Episodit

  • Ray Evans (pictured) founded the Australian Business Forum (ABF) and is excited and energized by the "Electric SUV Expo" that people can enjoy at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre over three days from August 9.

    The ABF is a premier business platform dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals in the small and medium enterprise sector seeking to start, expand or transition their business domestically or across the Asian markets.

    Ray sees the electric vehicle market as a wonderful opportunity for those businesses his group represents.

    The Melbourne expo, Ray explains, allows people to see and experience some of the latest range of SUV vehicles from many manufacturers.

    Visitors will be able to learn about financing an electric SUV, charging and, in what's a first for the Exhibition and Convention Centre, test drive the electric vehicle of their choice.

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • The June 15 Swanpool Environmental Film Festival was in equal portions depressing and uplifting - the latter arising from the fact that the Swanpool theatre was full of people eager to understand what is ahead for humanity and how best they could contribute to decisions ensuring the correct path was chosen.

    The eight-hour festival included the screening of three movies - "The New Corporation", "Finding the Money", and "Undercurrents" by Margot Nash.

    An intriguing, and almost laughable aspect of the Finding the Money movie was the interview with Jared Bernstein, the Chair of America's Council of Economic Advisers.

    Dr Steven Hail from the Torrens University Modern Money Lab in Adelaide introduced "Finding the Money" and mentioned Professor Stephanie Kelton, who was, by default, the movie's star.

    Musical entertainment was provided by the "Hot House Quartet" and in entertaining the crowd with the song "The Carnival is Over", I was reminded of Richard Heinberg's 2003 book, "The Party's Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies".

    Dr Mark Diesendorf, co-authored "The Path to a Sustainable Civilisation: Technological, Socioeconomic and Political Change" with Rod Taylor.

    Sponsors for the festival were the "Swanpool and District Land Protection Group"; the Benalla Sustainable Future Group"; the "Gecko Clan"; "Winton Wetlands"; "Benalla Rural City Council"; and the "Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority".

    A separate episode of "Climate Conversations" has a presentation by Dr Mark Diesendorf.

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
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  • Dr Mark Diesendorf (pictured) delivered a powerful and relevant address at the Saturday, June 15, Swanpool Environmental Film Festival.

    Dr Diesendorf is an associate professor from the University of New South Wales and is the co-author of "The Path to a Sustainable Civilisation".

    During his presentation, Dr Diesendorf pointed to the "Australian Conversation Foundation" and the "Australian Democracy Network" as groups that could help to bring some balance into society and so slow the advance of the climate crisis.

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • Matthew B.Eisenson (pictured) from the Columbia Climate School Sabin Centre for Climate Change Law was the guest on a recent webinar where he talked about the "Myths and Misinformation about Renewable Energy".

    A recording from the session will be posted soon on the Columbia Climate School YouTube site, please check back there.

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • Professor Alex Halliday founded the Columbia Climate School and has long championed the need for climate action.

    "US Elections: Could Trump Surprise Us On Climate?";

    "Get on with orderly energy transition, says Origin boss";

    "‘It makes our life easier’: Climate campaigns seize on Dutton’s refusal to set target";

    "Talking the Talk: Dutton dumps climate commitment, Labor speaks with forked tongue";

    "Maine college builds climate-friendly dorm out of wood";

    "Why scientists fear a second Trump term, and what they are doing about it";

    "Peter Dutton has reignited Australia’s climate wars. We fact-check the major claims";

    "Farmers who graze sheep under solar panels say it improves productivity. So why don’t we do it more?";

    "Will Mexico’s New Climate Scientist President Change the Country’s Energy Policy?";

    "At risk from rising sea levels, these First Nations peoples are finding solidarity in their shared struggle";

    "Serious heat wave to scorch the East next week. Maps show areas at risk.";

    "‘It makes our life easier’: Climate campaigns seize on Dutton’s refusal to set target";

    "I'm a conservative. We need to make the environment non-partisan";

    "Minnesota takes rare step to allow power lines alongside highways";

    "Shocking: man who joked about Pacific Island nations sinking doesn’t actually care about the environment";

    "EnergyHub receives CEC grant to support expansion of virtual power plants in California";

    "Congestion Has Never Been Worse; The Need for Congestion Pricing, Never Greater.";

    "Cemeteries Can Be Damaged by Climate Change—and Provide Climate Refuge";

    "As the Country Heats Up, ERs May See an Influx of Young Patients Struggling With Mental Health";

    "Looking at the Planetary Past to Prepare for Our Climate Changed Future—An Interview with Steven Earle";

    "A year of record global heat has pushed Earth closer to dangerous threshold";

    "Heavy flooding hits parts of South Florida after severe rains";

    "Anatomy of a flood";

    "European Union Hits E.V.s From China With Extra Tariffs Up to 38%";

    "If regional communities don’t want a windfarm, why would they accept a nuclear power station?";

    "Peter Dutton accused of trying to ‘rip up’ Australia’s commitment to Paris climate agreement";

    "Best-case scenario: 5% survive Milford Sound tsunami";

    "End of the windmill era: NSW switches to safer, more efficient solar water pumps";

    "Low-Traffic Neighborhoods Are Reclaiming London’s Streets From Cars";

    "Acropolis in Athens closed as Greece bakes in heatwave: What travellers need to know";

    "EU to slap extra tariffs on Chinese electric cars in a bid to close competition gap";

    "Where will climate change hit hardest? These interactive maps offer a telltale glimpse.";

    "The city that is trying to sleep: Paris seeks to cut noise pollution by four decibels";

    "Up to 5m of beach are disappearing from this Spanish coast every year: Is climate change to blame?";

    "My Climate View: online tool allows Australian farmers to project changes out to 2070";

    "Scientists have built a ‘digital twin’ of Earth to predict the future of climate change";

    "How Congestion Pricing Makes Cities More Livable";

    "Super election year: What are candidates in the UK, US and Australia planning on the climate?".

