G20 countries triple coal power subsidies despite climate crisis

G20 countries have almost tripled the subsidies they give to coal-fired power plants in recent years, despite the urgent need to cut the carbon emissions driving the climate crisis.

A protest against the Drax power station in North Yorkshire.

The bloc of major economies pledged a decade ago to phase out all fossil fuel subsidies.

The figures, published in a report by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and others, show that Japan is one of the biggest financial supporters of coal, despite the prime minister, Shinzo Abe, having said in September: “Climate change can be life-threatening to all generations … We must take more robust actions and reduce the use of fossil fuels.” The annual G20 meeting begins in Japan on Friday.

Read the story from The Guardian by Damian Carrington - “G20 countries triple coal power subsidies despite climate crisis."

Secret papers detail Great Barrier Reef Foundation's costly PR strategy

A $100 million Great Barrier Reef restoration grant would be tripled by the charity hand-picked by the federal government to administer the money and spent quickly to notch up “early wins” and boost the organisation’s public image, documents show.

The foundation sought "early wins" on its investments
 to avoid the perception it was "sitting on the money".

The revelations, which involve sensitive cabinet documents, also show how officials canvassed ways to stage-manage the government’s highly controversial funding announcement, including the possibility of recruiting children and Indigenous people to improve the “optics” of the policy.

Read the story from The Age by Nicole Hasham - “Secret papers detail Great Barrier Reef Foundation's costly PR strategy.”