australia, farming there was not without problems, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile has said. ... more

The excuses have dried up — we must sign the Kyoto pact

15.Oct.06: John Howard has little choice but to review his sceptical outlook as the harsh reality of global warming makes itself clear. ... more

Minister 'unaware' of Cosgrove remarks

16.Oct.06: DEFENCE minister Brendan Nelson has said he has not seen remarks by former defence force chief General Peter Cosgrove that he believes that the Iraq war has boosted global terrorism. ... more
No limit to drought relief: Costello

14.Oct.06: The Federal Government will continue providing drought-stricken farmers with financial aid for as long as they need it, Treasurer Peter Costello has pledged. ... more

Drought prompts plan to stockpile grain

14.Oct.06: THE Nationals have put up a radical plan to stockpile wheat and divert grain from export to ensure Australia can feed itself through the crippling drought. ... more

US reviews complaint about ethanol fuel

14.Oct.06: A US agency is reviewing a complaint claiming Ford Motor Co. made vehicles capable of using ethanol-blended fuel that did not run properly. ... more

Labor would 'sign Kyoto to fight drought'

14.Oct.06: LABOR would tackle climate change as a long-term solution to Australia\'s water shortages if it wins the next election, Opposition leader Kim Beazley said. ... more

Green Arnie goes to big smoke

14.Oct.06: CALIFORNIA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will go to New York on Monday to discuss his landmark law on global warming with fellow Republicans as pressure builds on US President George W. Bush to take a tougher stance on greenhouse gases. ... more

Hotter means drier

14.Oct.06: As the planet grows warmer, fresh water will become increasingly scarce, writes George Monbiot. ... more
Lightbulb giveaway is switched off

14.Oct.06: A SCHEME to cut greenhouse gases by giving away millions of low-energy lightbulbs and shower heads has been shut down after households installed less than half of the products. ... more

Water debate must rise to new levels

14.Oct.06: WE desperately need a well-informed debate on water. But Australians generally have what Professor Peter Cullen calls “low water literacy”. ... more

Oil prices stage strong recovery

14.Oct.06: WORLD crude oil prices leapt by more than a dollar overnight, recovering at the end of a week which witnessed New York crude strike the lowest point in 2006. ... more

Howard puts water pressure on states

14.Oct.06: THE Federal Government has put the onus on the states to improve their water management and stave off the crisis which is parching the nation. ... more

Hotter means drier

14.Oct.06: As the planet grows warmer, fresh water will become increasingly scarce, writes George Monbiot. ... more

Editorial: Drought shows political failure

14.Oct.06: Justified concern about the severity of the drought now facing Australia should not be allowed to obscure the abject failure of governments around the nation to secure adequate supplies of an essential resource. ... more

UK army chief stands by Iraq remarks

15.Oct.06: Britain's army chief is standing by his comments that UK troops should leave Iraq soon because their presence was worsening security. ... more

Indonesia urged to ratify haze treaty

14.Oct.06: Southeast Asian nations are urging Indonesia to ratify a treaty to fight annual brush fires that have sent choking smoke across parts of Malaysia and Singapore. ... more

Climate change 'threatens civilisation'

14.Oct.06: Climate change is one of the biggest menaces facing humankind and threatens to breed terrorism, war and the collapse of civilisation, a global health expert says. ... more

Push to take water from the bush for cities

14.Oct.06: THE states have condemned the federal Government for stalling key water projects as they face growing pressure to buy water from farmers to top up city supplies. ... more

Water crisis spurred by 'piddling' funding: states

13.Oct.06: The states and territories say the Federal Government should not be playing politics with water. ... more

Climate change triggers war, warns expert

13.Oct.06: CLIMATE change was one of the biggest menaces facing humankind and threatened to breed terrorism, war and the collapse of civilisation, a global health expert said today. ... more

PM doesn't believe Iraq deaths figure

13.Oct.06: PRIME Minister John Howard has dismissed as implausible research suggesting more than 600,000 Iraqis have died since US-led forces invaded. ... more