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • Peter Dutton (pictured) has damned Australia's climate efforts, proposes nuclear energy and so will see Australia burst past its Paris agreement.

    Subsequently, the leader of Australia's Liberal Party seems to have cornered the news services, here are a few:

    "Dutton and Albanese both think they’re on a winner with nuclear power. Only one man can be right";

    "‘Worse than Scott Morrison’: PM attacks Dutton over revival of climate wars";

    "Gas made from cow manure could be new front in energy fight";

    "Four Corners - Wind Wars";

    "Dutton to pull Australia out of Paris Agreement if elected";

    "Is nuclear energy feasible in Australia (and how much would it cost)?";

    "Regional Queenslanders say electric vehicles worth it for fuel savings but challenges remain";

    "The anti-windfarm 'odd couple' joining forces to fight the renewable energy projects Australia's already failing to build";

    "The CAT guide to a good 2035 climate target";

    "Who thinks people can affect what the government does about global warming?";

    "Europe veers right but centre-ground resists: What the EU election results mean and what's next";

    "Analysis: UK climate aid reaches record ÂŁ1.8bn in 2023 after loosening rules";

    "This word was rejected by geologists. But it’s already taken over the world.";

    "Peter Dutton’s plans will breach the Paris agreement on climate – that much is clear";

    "We have a moral responsibility to help low-income nations restore coral reefs";

    "Investors have bid against each other to buy Australia’s first green bond. Here’s why that’s a great sign";

    "Weakening or collapse of a major Atlantic current has disrupted NZ’s climate in the past – and could do so again";

    "Winds of political change blow through environmental conference";

    "Living Hot: Surviving and Thriving on a Heating Planet";

    "Could low-carbon cement and steel be cheaper than we think?";

    "View from The Hill: Peter Dutton sets up a debate about Australia’s ambition on emission reduction targets";

    "Why Do Americans Feel Entitled to a Leadership Role on Climate?";

    "North Korea’s trash balloons deepen tensions with the South. Here’s what’s happening between rivals";

    "The Macroeconomics of Australia’s Energy Transition";

    "Living and Dying in the Shadow of Chemical Plants";

    "In Brazil’s Semi-Arid Region, Small Farmers Work Exhausted Lands, Hoping a New Government Will Revive the War on Desertification";

    "Could spraying sea salt into the clouds cool the planet?";

    "Home insurance was once a ‘must.’ Now more homeowners are going without.";

    "The UN chief has called for a ban on fossil fuel advertising – is the NZ industry listening?";

    "A renewable energy transition that doesn’t harm nature? It’s not just possible, it’s essential";

    "View from The Hill: Peter Dutton sets up a debate about Australia’s ambition on emission reduction targets";

    "3.2 million people in the U.S. may be exposed to dangerous heat today";

    "Brutal heatwave cooks US south-west, an early sign of sizzling summer ahead";

    "End climate silence";

    "Far-right fossil fuel company allies pressure US supreme court to shield firms in unprecedented campaign";

    "Water firm seizes stake in Devon sewage protester’s home over unpaid bills";

    "Climate scientist Susan Solomon: ‘Let’s not give up now – we’re right on the cusp of success’";

    "North Africa’s disappearing nomads: Why my community needs climate finance";

    "Blackout risk lower this winter, says National Grid";

    "Developing countries suggest rich nations tax arms, fashion and tech firms for climate";

    "What Happens When Climate Change Threatens to Bury Your Home?";

    "UN Secretary-General Calls for Ban on Fossil Fuel Advertising, Says Next 18 Months Are Critical for Climate Action";

    "Most planes are powered by fossil fuels. That could change.";

    "How to support climate change education in your state’s schools";

    "Research on Earth’s raging fever of 2023-24 is picking up";

    "What’s the deal with terms like “greenhouse effect,” “global warming,” “climate change,” and “the climate emergency”?";

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • Clive Hamilton and George Wilkenfeld continue to be urgently concerned about mitigation, but now see adaptation to be the primary issue of concern for all levels of government - listen to Hamilton as he talks with Michelle Grattan on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: "Politics with Michelle Grattan: Clive Hamilton on how Australians must adapt to ‘Living Hot’"

    "The Arctic is heating up nearly four times faster than the whole planet, study finds";

    "The impact of climate change on language loss";

    "Why do so few people cycle for transport in Australia? 6 ideas on how to reap all the benefits of bikes";

    "Oil and Gas Companies Are Trying to Rig the Marketplace";

    "A Matter of Survival as South Asia’s Heat Wave Reaches 127 Degrees";

    "Burning book festivals is not a climate solution";

    "Salt in the Womb: How Rising Seas Erode Reproductive Health";

    "My Climate View: online tool allows Australian farmers to project changes out to 2070";

    "Is it possible to fry an egg on the sidewalk if it's hot enough?";

    "Vermont just became the first state to try to make big oil pay for climate damages";

    "Tuvalu turns to the metaverse as rising seas threaten existence";

    "The Delhi heatwave is testing the limits of human endurance. Other hot countries should beware and prepare";

    "Are the climate wars really over, or has a new era of greenwashing just begun?";

    "As global temperatures rise, are liberal democracies on trial?";

    "The $50 billion gas deal Australia hopes will keep China quiet";

    "‘People prefer that we’d never close’: Eraring lifeline a mixed blessing for a coal community in limbo";

    "Climate activist defaces Monet painting in Paris";

    "Scientists develop method of making healthier, more sustainable chocolate";

