The Sydney Morning Herald: national, world, business, entertainment, sport and technology news from Australia's leading newspaper.

Earth Watch

Saturday December 1, 2007

Venus has been transformed into a fiery hell by an unstoppable greenhouse effect.

ENVIRONMENT NEWS

Saturday December 1, 2007

Up in the trees, the boss hangs on for a miracle

500 endangered orang-utans in a newly discovered population in Indonesian Borneo are unaware of plans to clear their tropical forest for a palm oil plantation.

Trumped: fisherman with a knockout punch

A salmon fisherman has become a local celebrity by refusing to sell his unkempt nine hectares to make way for "the world's greatest golf course".

Stopping the rot in logging industry

With world leaders ready to nut out Kyoto's successor, corruption in Indonesian forestry is a huge challenge, writes Mark Forbes.

Emissions road map a crucial mission

It's crunch time in the fight against climate change - and Bali may present our final hope, writes Marian Wilkinson.

Beware Kyoto penalties, UN warns Australia

The UN's chief climate negotiator says the Rudd government's decision to ratify the Kyoto Protocol is more than symbolic.

Thursday November 29, 2007

Venus ruined by greenhouse gases

Once styled as Earth's twin, Venus was transformed from a haven for water to a fiery hell by an unstoppable greenhouse effect.

Protesters refuse to give up

Environmentalists said they would resort to civil disobedience in their campaign against the Anvil Hill open-cut coalmine in

Pollution by coalmines on rise, say Greens

The State Government has failed to crack down on coalmining companies responsible for water and air pollution.

Wednesday November 28, 2007

Seals shot on reserve

Protected Australian fur seals killed in a shooting spree, say authorities.

Google launches green energy scheme

Google is expanding into alternative energy to ease the environmental strain caused by its appetite for power to run its massive computing centres.

A change in climate for developers

Governments will be forced to consider how climate change and rising sea levels will affect all future urban developments.

State drops ban on GM canola crop

The State Government has taken the controversial step of dropping a ban on genetically modified canola crops.

Rare tiger born in captivity

A South China tiger has been born in South Africa - the first to be born outside China.

EU agrees on quota cuts to save bluefin tuna

EU governments bid to stop the species from heading for extinction.

Eden's lost horizons

Rising seas are just one part of global warming that could destroy Kakadu as we know it, writes Steve Dow.

UN report points finger at Australia

If every person on Earth created as much pollution as the average Australian, we would need another six planets to cope.

Salons cut use of hairy chemicals

Harsh hair products are going the way of the squeaky clean myth - they're history, writes Claire Halliday.

Tuesday November 27, 2007

Al Gore finds an open door in Canberra

Former US vice-president Al Gore will meet Australian prime minister-elect Kevin Rudd at a UN climate change conference in Bali.

Champs-Elysees lit with eco-friendly bulbs

Paris will be a little brighter this holiday season, and more energy-efficient too.

Kyoto process to prove difficult: law expert

The act of ratifying the Kyoto Protocol may create headaches for the incoming Labor government.

World's poor face apocalypse; UN

Tackling climate change will cost 1.6 per cent of GDP, a new report says.

Monday November 26, 2007

Rainforests to be protected with seed bank

Global warming threatens almost 2000 Australian rainforest species as their seeds are highly sensitive to drying out.

Business sees clean energy expansion

Energy and environment business heads are looking forward to the expansion of clean energy markets under the Labor government.

Seeds of doom for a species

The palm oil industry is razing the last forests on Earth that shelter orang-utans. If we fail them now, we could lose them forever, writes Carmel Egan.

Rudd must avoid 'soft touch' on climate

Kevin Rudd must not allow himself to be "a soft touch" at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, Malcolm Turnbull says.

Badawi praises Rudd over Kyoto

Malaysia's Prime Minister praises Kevin Rudd for pledging to quickly ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

Sunday November 25, 2007

Yudhoyono invites Rudd to Bali talks

Indonesian President invites Kevin Rudd to attend key UN climate change talks in Bali next month.