Kyoto Protocol won't solve drought crisis: Campbell

13.Oct.06: The Federal Government is adamant it will not change its mind about signing the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions, despite being told the country is facing an unprecedented drought. ... more

Water Initiative has room for improvement: report

13.Oct.06: The first stage of a national assessment of Australia's water resources has found there is considerable room for improvement. ... more

CSIRO warns of increasing bushfire threat

13.Oct.06: Australia has been warned to expect conditions ripe for bushfires in the decades ahead. ... more

Howard urges calm as drought takes hold

13.Oct.06: Prime Minister John Howard says Australians need to keep a sense of perspective amid growing concerns about the drought. ... more

PM promises farmer support

13.Oct.06: PRIME Minister John Howard has promised Australians will stand shoulder to shoulder with drought-stricken farmers, as he flagged plans to boost help to the bush. ... more

States call co-operation on water

13.Oct.06: STATE and territory leaders have called for a new national spirit of co-operation on issues related to water at the inaugural meeting of the Council for the Australian Federation in Melbourne today. ... more

Ancient art to make way for gas plant

12.Oct.06: SOME ancient Aboriginal rock art will be lost on Western Australian Burrup Peninsula because of the expansion of energy giant Woodside LNG gas operation, Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell has said. ... more

655,000 Iraqis died due to invasion: study

12.Oct.06: US researchers estimate that 655,000 Iraqis, or around one in 40 of the Iraq population, have died as a result of the 2003 invasion of their country, according to a study to be published on Thursday by the British journal The Lancet. ... more

Australia urged to join world\'s largest experiment

12.Oct.06: Experts say Australia is running out of time to be part of the global research effort on nuclear fusion. ... more

Campbell tables amendments to environment laws

12.Oct.06: The Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell says he will streamline the laws that protect the Australian environment. ... more

Report details biodiesel operation

11.Oct.06: THE Barnawartha biodiesel plant will operate 24 hours a day and produce almost 4000 tonnes of glycerine and 1200 tonnes of fertiliser as by-products each year. ... more

Hospital chaos as water turns off in Alice

11.Oct.06: RENAL patients had their dialysis cancelled, surgeries were rescheduled and kids were sent home from school today after a tank that supplies Alice Springs with water ran dry. ... more

Water the new oil, researchers say

11.Oct.06: Water is set to be "the new oil", according to a new book based on Australian consumer research. ... more

Government to overhaul environment act

11.Oct.06: The federal government is about to announce an overhaul of environment laws. ... more

Ministers to meet over Asian haze

11.Oct.06: SOUTH-EAST Asian environment ministers will meet in Singapore on Friday to discuss ways to help Indonesia extinguish forest and brush fires causing a thick smog blanketing the region ... more

Bad weather shuts Alaska oil pipeline

11.Oct.06: Severe weather in Alaska caused a power failure at the giant Prudhoe Bay oil field and knocked out the communications network of the state\'s main oil pipeline, shutting down both and forcing oil producers to curtail output, industry spokesmen said. ... more

More dams urged despite drought

10.Oct.06: A long range weather forecaster is concerned the drought has stopped the Victorian Government from building new dams. ... more

Global Warming Film Brings Moral Message to U.S. Audiences

10.Oct.06: The Great Warming, a feature-length film documenting the effects of climate change on individuals and communities across the globe, will be released in U.S. theaters on November 4. ... more

Climate report warns of refugee flood

10.Oct.06: A CSIRO report is warning of the threat to regional economies and security if governments and aid agencies do not start preparing for the impact of climate change, including an influx of refugees. ... more

Bracks eyes water trade with Tasmania

10.Oct.06: Trading water with Tasmania for farming use is a good idea, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks says. ... more

N Korea conflict tipped to hit fuel prices

10.Oct.06: NORTH Korea might not produce oil but its successful nuclear test this week is likely to have an impact on petrol prices, independent watchdog Fueltrac said today. ... more

