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Shark detection buoys set for trial in New South Wales

The Guardian - Sun, 2016-10-30 10:47

Sonar equipment to be positioned off Port Stephens in ‘nursery for juvenile great whites’ will be able to send information to lifesavers via SMS messages

A new shark detection technology named “clever buoy” will be trialled off the coast of Port Stephens, 200km north of Sydney, in the hope it will give insight into the spate of recent attacks on the New South Wales north coast.

The collaboration with Australian company Shark Mitigation Systems will use sonar technology to detect the distinctive movement patterns made by sharks and transmit the information to local beach authorities via SMS messages.

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Drug resistance and a coming pandemic

ABC Environment - Sun, 2016-10-30 09:30
It’s estimated around 700,000 people die each year because of drug-resistant infections & the death-toll is expected to rise to around 10 million per year by 2050 unless more is done. So how prepared are we for future pandemics?
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Drug resistance and a coming pandemic

ABC Environment - Sun, 2016-10-30 09:30
It’s estimated around 700,000 people die each year because of drug-resistant infections & the death-toll is expected to rise to around 10 million per year by 2050 unless more is done. So how prepared are we for future pandemics?
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Elon Musk unveils Tesla solar tiles on Desperate Housewives set – video

The Guardian - Sat, 2016-10-29 22:57

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk addresses an audience in Los Angeles as he unveils his company’s newest energy product - solar roof tiles. Musk outlined the benefits of an “integrated future” which would allow consumers to charge electric vehicles with renewable solar power, showcasing the tiles on homes once used as the set for US drama Desperate Housewives

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Tesla boss Elon Musk unveils solar roof tiles

The Guardian - Sat, 2016-10-29 17:56

Musk showcases new energy products to illustrate benefits of merging his firm with solar installer SolarCity

The Tesla chief executive, Elon Musk, has unveiled new energy products aimed at illustrating the benefits of combining his firm, which makes electric cars and batteries, with solar installer SolarCity.

The billionaire entrepreneur showed off solar roof tiles that eliminate the need for traditional panels and a longer-lasting home battery, which Tesla calls the Powerwall, aimed at realising his vision of selling a fossil fuel-free lifestyle to consumers.

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Return of the mandarin ducks

The Guardian - Sat, 2016-10-29 14:30

Strathnairn, Highlands I counted 18 of them coming in to feed on the mixed grain we spread out on two ground-level bird tables below the apple trees

I was up at first light the other day, listening for the ritual morning call of birds flying low across the field from the river Nairn. Their croaking sounded like moorhens, but I knew that these would be the mandarin ducks coming in to feed in the garden. These are the birds that bred in this part of the strath earlier this year – only about 15 pairs have been recorded in the whole of the Highlands.

The females, as usual, led the way, the males close behind. Aix galericulata have one of the highest wing/weight ratios of the ducks, and their relatively long wings and tail give them great manoeuvrability. When the flock reached the paddock, you could see these remarkable wings come into their own, as the birds twisted and turned around the tall beech and sycamore trees.

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Geoengineering becoming more necessary as emissions increase and temperatures continue to rise

ABC Environment - Sat, 2016-10-29 11:42
As conditions worsen, geoengineering will become more necessary. Hugh Hunt argues there are many preliminary experiments which need to be run before geoengineering can be considered seriously.
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The strange case of the peppered tree frog

ABC Environment - Sat, 2016-10-29 09:30
Jodi Rowley is a frog detective from the Australian Museum and she’s sewing together a patchwork of clues to try to find the peppered tree frog in the New England Tablelands.
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Australia's wildest, oldest and most beautiful places

ABC Environment - Sat, 2016-10-29 09:05
Where is the place that's home to the world’s oldest living plant, one of the world’s tallest trees AND home the same zircon that’s found on the moon?
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From swimming sloths to lions in Botswana, this is Planet Earth II

The Guardian - Sat, 2016-10-29 09:01

A decade after the groundbreaking Planet Earth, the BBC’s six-part sequel looks set to be even more spectacular. Here are some of its stars

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Exhausted snow geese head to Canada wildlife facility to rest up for migration

The Guardian - Sat, 2016-10-29 08:13

At least three birds were found this week and brought to Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, showing no energy to rejoin their ‘snowstorm’ of birds

After a long migration, a few snow geese in British Columbia, Canada, just needed a little break.