Climate for change in housing

Laws should be passed to ensure every Australian house for sale passes tough new standards of environmental sustainability.

Saturday November 24, 2007

Rise of the great green wash

More companies are jumping on the environmental marketing bandwagon but not every claim stacks up, writes Julian Lee.

City without vision is playing catch-up

There has been something profoundly depressing about the federal election campaign, writes Clover Moore.

Climate debate we forgot to have

In all the concern over climate change, there's a crucial debate Australia forgot to have, writes Michael Duffy.

Friday November 23, 2007

Motorway to subside due to coalmining

The F5 motorway at Douglas Park is expected to subside about 1.5 metres because of coalmining.

Rule change hits anti-quarry appeal

The State Government allegedly changed planning regulations to thwart an appeal against a new sand quarry south of Wollongong.

Windfall in the offing

The State Government has shortlisted six wind energy groups to supply power for the controversial Kurnell desalination plant.

Gunns has money to build pulp mill

Gunns has confirmed it has finance for its Tasmanian pulp mill and asserted that it will proceed with the $1.7 billion project.

Thursday November 22, 2007

When king coal has no clothes

Editorial: There's probably never been an election like this, when the words of scientists so ominously hang over our heads.

Wednesday November 21, 2007

Don't shoot! Snakes (not so) alive to the rescue

They shoot ducks in Sydney, but in Tamworth rubber snakes were put in trees today to scare off starlings.

Sydney exposed to dangerous chemicals: report

The State Government's air quality program has failed to produce a meaningful improvement in Sydney's air quality, report says.

Slash dirty coal within 15 years

The chief UN climate negotiator has warned the world's political leaders they must "act on the information provided by science".

Brown bags plastic in speech on environment

The disposable plastic bag should disappear from Britain's high streets, says the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

It's hard being green and lean

Saving the planet from global warming is a costly business, especially for households struggling on a tight budget, writes Thea O'Connor.

How pristine is his valley

Sustainability is the watchword at the Peats Ridge festival. Its founder talks to Peter Vincent.

Hairy times for flying foxes

Loss of habitat is upsetting the natural balance of the fruit bat population, writes Lissa Christopher.

Urban Farmer

Tim Elliott wonders if a little deference from the chooks is too much to ask.

Tuesday November 20, 2007

Attack of the carbon guilts

Having flown from New York to Sydney via London recently, my carbon footprint is of Ian Thorpe's proportions, writes Mark Coultan.

Risk to life, but more mining under bridge

Two years after the RTA was warned about the risk of mining under the Hume Highway, more mining has been approved.

Debnam's dig at PM on climate

The former NSW Liberal leader Peter Debnam has publicly contradicted the Prime Minister's approach to climate change and nuclear energy.

Monday November 19, 2007

Huge toxic waste threat from dredging river

A plan to dredge toxic waste from the Hunter River could be "another Orica Botany Bay in the making".

Sunday November 18, 2007

Climate report shows need to act: Labor

The findings of the latest global report on climate change demonstrate Australia must act now to prevent devastating effects of global warming, says Peter Garrett.

Hauled over the coals

Australia would become one massive hole, full of gas, writes Simon Webster.

Saturday November 17, 2007

UN climate talks agree on blueprint for action

UN climate conference warns that governments have only a few years to avert some of the worst impacts of global warming.

Global warming action urgent: UN chief

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says climate change is already as frightening as science fiction.

Key points about the UN climate panel

The 130-nation group, meeting in Valencia, will formally present its guide for policymakers on Sunday.

Across the Sahara on sweet biofuel

Crumbled flakes and other chocolate waste is about to power a British truck more than 7000 kilometres across the Sahara.

Friday November 16, 2007

Ozone layer hole 'to close'

The hole in the ozone layer is shrinking and is on track to make a full recovery, scientist says.

