Our energy challenge in 6 eye-popping charts

Renewable energy is winning and coal is on the skids. Disruption of the fossil fuel industry is well under way, and the global energy system is being decarbonised. We’re right on track, right?

To avoid dramatic climate system tipping points, the world needs to decarbonise very quickly and start drawing down the level of carbon in the atmosphere, because it’s already unsafe. As one dramatic example, in past periods when greenhouse levels were similar to the current level, temperatures were 3–6°C higher and sea levels around 25–40 metres higher than in 1900.

So climate warming is now an existential risk to human civilisation, that is, an adverse outcome that would either annihilate intelligent life or permanently and drastically curtail its potential. It is now too late for incremental, measured steps to protect what we care about. Winning slowly is now the same as losing.

So how are we going with our energy system? It is the predominant source of the dramatic human-caused rise in the level of greenhouse gases, which over the last century has increased 70 percent, from 280 parts per million carbon dioxide equivalent (ppm CO2e) to 480 ppm CO2e.

Read the report from Climate Code Red - “Our energy challenge in 6 eye-popping charts.”

Last Menindee cotton harvest is underway as water dries up

The last-ever cotton harvest in far west New South Wales is under way at Tandou near Menindee, signalling the end of large-scale irrigated agriculture in the region.

Cotton blooming at Tandou.

The 79,000-hectare property will be converted to a dorper lamb business over the next several years.

The Federal Government bought back Tandou's 22,000 megalitre water allocation last year, handing over $78 million to owner Webster Limited.

Property manager Robert Lowe said the decision to sell the water rights came after a run of tough years caused by a water shortage.

Read the ABC News story by Declan Gooch - “Last Menindee cotton harvest is underway as water dries up.”

Clean up begins in Giru as record flood recedes, homes spared from inundation

The clean-up is under way as record flooding from the Haughton River clears from roads and properties in Giru, south-east of Townsville.

Giru resident Rodney Jackson cleaning up as
floodwaters recede in the north Queensland town.

Roads to the town were cut as the Haughton reached a record peak of 3.1 metres late on Thursday.

Local State Emergency Service (SES) controllers said no homes were flooded, although floodwaters did reach up to a metre in some parts of the town, with many backyards and car ports flooded.

The local SES and fire station had half a metre of floodwater through their offices.

Read the ABC News story - “Clean up begins in Giru as record flood recedes, homes spared from inundation.”