    "Simon Armitage: Poets can fight climate crisis by making us spellbound by nature";

    "What to Know About Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s Newly Elected President";

    "If regional communities don’t want a windfarm, why would they accept a nuclear power station?";

    "Heat can kill - here's how to help!";

    "India’s deadly heat kills over 200 people, including dozens of poll workers as elections wrap up";

    "Which of Australia’s favourite ski fields will survive by 2080?";

    "The National Centre for Climate Restoration (Breakthrough)";

    "Oceans face ‘triple threat’ of extreme heat, oxygen loss and acidification";

    "Reality check: the Reform UK party’s claims on the climate crisis examined";

    "ACCESS: Australia’s climate and earth systems model";

    "U.S. Electric Bills Could Increase 8% This Summer Amid Rising Temperatures";

    "‘Perfect storm’ hurricane season could be break records";

    "Massachusetts kicks off first pilot to shift gas utilities to clean heat";

    "'Sounding the alarm': World likely to temporarily pass 1.5C limit by 2028, UN weather agency warns";

    "May breaks global temperature record for 12th month in a row. Will La Nina bring cooler weather?";

    "Scientists say Earth is heating at a record rate, but there’s still time to stop crisis accelerating";

    "‘Depressing and dystopian’: UAE used COP28 to boost fossil fuel deals, investigation says";

    "EU Policy: Ambitions for global renewable energy capacity unrealised, says report";

    "A year of record global heat has pushed Earth closer to dangerous threshold";

    "How is climate change affecting heat waves in California and the West?";

    "Half the world will vote in 2024, but how many elections will be fair?";

    "‘An intergenerational crime against humanity’: what will it take for political leaders to start taking climate change seriously?";

    "How animals are changing to cope with stronger heatwaves";

    "Why the US oil majors may end up doing more for the green transition than their (slightly) more progressive European rivals";

    "To tackle the climate crisis we need more democracy, not less";

    "Rising authoritarianism and worsening climate change share a fossil-fueled secret";

    "Trump, Covid, the climate crisis – we’ve had a hard few years. The wounds linger";

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • Ross McPherson (pictured), the Chairman and editor-in-chief of the Shepparton-based McPherson Group of Newspapers, was the guest speaker at The Greater Shepparton Biennial Bruce Willson Memorial Heritage Lecture for 2024.

    The Wednesday, June 5, session was recorded, in both an audio and visual sense but the recording has not been posted as yet on the City Council YouTube website.

    I urge you to check back regularly for once the event is posted, you will be able to see and hear Ross's lecture.

    The need for story-telling to combat the climate crisis and prepare people for the inevitable challenges is regularly discussed in many books, including that which is presently on my desk, "All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis".

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • Kent Getsinger (pictured) might be an organiser with the Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association, but he is also an ardent advocate of the Modern Monetary Theory (MMT).

    Arrangements to interview Kent were made at a Melbourne meeting of "Sustainable Prosperity Action Group – Naarm" earlier this year where about 40 people had gathered at that city's campus of the Adelaide-based "Torrens University".

    Kent has pointed out that those eager to know more about MMT should join/follow the Sustainable Prosperity Action Group - NAARM, listen to RadioMMT, check out the "Modern Money Lab" website, listen to this interview from "The Australia Institute", watch this hour-long YouTube event featuring "Professor Stephanie Kelton".

    Finally, you can visit Professor Kelton's actual website where you can learn about her book, "The Deficit Myth".

    Anyone eager to talk personally with Kent will have the chance at the Swanpool Environment Film Festival on Saturday, June 15, where the movie, "Finding the Money will be screened and Associate Professor Steven Hail will attend to answer questions about the movie itself and in a more broad sense, The Modern Monetary Theory.

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • Mark Spencer could never be a street-marching, placard-waving climate change protestor, but he was mighty comfortable behind a microphone doing all he could to alert people to the implications and complications of the climate crisis, and his latest adventure is through his new podcast, "Transmission".

    "Here comes winter 
 and more rain";

    "Q&A: Al Jazeera’s Giles Trendle on covering climate across borders and boundaries";

    "Banks have given almost $7tn to fossil fuel firms since Paris deal, report reveals";

    "Prescribed burning can reduce wildfire damage";

    "Sunshades, vines, and trees can help keep playgrounds cool";

    "New Delhi Sweats Through Its Hottest Recorded Day";

    "No need for countries to issue new oil, gas or coal licences, study finds";

    "‘Unliveable’: Delhi’s residents struggle to cope in record-breaking heat";

    "Jane Goodall inspires generations of conservationists – we need her education program in schools";

    "Women are 14 times more likely to die in a climate disaster than men. It’s just one way climate change is gendered";

    "How to cut stray cat numbers in a way that works better for everyone";

    "More than 22 million people could soon run out of water in this city";

    "Have We Crossed a Dangerous Warming Threshold? Here’s What to Know.";

    "When will global greenhouse gas emissions peak?";

    "This Interactive Chart Shows Changes in the World's Top 10 Emitters";

    "Young, green and European: Meet the new generation of eco-activists running in the EU elections";

    "Planet has enough clothes to dress the whole world for the next 100 years";

    "FASHION’S PATH TO NET ZERO";

    "Giant Batteries Are Transforming the Way the U.S. Uses Electricity";

    "How Bad Is A.I. for the Climate?";

    "Automakers lobbying strongly against progressive EV policies, report reveals";

    "New Carbon ‘Capture & Storage’ Method Revealed";

    "Many people are feeling ecological grief. How can we help those whose work puts them at risk?";

    "Heat is coming for our crops. We have to make them ready";

    "Renewable energy passes 30% of world’s electricity supply";

    "UN expert attacks ‘exploitative’ world economy in fight to save planet";