At least three birds were found on the ground this week and were brought to Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, according to the Coast Reporter. Irene Davy from the centre said she knows of at least three or four more that may also be brought in for care.

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Why the attack on 'foreign-funded' environment groups stinks of hypocrisy | Graham Readfearn

The Guardian - Sat, 2016-10-29 07:00

Supporters of coal projects want transparency and proper use of charity status – but only when they support their arguments

You might have noticed that all of a sudden, Australians are supposed to be appalled by foreign interests getting in the way of us digging up as much coal as we want, thanks very much.

Last weekend the Australian newspaper started running stories based on a “revelation” from the inbox of John Podesta, the chairman of Democratic nominee for president Hillary Clinton’s election campaign.

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Australian to head Green Climate Fund

ABC Environment - Sat, 2016-10-29 06:30
Australian Howard Bamsey has been selected to head the $100 Billion Green Climate Fund.
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A Big Country October 29, 2016

ABC Environment - Sat, 2016-10-29 05:20
Victoria's famous river red gum wetlands get a good soaking; Bec Bovell is Cygnet's mushroom lady; we go behind the scenes at the Weengallon ladies day; and Stan Heausler calls last drinks at the Grove Hill Hotel.
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Shipping industry criticised for failure to reach carbon emissions deal

The Guardian - Sat, 2016-10-29 03:18

International Maritime Organisation agrees sulphur emissions cap but is condemned for delaying measures to cut greenhouse gases

The world’s leading shipping organisation has been condemned by environmental campaigners and MEPs for its failure to urgently tackle the industry’s impact on climate change, after it agreed only to a partial reduction in harmful emissions from ships.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), meeting in London, agreed to cap emissions of sulphur from ships, which are a cause of air and sea pollution, but on greenhouse gases agreed only to some further monitoring and a fresh round of negotiations. Potential measures to reduce greenhouse gases have been delayed to 2023, which campaigners said was too late.

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Mass extinction, whaling and a new marine park – green news roundup

The Guardian - Sat, 2016-10-29 01:33

The week’s top environment news stories and green events. If you are not already receiving this roundup, sign up here to get the briefing delivered to your inbox

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Prince Charles joins clean soil project to combat climate change

The Guardian - Fri, 2016-10-28 23:38

Prince of Wales says soil health is of ‘critical importance’ as he joins initiative to keep carbon locked in the world’s soils

Prince Charles urged governments, individuals and businesses to take greater care of the world’s soils as part of an initiative aimed at keeping carbon locked in soil, rather than escaping into the atmosphere and causing global warming.

The “4 per 1000” project is a pledge to reduce the amount of carbon leaked from soils by 0.4% a year, which would be enough to halt the rise of carbon dioxide levels in the air. Nearly 180 countries have signed up to the initiative that was set up by the French government as part of its efforts to make the Paris agreement on climate change, signed last year, a success.

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The week in wildlife – in pictures

The Guardian - Fri, 2016-10-28 23:00

An elusive shoebill, a Yellowstone grizzly and spawning red snappers are among this week’s pick of images from the natural world

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Shipping industry agrees to cap sulphur emissions by 2020

The Guardian - Fri, 2016-10-28 20:52

Cap on sulphur content of marine fuels worldwide will save millions of lives in the coming decades, say campaigners. BusinessGreen reports

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) agreed on Thursday to set a cap on the sulphur content of marine fuels, in a move that campaigners predict will save millions of lives in the coming decades.

At a meeting of the IMO’s environment protection committee this week shipping officials agreed to cap the sulphur content of marine fuels sold around the world at 0.5% by 2020, finally making good on a 2008 agreement to cap sulphur levels by 2020 or 2025.

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Landmark agreement will create world’s largest marine park in Antarctica – video report

The Guardian - Fri, 2016-10-28 17:57

A landmark international agreement will create the world’s largest marine park in Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, an environment home to most of the world’s penguins and whales. More than 1.5m sq km of the Ross Sea around Antarctica will be protected under the deal which was brokered in Australia between 24 countries and the European Union

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