Tag: Climate

South Australia’s New Vehicle Number Plates

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By Melbourne, Australia correspondent Angelina Dawn Summers-Winter

Application of the latest technology in vehicle number plates is to see first light in South Australia starting from the 14th of November, 2017.

Unlike previous embossed number plates, these ones will be made from a composite laminate incorporating a luminous layer, removing the need to have the number plate illuminated at night. The technology for laminating the luminous layer is proprietary and number plates using the TritiumFilm™ technology will initially be manufactured in Japan by a small startup company operating in the Fukushima Prefecture, extracting the vital Tritium from sea water using the now-obsolete ALPS plant at the disused reactor site.

Another enhancement is to employ the German DIN-1451, falsification-resistant font for the vehicle registration number, making it nearly impossible to alter the plate to try to frustrate South Australia’s number plate recognition systems to be installed in increasing numbers, starting before the Christmas break. Point-to-point speed cameras are playing an increased role in the State’s budget; but drivers must simply obey the rules if they wish to avoid the higher fines for next year; to be detailed next month..

SA-Darkness

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Climate Researchers Produce Permanent Anti-Freeze

By Nuuk correspondent Rangi Wehtu Eriksson
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With cuts in government spending expected for the vital area of Climate Science, UN-IPCC scientists have engaged with peoples around the Arctic to explore new avenues of funding.

Climate scientists discovered irreversibly-melted Arctic ice more than a decade ago, but the phenomenon was, until now, not commercially exploited.

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Basslink to Become Bassland

By Canberra, Australia correspondent Erica Quarterbee on assignment in Launceston

Australian experts have been scratching their heads on how to fix the electrical power link between Tasmania and the mainland since it failed in December but a permanent solution may be at hand from the opposite side of the planet. The Basslink undersea cable has been problematic from the outset and finally failed shortly after Tasmania’s hydroelectric generators tried to use the link to export electrical power to the mainland.

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Sweden’s Vattenfall is proposing a sustainable solution that will provide Australia’s eastern seaboard with reliable, baseload, renewable energy capacity.

Bass Strait is a relatively narrow, shallow sea passage that separates Tasmania from the mainland by a few kilometres. It is infamous for its rough seas and high winds.

Vattenfall propose to exploit its experience in wind and hydro-power, deploying a chain of wind turbines, wave, tidal and pumped storage within Bass Strait. The ambitious plan is to build two land-bridges joining Cape Otway in Victoria to Cape Grim in Tasmania, via King and smaller Islands to the East; and Wilsons Promontory in Victoria to Cape Portland in Tasmania, via Flinders, Cape Barren and minor islands. Continue reading →

Rising Sea Levels Force Giant Funnel-Web Spiders to Nest in Trees

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Every millimetre of sea level rise has consequences.

Every millimetre of sea level rise has consequences.

By Canberra, Australia correspondent Erica Quarterbee

Scientists in Australia have discovered giant, deadly funnel-web spiders nesting in trees in the Booderee National Park in New South Wales.

Dr Thomas Wallenius from the Australian National University suggested that a mutation from the ground-dwelling genus Atrax to the tree-dwelling genus Hadronyche could be a consequence of rising sea levels. As sea levels rise and inundation becomes more likely, the larger equally deadly, tree-dwelling genus is likely to become the dominant one.

PM Abbott Announces Team Aussie-COP21 for Paris

By Australian correspondents Erica Quarterbee and Jennie Drimmof.

Greg Hunt

Greg Hunt

Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott MP BEc LLB MA has instructed the Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt MP BA LLB MA to form the best possible team to represent Australia at the IPCC Olympics later this year, culminating in the COP21 Games in Paris.

A total budget allocation of $412,786.24 means that the Minister has had to cut some corners in terms of team numbers, travel and accommodation arrangements. The budget has to stretch to 2 sets of games, the 4-day UN-FCCC ADP preliminaries in Bonn, Germany in mid-October and then the 14-day finals in Paris, France starting at the end of November. Continue reading →

Charles Narrows in on Deadline for Climate Action

By Ochsbridge, UK correspondent Summer Rose Winslip-Harrow

Source: Guardian

Picture Source: Guardian

The Prince of Wales today renewed his warning of the increasing urgency to tackle climate change, with the deadline for action drawing ever closer.
His Royal Highness today stated we have just 35 years to save the planet from catastrophic climate change.

HRH has been meticulously assessing the science of climate change for more than a decade; calculating and narrowing in on the deadline for climate action.

In May 2008 he urged action within 18 months to avoid a climate change disaster. Then again, in mid 2009, he reminded us that we had only 96 months to avert catastrophic climate change.

It may be too late to wait for the next warning in ca. 23 years; renewing the call for decisive action within the next 175 years to avert a real climate catastrophe.