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Global deforestation: 10 hot spots on Google Earth – in pictures

The Guardian - Sat, 2013-11-16 00:03
Earth has lost more than half a million square miles of forest between 2000 and 2012. Analysis of 650,000 satellite images, published in the journal Science, reveal the extent of loss and recovery – Brazil’s success in the Amazon is offset by deforestation in Indonesia, Malaysia, Paraguay, Bolivia, Zambia and Angola. The colour-coded maps here show the changes: green is forest cover, red is lost forest, blue is forest gained and pink is forests both lost and gained in the period Continue reading...
Categories: Around The Web

SENG QLD newsletter - November 2013

Newsletters QLD - Fri, 2013-11-15 05:35
SENG QLD newsletter - November 2013
Categories: Newsletters QLD

Gigha watts: Scottish island tests batteries for wind farms

The Guardian - Sun, 2013-11-10 06:54
Battery project involving 75,000 litres of sulphuric acid will allow Scottish island to store wind power it cannot transmit

The Scottish island of Gigha is to be the focus of a £2.5m experiment aimed at solving a major technological problem: how to store energy generated by wind, tide and wave power plants. The project, which will involve building giant batteries containing 75,000 litres of sulphuric acid mixed with vanadium pentoxide, is intended to allow power generated by the island's wind turbines to be stored for later use.

At present, while Gigha's turbines are running, their power is used to run households on the island and excess is transmitted by cable to the mainland electricity grid. When winds are low, and Gigha's turbines do not turn, the grid feeds power to the island. But the cable link has an upper power limit. As a result, much of the island's excess power cannot be transmitted to the mainland and is wasted. The battery project, backed by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, is intended to get round this problem.

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Categories: Around The Web

CSIRO report on sampling soil organic carbon released

Department of the Environment - Fri, 2013-11-08 16:11
Release of CSIRO report - Sampling soil organic carbon to detect change over time
Categories: Around The Web

Public consultation: draft assessment bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth and the State of Queensland

Department of the Environment - Thu, 2013-11-07 14:15
The Department is currently seeking public comment on a draft assessment bilateral agreement with the State of Queensland. The draft bilateral agreement is intended to be an amendment of the existing bilateral agreement.
Categories: Around The Web

Water Matters - Issue 31 now online

Department of the Environment - Thu, 2013-11-07 08:08
In this issue - Parliamentary Secretary visits Murray-Darling Basin Communities, Environmental watering to benefit native fish, Funding for new scheme in Tasmania, Nimmie-Caira Environmental Water Delivery Project update, Farm Modernisation project for Victoria
Categories: Around The Web

Water Matters - Issue 31 now online

Department of the Environment - Thu, 2013-11-07 08:08
In this issue - Parliamentary Secretary visits Murray-Darling Basin Communities, Environmental watering to benefit native fish, Funding for new scheme in Tasmania, Nimmie-Caira Environmental Water Delivery Project update, Farm Modernisation project for Victoria
Categories: Around The Web

Polar bears fight for survival as sea ice melts – video

The Guardian - Wed, 2013-11-06 03:53
As winter approaches, polar bears in sub-arctic Canada begin to migrate off the tundra and head out onto the ice for the winter, where they can hunt for seals. However, climate change is delaying freeze-up, keeping the bears out on the tundra for longer – away from their main food source. US environment correspondent Suzanne Goldenberg talks to polar scientists ahead of a live Q&A from Churchill, Manitoba Continue reading...
Categories: Around The Web

Borneo bay cat photographed in heavily logged region

The Guardian - Tue, 2013-11-05 08:01
Extremely rare sighting raises hopes that larger mammals are more able to survive in logged areas than previously thought

One of the world's most elusive wild cats has been captured on camera in a heavily logged area of Borneo rainforest together with four other endangered species, suggesting that some wildlife can survive in highly disturbed forests.

The Bornean bay cat (Pardofelis badia) has been recorded on camera traps on just a handful of occasions to date and was only photographed in the wild for the first time in southern Sarawak in 2003. The cat, extremely secretive and similar in size to a large domestic cat with a long tail and either a reddish or grey coat, had been classified as extinct until new images taken in Malaysian Borneo in 2009 and 2010 gave fresh hope for its survival.

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Categories: Around The Web

Fears for Scottish salmon farming after China production targets missed

The Guardian - Mon, 2013-11-04 21:37
• Rapid expansion needed to meet Chinese demand by 2020
• Concern that new strict eco standards may be compromised

The Scottish salmon farming industry is struggling to meet a controversial target to rapidly increase production to help feed China's growing appetite for fresh and smoked salmon.

The Guardian has established that Scottish salmon producers have fallen way behind their goal of increasing production by 60,000 tonnes, or 50%, by 2020 to help meet surging demand for the fish from China's middle classes. Scottish ministers now admit that hitting the target is a "challenge".

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Categories: Around The Web

ABRS Churchill Fellowships

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2013-11-04 10:33
Following the success of our 2012 partnership with The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, the ABRS has again partnered with the Trust to offer two fellowships in 2014 to undertake overseas taxonomic research on the Australian flora and fauna. Applications close 19 February 2014.
Categories: Around The Web

New South Wales Estuary General Fishery

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2013-11-04 10:18
Agency 2013 application on ecological sustainability - comments open until 4 December 2013
Categories: Around The Web

New South Wales Ocean Hauling Fishery

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2013-11-04 10:14
Agency 2013 application on ecological sustainability - comments open until 4 December 2013
Categories: Around The Web

SENG AGM and Climate talk

Newsletters VIC - Sun, 2013-11-03 01:35
SENG AGM and Climate talk
Categories: Newsletters VIC

Australian Heritage Strategy public consultation

Department of the Environment - Fri, 2013-11-01 11:26
On 1 November 2013, the Government announced the re-starting of the Australian Heritage Strategy as one of Australia’s key heritage priorities. All Australians are encouraged to participate in the development of the Strategy.
Categories: Around The Web

Public consultation: Great Barrier Reef Strategic Assessment

Department of the Environment - Thu, 2013-10-31 16:38
The Queensland Government and the GBRMPA are currently seeking public comment on the draft strategic assessment documentation.
Categories: Around The Web

Geoscience Australia Reports on ground water resources beneath the Darling River floodplain at Menindee Lakes

Department of the Environment - Tue, 2013-10-29 11:36
The Parliamentary Secretary, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham has announced the release of the reports.
Categories: Around The Web

Environmental watering in the Mehi River and Carole Creek, Gwydir catchment

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2013-10-28 09:26
For the first time Commonwealth environmental water is being provided to the Mehi River and to Carole Creek in the Gwydir catchment to provide in-stream flows to maintain habitat for native animals, particularly native fish.
Categories: Around The Web

2012-13 Annual Report

Department of the Environment - Mon, 2013-10-28 08:43
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities Annual Report 2012-2013
Categories: Around The Web

Strategic assessment agreement signed for offshore petroleum activities

Department of the Environment - Sat, 2013-10-26 06:08
The Minister has signed an agreement to progress a strategic assessment of petroleum activities in Commonwealth waters under the national environmental law. The strategic assessment is expected to deliver regulatory efficiencies whilst maintaining the highest environmental standards.
Categories: Around The Web

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