    "Trapped people evacuated from FedEx facility after tornadoes hit Michigan";

    "Amanda Seyfried Asked for a ‘Sustainable’ Met Gala Dress";

    "Sweetgreen Is Introducing Steak. What About Its Climate Goals?";

    "European Oil Giants Consider Shifting Their Listings to the U.S.";

    "Why 40°C is bearable in a desert but lethal in the tropics";

    "The Farming Conundrum";

    "Let's talk about the weather";

    "‘I think that’s dangerous’: The moment the new CSIRO boss decided to hit back at Peter Dutton";

    "Warming Could Push the Atlantic Past a ‘Tipping Point’ This Century";

    "El Paso climate chief: Driving less, curtailing urban sprawl key to addressing climate change in Borderland";

    "Hundreds of homes suddenly deemed flood-prone in inner-city estate";

    "Tesla Fires Many on Charger Team, Raising Doubts About Expansion";

    "In Norway, the Electric Vehicle Future Has Already Arrived";

    "El Niño and La Niña, Explained";

    "Threatened species have declined 2% a year since 2000. Nature positive? Far from it.";

    "Why clothes are so hard to recycle";

    "What your home could look like in the global green power switch";

    "Scientists Are Freaking Out About Ocean Temperatures";

    "The Widest-Ever Global Coral Crisis Will Hit Within Weeks, Scientists Say";

    "‘Completely unacceptable’: Environmental offsets scheme riddled with breaches";

    "Call for Australia’s offshore wind deals to protect against inflation";

    "Eight climate activists arrested in Germany over airport protest";

    "

  • Letitions are a variation of the commonly used and understood petitions but are immensely more powerful.

    Geelong's Robert Patterson is the man behind letition.org and this powerful process is endorsed by some powerful people, including the Australian Captial Territory Senator, David Pocock.

    Many in the Geelong community had embraced the idea of the letition as is illustrated in one of the city's newspapers.

    The letition.org website says:

    "Is it a system? Yes.
    Is it a tool? Yes.
    Is it available to all? Yes
    None of that’s novel – so why should you sign up?
    The Letition system is a movement. It embodies our united stand for the environment, amplifying our concerns in a chorus that cannot be ignored.

    A clarion call from the larger community.

    Letitions are the modern Open Letter: A collective call to action with the urgency of a personal message.

    Each Letition serves as a direct line to our elected representatives in Canberra, each one reflecting the collective will of the voters right from their local communities, their constituencies - the people they ultimately answer to.

    Every month, they receive several Letitions delivering a unified message on different aspects of climate concerns, demanding attention and action.
    Every Letition is counted, and the results are published. The aggregated voices are not only heard by you, the community, they echo through the halls of Parliament, reaching every MP and their staff. This transparency fosters accountability and personal responsibility among our leaders.
    It was never going to be easy to win the battle with evermore fossil fuel developments, but we must keep building the momentum and pressure.

    Letitions are effective because they are local, specific to each politician and that politician’s voter base, but also wide-reaching – speaking to issues that impact across all constituencies. Every month, we must persist in sending one or two Letitions to their local Member and their Senators. We are one voice, powerful together.

    The movement is gaining momentum. As more and more people consistently send Letitions every month, the movement, and its voice and impact will grow even more.

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • Dr Allan Patience (pictured) an honorary fellow in political science at the University of Melbourne joined Emeritus Professor at La Trobe University in Melbourne, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences, Convener of Conversation at the Crossroads, and Co-Convener of SHAPE (Saving Humanity and Planet Earth), Professor Joseph Camilleri to discuss "The bleak picture of Australian politics: this is how we change".

    "This week in Australia energy and climate collided; it’s a global story";

    "Experts: What are the biggest geopolitical risks to climate action in 2024?";

    "Scientists fear planetary shift as record ocean heat enters second year";

    "Significant Environmental and Climate Impacts Are Impinging on Human Rights in Every Country, a New Report Finds";

    "Seniors More Vulnerable to Heat Waves and Hurricanes, Both Forecasted to Be Severe this Summer";

    "Climate and weather-related disasters surge five-fold over 50 years, but early warnings save lives - WMO report";

    "Louisiana’s coast is sinking. Advocates say the governor is undermining efforts to save it.";

    "‘Knight in spiny armor’: could lobsters help save Florida’s dying corals?";

    "NOAA 2024 Hurricane Forecast Is for More Storms Than Ever Before";

    "Where heat waves might cause blackouts: Look up your area";

    "In Two New Studies, Scientists See Signs of Fundamental Climate Shifts in Antarctica";

    "Agricultural enigma: A mysterious decline in his harvests leaves a farmer searching for a solution";

    "Behind the ‘Bechdel test for climate change’ in movies";

    "The enduring influence of “The Day After Tomorrow,” 20 years later";

    "What you need to know about record-breaking heat in the Atlantic".

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • Stunning interview with Dr Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (pictured) - "The InterviewThis Scientist Has an Antidote to Our Climate Delusions";

    "Politics with Michelle Grattan: Madeleine King on investment incentives and the pivotal role of gas";

    "In one of the US’s hottest deserts, utilities push gas rather than solar";

    "‘The fear has properly set in’: how it feels to watch my home town disappear into the sea";

    "The Bezos Earth fund has pumped billions into climate and nature projects. So why are experts uneasy?";

    "Top oil firms’ climate pledges failing on almost every metric, report finds";

    "Interview: Catherine Bertini on eliminating hunger in a changing climate";

    "New report chronicles toll of climate crisis on Latin America and the Caribbean";

    "Economic implications of the climate provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act";

    "Critical minerals for the world – or just for the US? Turning Australia into a green minerals powerhouse comes with risks";