Thursday November 15, 2007

Woolworths faces attack over 'green' products

The retailer will come under renewed attack at its AGM for selling paper products that allegedly mislead consumers about their green credentials.

Chain reaction: 15 protesters arrested

Greenpeace members arrested after chaining themselves to a NSW power station.

Howard harassed by three bears

It's a modern day version of the three bears, only this time they're polar bears.

Greenhouse gases: we are among worst polluters

New research shows Australia's power stations are the world's highest per capita producers of carbon dioxide.

Pests not just in the central ibisness district

Lake Gillawarna near Bankstown has become home to 1500 white ibis, a haven from a decade of drought.

Climate change to take just years

Australians will begin to see the stark effects of climate change within the next few years, a leading scientist has warned.

Wednesday November 14, 2007

Sydney breathes a little easier

Sydney air is cleaner than at any time in the past 15 years, says the NSW Government.

Third of all species 'at risk'

Almost one-third of the world's species will face extinction if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.

Nations wary of sowing oceans to capture carbon

The body that controls dumping at sea rejects plans to help fix climate change by sowing the oceans with fertilisers.

A chilling omen or a freak event?

Explorer Damien Gildea ponders the significance of an unusual polar discovery.

Law meets lore for the sake of the land

A new program is helping Aboriginal groups demystify their environmental legal rights, writes Sue White.

The gas is always greener

Almost 600,000 businesses and households are paying more for power generated from renewable sources.

Harnessing the power of the stars

The energy rating system for appliances could be a real tool for cutting greenhouse emissions if it was better regulated, writes Judy Friedlander.

Little fish gallop back into the wild

Floating in a tank the 30 seahorses that had been bred in captivity looked like a tangle of black seaweed.

London councils may soon have it in the bag

The British capital could become the world's largest plastic bag-free city within 18 months.

Surprise - cleaner sewerage, more flies

Stoneflies have made a comeback after a State Government project to clean the Blue Mountains sewerage system.

Tuesday November 13, 2007

Seahorses released to help save their species

Thirty tiny seahorses have the survival of their species riding on their backs.

Black Sea spill: '30,000 birds killed'

Authorities say more than 30,000 birds were killed by oil that leaked after a heavy storm broke a tanker apart near the Black Sea.

Russia tackles oil spill

Oil spilt from a sunken tanker coated birds in a black sludge after a storm in the Black Sea.

Region may take years to recover from tanker disaster

Russia and Ukraine are facing environmental catastrophe after a tanker carrying 4000 tonnes of oil split in half in heavy seas off the Crimean peninsula.

Monday November 12, 2007

Howard swings in from the trees

The Prime Minister pledges $500,000 over the next four years to save orang-utans in Indonesian forests.

White-out: UN chief visits vanishing world of Antarctica

With prehistoric Antarctic ice sheets melting beneath his feet, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, called for urgent political action to tackle global warming.

Dirty coal makes for a green fight

Peter Garrett was among thousands of Sydneysiders who marched to express their concerns about global warming.

Saturday November 10, 2007

80,000 to descend on Sydney

The city will hold a public rally calling for tough opposition on climate change.

Friday November 9, 2007

All that rain's been bloomin' useless

Sydney has had more rain in the past eight days than it usually gets in all of November, but it has barely lifted dam levels.

Carbon offsets to be sold on flights

Travellers flying on Virgin Atlantic will soon be offered carbon offsets alongside alcohol and perfume in front of their fellow passengers in an effort to shame them into buying them.

Thursday November 8, 2007

Sydney gets month's worth of rain in just eight days

Sydney's recent rainy weather has delivered the average monthly rainfall for November in just eight days.

Garrett, Turnbull deny compromising principles

Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he has never had to compromise his principles in order to pursue his political career.

Japanese bra aims to give waste the chop

Women with environmental concerns may one day be able to wear a bra that can be used to carry their own personal chopsticks to cut down on waste.

