'I know I'm a weather geek, but I'd love to see that': the BoM's new three-week ‘outlooks’

Weather is always moving but every day in Australia, it comes together at a 9.45am conference.

Senior forecaster Steven McGibbony, with a "spaghetti
model" of high and low-pressure systems behind.

Having issued top temperatures for each of their states earlier in the morning, meteorologists around the country dial in for the Bureau of Meteorology's national conference to ensure every bureau starts the day reading from the same script.

In the Melbourne office where the conference is chaired, the eyes of around 50 forecasters are glued to the multi-screen display at the front of the room as the nation's head forecaster for the day begins, pointing out moving pressure systems and a large cold front near Perth. It's May, and even Western Australia isn't immune to some rain.

Read the story from The Age by Michael Fowler - “'I know I'm a weather geek, but I'd love to see that': the BoM's new three-week ‘outlooks’."

How deadly is 50-degree heat? Australia's cities face the new reality of climate change

Buckled train tracks, grounded planes, melting bitumen and massive blackouts: the dystopian vision of the 50-degree city is closer to reality every day.

Sydney and Melbourne could see 50-degree
 days within the next few decades.

With wildfires raging around the Arctic Circle, unprecedented heatwaves in the Northern Hemisphere and record temperatures being set from Algeria to Canada, the world is getting inexorably hotter.

And the combination of rising global temperatures with increasing urban density is proving deadly.

Now, 50 degrees Celsius, once only associated with places like California's Death Valley or the desert wilderness of Oman and Iraq, is an increasingly frequent occurrence.

Read the ABC News story by Mira Adler-Gillies - “How deadly is 50-degree heat? Australia's cities face the new reality of climate change.”

The quiet e-bike revolution

It seems every day we are seeing a new highlight in the Electric Vehicle space. Whether it is a new model or another City with a plan to phase out fossil fuelled vehicles, there is no doubt the momentum for EVs and autonomous vehicles is building.

The e-bike revolution.

However, in the background a quiet revolution has been taking place. The fastest growing segment in the transport world now is e-bikes, or electric bicycles.

As with many things, China is the biggest market with an estimated 30 million sold in 2016, compared to the rest of the world selling around 4 million, according to Navagant Research.

In 2017 e-bike sales in much of the EU had double digit growth with the standout, Italy by 50%. Germany had 19% growth for a total of 720,000 sales.

It appears e-bikes are popular across demographic groups with the younger generation possibly eschewing driving or car ownership in favour of an e-bike.

Read the RenewEconomy story by Rod Munro - “The quiet e-bike revolution.”