    "A new ruling says countries – including NZ – must take action on climate change under the law of the sea";

    "A portrait of pollution around Canada’s busiest port";

    "Corporate welfare may keep the lights on. But backing Eraring power station will have other costs for the NSW government";

    "Snow worries: Australia’s ski resorts turn to snowmakers with slopes bare ahead of winter";

    "‘Above normal’ hurricane season could bring summer of natural disasters to US";

    "Nature’s ghosts: how reviving medieval farming offers wildlife an unexpected haven";

    "This hurricane season could be among the worst in decades, NOAA warns";

    "Florida school district offers kids a cleaner ride to school";

    "Extreme weather is coming for your house. Passive energy retrofits can save lives.";

    "Would capping the number of years a car can be on the road reduce emissions? Not so much.";

    "Businesses and directors could face multi-million dollar penalties if they fail to disclose their climate impact";

    "Are some routes more prone to air turbulence? Will climate change make it worse? Your questions answered";

    "Australia banks on batteries in plan to move away from ‘dig-and-ship’ economy";

    "Australia’s SUV obsession could wipe out emissions gains from EV sales and efficiency standards";

    "AIIMS-Bhubaneswar opens heat stroke unit";

    "‘Supply gap’: Labor was warned last year Victoria will run out of gas";

    "$16 billion and 16 years to kickstart Australia’s next nuclear plant: CSIRO";

    "Powering ahead: Dutton to name nuclear sites within weeks";

    "States have legal duty to cut greenhouse emissions, says top maritime court";

    "Monkeys ‘falling out of trees like apples’ in Mexico amid brutal heatwave";

    "Scaremongering won’t keep Australia’s lights on. Picking up the pace of energy transition will";

    "The world is obsessed with forests’ climate benefits. Here’s the problem.";

    "Biden and Big Oil Had a Truce. Now, It’s Collapsing.";

    "Surge in India’s renewables tendering set to keep coal’s share below 50% in total installed capacity";

    "Workshop Accelerates Heat Preparedness Action in India";

    "Cost of climate change comparable to economic damage caused by fighting a war";

    "This private school has banned water bottles from classrooms. Here are the results";

    "A science festival that envisions our planet’s future";

    "Popular car uses 31% more fuel than advertised while other makes fare poorly in Australian efficiency test";

    "Brazil’s deadly floods represent the country’s ‘Katrina moment’";

    "Brazil’s floods smashed through barriers designed to keep them out, trapping water in for weeks — and exposing social woes";

    "Delhi orders schools to close early for holidays as temperatures hit 47.4C";

    "Northern India Endures a Heat Wave, and a Wave of Deaths";

    "In India, Summer Heat May Soon Be Literally Unbearable";

    "After Devastating Floods, Surfers are on the Frontlines in Southern Brazil";

    "Brazil’s Historic Floods Create a ‘Katrina Moment’ for Lula’s Presidency";

    "An estimated 40 people are dying each day in Myanmar as heat lingers in region&qu--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message

  • Amory Lovins (pictured) is in Australia for an energy conference and was a guest on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's RN Breakfast and talked with host, Fran Kelly - "Energy efficiency guru Amory Lovins on Future Made in Australia";

    "Dick Smith says no country has ever been able to run entirely on renewables. Is that correct?";

    "Labor’s Future Gas Strategy: The greatest capitulation of any Australian government to the fossil fuel industry";

    "WA's greenhouse gas emissions continue to climb above 2005 levels despite net zero pledge";

    "Tuvalu is being swallowed by the ocean. Its people face a difficult choice";

    "Australia and Tuvalu finalize historic treaty to welcome climate refugees";

    "Inside the Labor gas rebellion splitting the party";

    "Climate Science Initiative, presented at Murdoch University";

    "Q&A: The Dire Consequences of Global Warming in the Earth’s Oceans";

    "94% of psychologists are concerned about the impact of climate change on mental health";

    "China makes some of the hottest new EVs. Most aren’t sold in the U.S.";

    "Europe hit by severe floods in the north and heatwaves in the south";

    "Future Gas Strategy";

    "World’s top climate scientists expect global heating to blast past 1.5C target";

    "State of Sustainability Report 2023";

    "Think before you click – and three other ways to reduce your digital carbon footprint";

    "Eco-anxiety affecting more than two-thirds of Australians aged 16-25 years, study finds";

    "Forgotten Keepers of the Rio Grande Delta: a Native Elder Fights Fossil Fuel Companies in Texas";

    "Contemplating an EV? Here’s the buzz on the pros and cons";

    "Biloxi, Mississippi, is losing a foot of salt marsh shoreline a year":

    "Climate change made the deadly heatwaves that hit millions of highly vulnerable people across Asia more frequent and extreme";

    "Global projections of heat exposure of older adults";

    "Australia's offer of climate asylum to Tuvalu sparks controversy";

    "Global experts and leaders convene for Vatican climate summit";

    "Ministers consider making UK’s carbon targets easier to meet";

    "'Catastrophic floods' kill more than 300 in Afghanistan, wash away entire villages";

    "Chart: Global clean energy manufacturing, by the numbers";

    "BP Grabs The Opportunity to Take Over Tesla’s Supercharging Sites":

    "Data Centers Power Demand Fuel U.S. Utility Q1 Earnings Discussions";

    "Climate change is affecting mental health literally everywhere";

    "Clean Energy Is Driving ‘a New Era in American Manufacturing’ Across the Midwest";

    "Carbon Offset Deals and the Risks of ‘Green Grabbing’";

    "Electric Drive: How China’s BYD Is Racing Ahead in the EV Market";

    "A water war is brewing between the U.S. and Mexico. Here’s why.";

    "Days after climate talks, US slaps tariffs on Chinese EVs and solar panels";