Tasmania may export water interstate

09.Oct.06: THE Tasmanian Government says talks are under way to export drinking water to drought-hit cities on the Australian mainland. ... more

Vic dam plan is flawed: Labor

09.Oct.06: A Victorian Opposition plan to build an $80 million dam to ease Melbourne's water crisis is fundamentally flawed and would wreck the river system, says Environment Minister John Thwaites. ... more

Canberrans rally on climate change

09.Oct.06: ORGANISERS of a peaceful rally on grass outside Old Parliament House in Canberra today were hoping to attract 10,000 people to make a stand against climate change. But only about 2,000 people turned up. ... more

Water restrictions working, says Govt

09.Oct.06: SYDNEYSIDERS have saved enough water to fill more than 220,000 Olympic swimming pools since restrictions began three years ago, the NSW Government says. ... more

Rising seas could swamp millions in Asia

09.Oct.06: Millions of people could become homeless in the Asia-Pacific region by 2070 due to rising sea levels, with Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, China and Pacific islands most at risk, says Australia's top scientific body. ... more

Climate change report backs Labor strategy, says Albanese

09.Oct.06: The Federal Opposition says a CSIRO report on climate change backs its call for a Pacific climate change strategy. ... more

Govt handing out 'millions of dollars' for LPG conversions

09.Oct.06: Federal Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, says the Government has handed out millions of dollars in grants to people who have converted their cars to LPG. ... more

Indonesian Calamity: A Man-Made Mud Bath

08.Oct.06: Reckless seismic testing for natural gas has destabilized underground faults and produced dozens of mud-spewing geysers that have completely submerged eight villages since May ... yet the mainstream media remains silent. ... more

Beazley pushes measures to foster green cars

08.Oct.06: DRIVERS of environmentally friendly cars could be allocated special car parks, similar to those for the disabled, under a Federal Labor plan to end Australia's reliance on Middle East oil. ... more

Libs outline $80m water project

08.Oct.06: A dam will be built on the lower reaches of the Maribyrnong if the Opposition is elected, says Ted Baillieu. ... more

National heatwave warning for next week

08.Oct.06: AUSTRALIA'S southern and eastern states should prepare for a heatwave next week, meteorologists said today. ... more

A leaner, greener, cleaner future beckons

08.Oct.06: POLITICIANS have the job of making promises that may come true. Futurists have the job of picking which ones will. ... more

Big dry bites

08.Oct.06: VICTORIA'S two biggest inland cities, Ballarat and Bendigo, are on the brink of major water crises and the situation is set to worsen this week as an unseasonal heatwave approaches. ... more

Dam business — why the drought is really in store

08.Oct.06: IN FIVE weeks' time, the delivery and quality of water from Thomson Reservoir (Melbourne's main water supply) will head into uncharted territory, as the water level drops to a record low and continues to steadily fall away. ... more

Uniting Church goes for Green Power

07.Oct.06: The Uniting Church's annual NSW Synod has voted to encourage congregations, presbyteries and agencies to switch to Green Power. ... more

Crude falls as OPEC cut looms

07.Oct.06:WORLD oil prices dropped back below $US60 per barrel overnight as speculation mounted that consensus was building within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries for a production cut. ... more

Singapore issues health advisory over thick haze

07.Oct.06: Singapore's environment agency has issued a health advisory as thick haze from fires in Indonesia choke the city-state. ... more

Petroleum industry critical of gas plan

06.Oct.06: Australia's oil and gas industry has criticised a Western Australian plan to set aside 15 per cent of the state's gas reserves for domestic use. ... more

Water recycling a top priority: Howard

06.Oct.06: Prime Minister John Howard has indicated water recycling projects could be top priority when the federal government gives states money from its $2 billion national water fund. ... more

Govt has no major greenhouse gas strategy: expert

06.Oct.06: A leading climate change expert has told a summit on alternative fuels that the Federal Government has no far reaching strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ... more

Over 90% want reliance on oil reduced

05.Oct.06: More than nine in ten Australians believe governments should do more to reduce the nation's reliance on oil-based fuel products such as petrol, a poll shows. ... more