Farmers fear coal mining

Mining companies are being encouraged to look for coal under some of NSW's richest farming land.

Wednesday November 7, 2007

White lion program a roaring success

A NSW zoo has revealed a world first ... breeding a pride of five male white lions.

Outrage as timber baron walks free

An Indonesian timber baron has walked away from illegal logging charges, prompting an outcry from environmentalists.

Climate change is public health issue - US

Climate change should be treated as a public health issue, health and ecology experts say.

Save the krill

The slaughter in the water is an act of madness, Ross Fyfe writes in a letter to the Herald.

Peeing on lettuces makes them grow

The lettuce is a demanding little vegetable.

Fit for a powerful role

Too many people are downplaying the contribution renewable sources can make, supporters say. Wendy Frew reports.

Tuesday November 6, 2007

Riverbed damage findings next year

NSW will not pre-empt the findings of an expert panel into mining that has damaged a river system south of Sydney.

Monday November 5, 2007

Farmers reluctant to take cash and quit the land

Drought-stricken farmers are opting to stay on the land, with just a handful taking up the latest Federal Government exit grant.

Gorilla slaughter sparks campaign

If the people of Congo save the mountain gorilla, might the gorilla return the favour?

Ecologists fear huge rise in krill catch

Industrial fishing companies are gearing up for the rush to exploit a great untapped seafood resource, Antarctic krill.

Mines blamed for threat to water supply

Unrestricted underground coal mining south of Sydney is cracking riverbeds, draining swamps and putting the city's water supply at risk.

Cloncurry so hot it doesn't need coal

It's hot in Cloncurry. Bloody hot. Hot enough to power the homes for all the outback town's 4828 residents with heat from the sun.

Sunday November 4, 2007

Protesters blockade coal ships

Protesters in kayaks and canoes yesterday blocked the Newcastle shipping channel over the expansion of the coal export industry.

'Very useful' rain over Sydney's catchments

Sydney's water supply has received a welcomed top-up with "very useful" rains falling in catchment areas.

New York set to tax carbon emissions

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a national "pollution pricing" plan that would tax companies directly for the greenhouse gases they release.

New reefs to foster fish stocks

Three giant man-made reefs will be built off the NSW coast to boost fish stocks for recreational fishing.

Saturday November 3, 2007

Fuelled up and belching, but parties look the other way

Neither the Federal Government nor the Labor Party has committed to mandatory fuel-efficiency targets for car manufacturers.

Too many bloomin' plants

Their squawking and squabbling over nectar dribbling from grevillea blooms is as symbolic of Sydney as the harbour and its bridge.

Are Kyoto cuts emmission impossible?

Australia's position on climate change faces a massive shift as the parties slug out the feasibility of a real commitment.

Nuclear option on back burner

With Howard trailing in the polls, the Liberals have not pushed a domestic nuclear power industry agenda.

Main parties bid to be green

But both continue to support the country's dirtiest industry.

Friday November 2, 2007

Panel dashes hopes of nuclear fuel plan

The US has been advised to dump an ambitious nuclear energy plan that involved countries such as Australia.

Thursday November 1, 2007

Clean coal a furphy: Dr Karl

Celebrity physicist Karl Kruszelnicki has described clean coal as a "complete furphy".

State planners eye off delicate bushland

A delicate tract of land on the northern beaches is being investigated for development by the State Government.

Wednesday October 31, 2007

Prince questioned over shooting of birds

Police have questioned Prince Harry over the shooting of two threatened birds of prey near a royal estate in Norfolk.

Rudd's renewable 2020 vision

Kevin Rudd unveils a plan to require 20 per cent of Australian electricity to be generated from renewable sources such as solar or wind by 2020.

Actions speak louder than words in Britain

Climate change initiatives in Britain could include a target to cut pollution by as much as 80 per cent by 2050.

Hollywood wives go to Washington

Celebrity packs a punch in the US capital, and a group of women are using it to force action on climate change, writes Alex Williams.