    "Paris summit unlocks cash for clean cooking in Africa, side-stepping concerns over gas";

    "'Civil Disobedience Has to Become the New Norm.' Jane Fonda on the Fight Against Climate Change";

    "It’s a Climate Election Now";

    "Azerbaijan pursues clean energy to export more ‘god-given’ gas to Europe";

    "In Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s net zero vision clashes with legacy of war";

    "In Florida, Skyrocketing Insurance Rates Test Resolve of Homeowners in Risky Areas";

    "Climate Change Puts U.S. Economy and Lives at Risk, and Costs Are Rising, Federal Agencies Warn";

    "Coal's Dying Light: The decline of coal is hurting Kentucky and communities across the country";

    "New Rules Help to Answer Whether Clean Energy Jobs Will Also Be Good Jobs";

    "America’s Green Skills Gap Raises Concerns About Energy Transition";

    "Can Biden’s new jobs program to fight climate change attract women and people of color?";

    "The Civilian Conservation Corps";

    "Flash floods in Afghanistan devastate lives and livelihoods";

    "Herd of 170 bison could help store CO2 equivalent of 43,000 cars, researchers say";

    "What Trump promised oil CEOs as he asked them to steer $1 billion to his campaign".

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  • Richard Denniss (pictured) heads The Australia Institute and is alarmed at the Australian Labor Government's latest Budget that champions gas, a fossil fuel.

    "More than 200 authors renew call for Baillie Gifford to divest from fossil fuel";

    "Solicitor general to appeal over case of climate activist who held sign on jurors’ rights";

    "Wet winter could cut UK food self sufficiency by about a tenth";

    "Talking Shop: Telling the Climate Story Locally";

    "The unsung heroes keeping our lights on";

    "The 1.5C global heating target was always a dream, but its demise doesn’t signal doom for climate action";

    "DeSantis signs bill scrubbing ‘climate change’ from Florida law";

    "Estuaries provide more than a billion dollars in environmental benefits, research shows";

    "Solar power occupies a lot of space – here’s how to make it more ecologically beneficial to the land it sits on";

    "Consumer groups criticise energy companies charging solar panel owners for exporting power";

    "Gas giants dodge tougher tax hike in Labor-Greens deal";

    "Clean energy slump – why Australia’s renewables revolution is behind schedule, and how to fix it";

    "Denser housing can be greener too – here’s how NZ can build better for biodiversity";

    "Biden Looks to Thwart Surge of Chinese Imports";

    "How Biden’s Trade War With China Differs From Trump’s";

    "Copernicus: Record May wildfire emissions in British Columbia mark the start of the Canadian wildfire season";

    "Microsoft’s AI Push Imperils Climate Goal as Carbon Emissions Jump 30%";

    "Summer 2023 Was the Northern Hemisphere’s Hottest in 2,000 Years, Study Finds";

    "How Wild Rice Forecasts Climate Change";

    "The U.S. just took its biggest step yet to end coal mining";

    "Industrial emissions aren’t falling fast enough to meet US climate goals";

    "‘Tone-deaf’ fossil gas growth in Europe is speeding climate crisis, say activists";

    "Wildfires keep thousands evacuated in Canada, even as conditions improve";

    "Northeast B.C. was parched throughout winter. It’s already on fire";

    "How wildfire smoke is erasing years of progress toward cleaning up America's air";

    "New tougher U.S. air pollution standards shaped by Harvard Chan School research";

    "As Florida Smalltooth Sawfish Spin and Whirl, a New Effort to Rescue Them Begins";

    "Climate Change Concerns Dip";

    "La Niña is coming, raising the chances of a dangerous Atlantic hurricane season – an atmospheric scientist explains this climate phenomenon";

    "New Rules to Overhaul Electric Grids Could Boost Wind and Solar Power";

    "How Wildfires Can Affect Climate Change (and Vice Versa)";

    "Converging Climate Risks Interact to Cause More Harm, Hitting Disadvantaged Californians Hardest";

    "An NRL player died at training due to exertional heat stroke. What is it and what should coaches and athletes know?";

    "Car companies spending up on ads for SUVs despite Australia’s new fuel efficiency standards";

    "Breathing Wildfire Smoke Could Raise Dementia Risk, New Study Finds".

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  • Retired Admiral, Chris Barrie (pictured), who once led the Australian Defence Force and who was speaking recently on the webinar, "Too Hot to Handle - the scorching reality of Australia's climate security failure", finds the rapidly unfolding climate crisis as "pretty scary".

    "Fossil fuel subsidies hit $14.5 billion in 2023-24, up 31%";

    "Nations must go further than current Paris pledges or face global warming of 2.5-2.9°C";

    "Brook trout are in trouble in Adirondacks lakes";

    "Opposition questions government's inflation forecast";

    "How a long-lost fish species was brought back to Bendigo";

    "Maya van Rossum Wants to Save the World";

    "15,000 squares, 500 hours, 19 months: how I used embroidery to make sense of Australia’s catastrophic fires";

    "Where did money come from?";

    "Sky-high vanity: constructing the world’s tallest buildings creates high emissions";

    "How Texas became the hottest grid battery market in the country";

    "Chart: Renewables generated a record 30% of global electricity in 2023";

    "Scrapping the waste export levy threatens Australia’s emerging lithium battery recycling industry";

    "Climate Justice Groups Confront Chevron on San Francisco Bay";

    "Plastic, Plastic Everywhere — Even at the UN’s “Plastic Free” Conference":

    "Field workers, farm owners, and buyers band together to protect workers from heat";

    "Too hard basket: why climate change is defeating our political system";

    "Thousands told to evacuate due to British Columbia, Canada wildfire";