WA to keep 15pc of gas reserves

05.Oct.06: WESTERN Australia will require 15 per cent of the state's gas reserves to be set aside for domestic use but will be flexible about which ones are picked, the state's Premier has said. ... more

Nuclear energy panel considers Chernobyl

05.Oct.06: The Federal Government-appointed panel investigating nuclear power has visited the sites of major overseas nuclear disasters, including Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. ... more

Upgrade to block salt from Murray

05.Oct.06: THOUSANDS of tonnes of salt will be prevented from entering the Murray River following today's opening of a $4.5 million upgrade, the New South Wales Government has said. ... more

Rapid global growth may be unsustainable

05.Oct.06: THE rapid world economic growth may be unsustainable but an expansion in Europe and emerging markets may offset a US slowdown, the head of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) said today. ... more

Melbourne's September water level falls

05.Oct.06: MELBOURNE'S water storages are continuing to decline, with total levels falling in September for the first time in 36 years. ... more

Government under pressure over Kyoto

05.Oct.06: CANADA'S Opposition parties have voted to force the Government to implement the Kyoto Protocol and meet emissions reduction targets the Government believes are unattainable. ... more

Crops shrivel, graziers shed stock

05.Oct.06: THE Wodonga saleyards will see about 12,000 head of cattle sold this week, proof the drought is forcing farmers to off-load stock while they are still in decent condition. ... more

Fire season arrives a month early

04.Oct.06: Premier Steve Bracks today announced formal fire danger periods would be declared in Victoria in about two weeks – a month earlier than last year.
... more

Conference to back alternative fuel industry

04.Oct.06: A conference in Sydney today will push the case for an alternative fuel industry in Australia to end the reliance on increasingly expensive oil.
... more


Cheaper oil and free gas – doomsday postponed again

04.Oct.06: Getting harder for members of the peak oil doomsday cult to keep the faith – oil futures fell under US$59 a barrel overnight while natural gas prices in the UK turned negative, ie gas traders will pay you to take the stuff away.
... more

Govts must lead way on alternative fuels

04.Oct.06: The NRMA is calling on the Federal Government to invest more money in the development of alternative fuels, amid growing concerns about global warming and high petrol costs.
... more

In the battle to be green, the human factor can work wonders

04.Oct.06: NEWS from Britain that the Home Counties arms manufacturer BAE Systems will include eco-aware weaponry in its spring collection is heart-warming stuff, a spin-off, no doubt, of the Tories 'vote blue, go green' election couture. ... more

Ethanol-powered car coming to Australia

04.Oct.06: A NEW ethanol-powered car is headed for Australia after selling well in Europe.
... more

Biofuel task force above politics

04.Oct.06: The NRMA has announced the formation of a task force to develop alternative energy sources in Australia.
... more

Chances of avoiding El Nino nil, climate centre says

03.Oct.06: The National Climate Centre (NCC) has confirmed the chances of Australia avoiding the grip of an El Nino weather pattern this spring are virtually nil.
... more

Tas water recycling plant touted as national example

02.Oct.06: The Federal Government is using Tasmania's biggest and newest water recycling scheme as a national example of how to save water. ... more

Expect petrol rise before Christmas - NRMA

02.Oct.06: PETROL prices were likely to rise before Christmas as winter in the northern hemisphere increased demand for fuel, NRMA president Alan Evans said today. ... more

Scientists create more efficient nuclear power fuel

01.Oct.06: United States researchers have designed a reactor fuel that they believe can make nuclear power plants 50 per cent more powerful and safer, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) says. ... more

A Dangerous Energy Climate

01.Oct.06: Panelists at the Emerging Technologies Conference voiced an urgent need for aggressive policies to promote energy efficiency, renewable power sources, and carbon sequestration. ... more

Lateline speaks with Bruce Phillips

01.Oct.06: Ali Moore speaks with the head of Australian Worldwide Exploration, Bruce Phillips, about the world oil industry. ... more