All set for for the next new thing

The number of electronics repairers is shrinking in the face of a glut of cheap appliances. Steve Dow examines our throwaway mentality.

Special of the modern day - all organic menu

Restaurants and cafes are catering to a growing demand for chemical-free produce, writes Sue White.

Always on a count of the endangered species

Deryk Engel has stalked and trapped animals, all for a good cause, writes Peter Vincent.

Switch on to cool lighting

Those old light bulbs waste a lot of energy producing heat. Rebecca Blackburn explains the alternatives now available.

Coming to grips with a mother's guilt trip

Even environmentally aware mothers cannot stop driving, writes Meg Mason.

Tuesday October 30, 2007

Sydney anti-mill protester cut off

AGM of funds manager Perpetual turns into a forum for demonstrators.

Rival may seek damages over desal plant

The NSW Government is exposed to a multimillion-dollar damages claim from its decision to pursue plans for a $1.85b desalination plant.

Garrett backtracks on Kyoto

Peter Garrett was forced to clarify Labor's approach to securing a post-Kyoto global climate pact last night.

Green team unveils $200m reef plan

Kevin Rudd announces a $200 million plan to work with farmers to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Monday October 29, 2007

Wetlands in extreme crisis

South Australia's wetlands are in extreme crisis, with their future threatened by irrigation and inaction.

Rudd promises $200m for Reef

Labor plans to protect Australia's famous attraction.

Air hazard warning as fires retreat

Firefighters tighten their grip on California's wildfires as officials expressed concern at the health hazards posed by vast plumes of smoke shrouding the region.

Greenland finds benefits in global warming

Now that the climate is warming, southern Greenland might eventually be full of vegetable farms and viable forests.

Scales tipped against bold fish

The mix of neurotic and outgoing characters in Finding Nemo might be closer to real life than anyone could have guessed.

Always a moral to Clooney's story

George Clooney is on a political and an environmetal mission, writes Paul Sheehan.

Sunday October 28, 2007

Solving the moth mystery

Who, or what, is poisoning NSW's bogong moths?

Turnbull denies Kyoto leak

PM dodges questions about whether he believes his Environment Minister deliberately leaked information.

Turnbull and PM at loggerheads on Kyoto

The Government deeply embarrassed that Turnbull proposed Australia should ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

Powers that be feel the heat as NSW keeps cool

Air-conditioning is expected to push household power demand to new highs this summer, raising questions about NSW's green credentials.

Saturday October 27, 2007

Playing with fire, now nature hits back

The southern Californian bush fires have reignited arguments about global climate change, Gerard Wright reports.

Humpbacks wave hello - every tail tells a story

Yolanda, one of the great Australian humpback mothers, has waved her tail through Hervey Bay again.

Snails hang on, and she tops the comp

As the salinity of water - a possible consequence of climate change - decreases, so does snails' staying power, a year 10 student found.

Friday October 26, 2007

Population pressure takes Earth to its limits

The most authoritative scientific report on the planet's health has found water, land, air, plants, animals and fish stocks are all in "inexorable decline".

Ban on herbicide unlikely

The Tasmanian Cancer Council is investigating whether atrazine, the second-most used agricultural chemical in the country, has pushed up cancer rates.

Some primates face extinction

Mankind's closest relatives are teetering on the brink of their first extinctions in more than a century.

Call for environment and congestion taxes

The State Government has opened the door for new taxes, including environment and traffic congestion charges.

Thursday October 25, 2007

Dutch win solar car race

The Nuon team has won the 3000-kilometre World Solar Challenge from Darwin to Adelaide.

Kyoto should be scrapped: scientists

A leading British scientist says Australia has copped unnecessary international condemnation for not signing up to Kyoto.

Pell out of touch on climate - bishop

Catholic Archbishop George Pell is out of step within his church and the global Christian community on global warming, a leading Anglican environmentalist says.