    "Phoenix Braces—and Plans—for Another Hot, Dry Summer";

    "The Arctic ice between Russia and the US is melting. What’s at stake at the top of the world?";

    "Is the Coalition planning to overtake Labor and tax rich inner-city EV drivers?";

    "Climate Extremes Slammed Latin America and the Caribbean Last Year. A New UN Report Details the Impacts and Costs";

    "More Australians are looking to ditch their cars. But the alternatives haven’t quite arrived";

    "Why Highway 1 is the climate challenge that California can’t fix";

    "Afghanistan flash floods kill more than 300 as torrents of water and mud crash through villages";

    "Dozens killed in cold lava mudslides on Indonesian island of Sumatra";

    "Fossil fuel subsidies in Australia 2024";

    "Malaysia’s appetite for oil and gas puts it on collision course with China";

    "Academics and Lawmakers Slam an Industry-Funded Report by a Former Energy Secretary Promoting Natural Gas and LNG";

    "Biden and oil companies like this climate tech. Many Americans do not.";

    "‘We can’t defeat nature but we can be climate-resilient’: how plant roots can help stop landslides";

    "Brutal heatwaves and submerged cities: what a 3C world would look like";

    "‘No alternative’: EU climate chief urges MEPs not to use crisis as political tool";

    "77% of top Climate Scientists think 2.5°C of warming is coming – and they’re horrified";

    "As Extreme Weather Batters Schools, Students Are Pushing For More Climate Change Education";

    "Floods kill more than 300 people in northern Afghanistan, UN says";

    "Mining lobby: Fast-track bill’s ministerial powers ‘not unusual":

    "Bringing the world’s food production in line with global climate goals";

    "It looks like the Batmobile, works on solar energy, and could be the future of cars";

    "World’s top climate scientists expect global heating to blast past 1.5C target";

    "The Climate Crisis Is Already Transforming the Family";

    "Horse’s rooftop rescue gives flood-hit Brazil ‘something we could root for’";

    "Here are three common recycling myths you should discard";

    "How one Oregon county plans to make big oil pay for the 2021 heat dome";

    "Europeans see natural disasters as a bigger threat than armed conflict, study reveals";

    "‘False promises and phantom emissions’: How was Shell able to double its carbon credits in Canada?";

    "Foodwise: A kid’s guide to fighting--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message

  • Susan Lengel (pictured) champions conversation about climate change, but beyond that, and critically, "Conversation at the Crossroads".

    Susan, who hails from South Australia and once worked for that State's National Parks and Wildlife Service", enriched her climate change experience and knowledge while working with "The Royal Parks" in London.

    Check out the group's website and you'll learn that Susan has vast experience in grassroots activism.

    Also, check out the group's coming events and I'm sure you will find something there to capture your interest and stimulate your mind.

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • From The Scotsman we hear: "After SNP's 17 years of failure on climate change, things are about to get worse";

    "Harnessing the power of coming together";

    "Cool Geelong";

    "Vote Climate One";

    "Geelong Sustainability";

    "‘Not a single government dollar’: Albanese plays down gas policy push after blowback";

    "‘Paying to be exploited’: Labor has now fully succumbed to the fossil fuel industry";

    "A pathway for future generations";

    "Labor’s gas strategy: what is it and why do critics call it ‘Back to the Future’?";

    "Government halts plans for pilot ‘hydrogen town’ heating scheme";

    "I understand climate scientists’ despair – but stubborn optimism may be our only hope" (Christiana Figueres - pictured);

    "Billions are needed for climate adaptation – now some frontline communities are deciding how the money gets spent";

    "How to Create a Society That Prizes Decency";

    "‘I am starting to panic about my child’s future’: climate scientists wary of starting families";

    "April Extends World’s Record-Breaking Temperature Streak to 11 Straight Months";

    "Vermont Could Become First State to Make Biggest Emitters Pay for Climate-Related Damages";

    "World’s Largest CO2 Removal Plant Opens in Iceland";

    "Government hypes gas crisis ahead of restarting drilling";

    "Biden EPA Finalizes Rules Excluding Gas Power Plants From Carbon Regulations";

    "Vessel Strikes on Whales Are Increasing With Warming. Can the Shipping Industry Slow Down to Spare Them?";

    "How climate change is raising the risks of another pandemic";

    "A Natural Ecology Lab Along the Delaware River in the First State to Require K-12 Climate Education";

    "Colorado students say they want more solutions-oriented climate education now before it’s too late";

    "Aftermath of the storm: What roads, schools remain closed due to flood damage";

    "What is winter without snow? Our children are finding out.";

    "I weep for the corals, but what I saw on the Great Barrier Reef gives me hope";

    "Brazil floods: horse stranded on roof is rescued as death toll rises to 107 people";

    "Used electric car sales in UK reach record highs";

    "PepsiCo outlines plans to deliver its first net-zero plant";

    "Solar Storm Intensifies, Filling Skies With Northern Lights";

    "Need help electrifying your home? This startup has an app for that";

    "In praise of shade trees";

    "This Earth Day, Choose the Planet Over Plastics";

    "Drought fuels wildfire concerns as Canada braces for another intense summer";

    "A Puerto Rico Community Pushes for Rooftop Solar as Fossil-Fuel Plants Face Retirement";

    "Heat stress has damaging impact on older adults’ vital organs";

    "The climate crisis is no laughing matter, no matter what those on Radio 4’s Today programme think";

    "UN agrees carbon market safeguards to tackle green land grabs";

    "World Bank tiptoes into fiery debate over meat emissions";

    "At State’s Energy Summit, Wyoming Promises to ‘Make Sure Our Fossil Fuels Have a Future’";

    "Italy's falling birth rate is a crisis that's only getting worse";

    "Anthony Albanese faces internal revolt from inner-city Labor MPs over gas strategy";

    "New US and China climate envoys, seeking show of progress, meet for first time in Washington";

    "Net Zero Ministers Met Oil and Gas Representatives Twice a Week in 2023";

    "Solar plus batteries ‘cheaper than new coal’ for meeting China’s rising demand";

    "Record-breaking increase in CO2 levels in world’s atmosphere";

    "Indian Ocean temperature anomalies predict long-term global dengue trends";

    "The Guardian view on Britain’s dirty waterways: a failure of industry and regulation";

    "Major emitters ‘may retain or expand’ fossil fuels despite net-zero plans";

    "Labor’s gas boost opens new front in crossbench election battle";

    "‘The stakes could not be higher’: world is on edge of climate abyss, UN warns";

    "UK farmers consider quitting after extreme wet weather and low profits";

    "Labor’s gas strategy: what is it and why do critics call it ‘Back to the Future’?";

    "Climate Action Week Sydney";

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) has today urged a suite of actions and investments to protect the future of the Murray-Darling Basin in the face of climate change, which is threatening the river’s health and sustainability.

    In a new essay series A thriving Murray-Darling Basin in 50 years: Actions in the face of climate change, ATSE urges more investment in technologies to monitor the river for climate impacts and in sustained governance with regional and rural communities at the centre, coupled with evolving our agriculture industry in the face of decreased water availability and accepted water-sharing policies.

    The essay series highlights the vibrant, thriving potential of the Basin if sustainably managed for the benefit of communities and the environment.

    To achieve this, it recommends reinstating a body to provide independent objective policy advice on national water management, including for the Murray-Darling Basin, to help guide consistent national data-driven decision-making.

    ATSE President Katherine Woodthorpe AO FTSE (pictured) said the future of the Murray-Darling Basin is recognised to be at severe risk. That comprehensive action across Federal, State and Territory Governments will be decisive in safeguarding its biodiversity, and social and economic importance to Australia.

    "Essays address climate change in the Murray-Darling Basin";

    "Australia could play a key role: what a key Paris Agreement negotiator thinks about our climate future";

    "Poorer nations must be transparent over climate spending, says Cop29 leader";

    "Weather tracker: Mexico swelters under season’s first heatwave";

    "Oil giant plans to move 60,000 tonnes of steel, rig waste to UN-listed wetlands";

    "A Grampians town’s remarkable recovery after ‘the beast’ burnt through";

    "Energy Efficiency Council".

    "YIMBY: Community composting for connection and climate action";

    "The Loudest Guys in the Room: How the Fossil Fuel Industry Warps the Information Ecosystem";

    "In ‘Silent Spring,’ Rachel Carson Described a Fictional, Bucolic Hamlet, Much Like Her Hometown. Now, There’s a Plastics Plant Under Construction 30 Miles Away";

    "A Plastics Plant Promised Pennsylvania Prosperity, but to Some Residents It’s Become a ‘Shockingly Bad’ Neighbor";

    "Wildfire smoke a threat to already endangered orangutans";

    "Why some corals are better off dead";

    "Reflections on being an Earthling";

    "The EPA’s Carbon Crackdown Is Finally Here";

    "We aim to call Government and Industry to action . . . . .Charter 29";

    "Curious Kids: why do trees have bark?";

    "Weather tracker: torrential rainstorms cause death and destruction in Brazil";

    "Here’s why so many Republicans won’t buy EVs";

    "Making merry: how we brought Melbourne’s Merri Creek back from pollution, neglect and weeds";

    "Buddha taught us to be happy with less. How does this apply to the climate crisis?";

    "3 energy questions hang over EPA’s carbon rule";

    "Sometimes, to Make an Electric Car Better, You’ve Got to Make It a Little Worse";

    "Climate Change Is Making Your Seasonal Allergies Worse";

    "As the Environmental Crisis Worsens, So Too Does the Safety of Journalists Covering It";

    "‘Like wildfires underwater’: Worst summer on record for Great Barrier Reef as coral die-off sweeps planet";

    "Federal Court hears closing arguments in Torres Strait Islanders' climate change case";

    "Floods in southern Brazil kill at least 75 people over 7 days, with 103 people missing";

    "‘We’re looking at losing 20% of Olympic nations’: how the climate crisis is changing sport";

    "First ever cyclone confronts flood-hit Kenya";

    "Over 100 temperature records in Vietnam broken in April as heatwave scorches";

    "There's a soundtrack to our coral reefs and scientists are hopeful it can encourage coral regrowth";

    "The cleanest air in the world is at Tasmania's Kennaook/Cape Grim. It's helping solve a climate puzzle"

    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/robert-mclean/message
  • "I’ve done the sums. All we need is 1,200 square kilometres. That’s not much. The area devoted to agriculture is about 3,500 times larger at 4.2 million square kilometres. The area of land that would be taken away from agriculture works out at about 45 square metres per person – about the size of a large living room.

    "We can ditch fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse emissions with negligible impact on agriculture. And, in many cases, farmers can be paid for hosting renewable energy infrastructure while continuing to run sheep and cows or grow crops."

    So says a Professor of Engineering from the Australian National University, Professor Andrew Blakers (pictured), in an article published in The Conversation: "No threat to farmland: just 1,200 square kilometres can fulfil Australia’s solar and wind energy needs".

    Professor Blakers visited Mooroopna, just across the Goulburn River from Shepparton, several years ago as one of about three speakers at a climate change forum organised by the Shepparton-based group, "Slap Tomorrow".

    The convenor of Zero Carbon Tatura, Terry Court, also on the Goulburn Valley-based GV Community Energy board, joined me for the conversation with Professor Blakers.

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