From micro-breweries to in-store bakeries to 3D printing—distributed, modular production is taking over. It’s all part of the shift to a low carbon future, says Alan Pears.
Click here for the full report
The Muni Bond Market's Biggest Credit Risk: Climate Change | Think Advisor
Most at risk are localities that are already economically challenged, located in low-tax states and threatened with extreme weather-related events.
Australia's bushfires have emitted 250m tonnes of CO2, almost half of country's annual emissions | The Guardian
In Australia’s greenhouse gas inventory, the government reported 340m tonnes of emissions from “wildfires” each year for the whole country from 2013 to the latest reporting year of 2017.
In ‘Strongest’ Climate Ruling Yet, Dutch Court Orders Leaders to Take Action | NY Times
Because of climate change, “the lives, well being and living circumstances of many people around the world, including in the Netherlands, are being threatened,” Kees Streefkerk, the chief justice said.
Climate Change Performance Index for Australia
Ranked 56th (out of 61 countries) in this year’s CCPI, Australia with an overall very low rating remains under the bottom five performers. The country continues to receive very low ratings in the Energy Use category and ranks at the bottom of low performers in both the GHG Emissions and Renewable Energy categories. National experts observe a lack of progress in these areas with the government failing to clarify how it will meet the country’s insufficient 2030 emission reduction target and inaction in developing a long-term mitigation strategy.
Thousands Flee to Shore as Australia Fires Turn Skies Blood Red | NY Times
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, a conservative, has made it clear that Australia’s economic prosperity comes first. Even as his country burned, he has said repeatedly that it is not the time to discuss climate policy.
Companies Most Exposed to Climate Change Risks | Barrons
“We’re steadily moving toward a new normal where billion-dollar disasters are a regular occurrence,” says Emilie Mazzacurati, founder and CEO of Four Twenty Seven. “This combination of extreme weather events and growing pressure from asset owners and regulators is pushing a lot of businesses to look for a way to understand their exposure and start managing their risks.”
Greta Thunberg at the WEF in Davos
The Global Risks Report 2019 | World Economic Forum
Extreme weather is again out on its own in the top-right (high-likelihood, high-impact) quadrant of the Global Risks Landscape 2019. The year 2018 was another one of storms, fires and floods.19 Of all risks, it is in relation to the environment that the world is most clearly sleepwalking into catastrophe.
You can download the report here, or go to the WEF webpage for more information.
2018’s Costliest Natural Disasters | Insurance Journal
A report from Munich Re on last year’s natural disasters pointed to “clear indications” that man-made climate change is a factor in California’s wildfires.
Great Ocean Road at risk from erosion and rising sea levels | The Guardian
Yes, let’s pretend nothing has changed....
“The road has been there for 100 years and will continue to be there for many many years, decades to come.”
Air pollution linked to ‘extremely high mortality’ in people with mental disorders | The Guardian
At Davos, bosses paint climate change as an opportunity | Reuters
It seems that leaders in Australia are in the minority when it comes to seizing the opportunity presented by climate change. One need only look to our North and learn from China’s approach to this challenge.
Global Risks Landscape - Global Risks Report 2018 | WEF
Likelihood and impact of global risks. In the top right quadrant, seven out of eight risks are climate change related. Is it time for drastic action or shall we kick the can a little further down the road?
5 things we learned about the environment at Davos 2018 | WEF
A neat summary that stresses that we need to act much more quickly than we have so far.
The Global Risks Report 2018 | WEF
Each year the Global Risks Report works with experts and decision-makers across the world to identify and analyze the most pressing risks that we face. As the pace of change accelerates, and as risk interconnections deepen, this year’s report highlights the growing strain we are placing on many of the global systems we rely on. Read more or download the full report here
Frydenberg Factcheck: Is S.A really burning 80,000l of diesel an hour to keep lights on? | Renew Economy
If you were unlucky enough to catch Josh Frydenberg’s recent ‘car crash’ of an interview, where he tried to spin Australia’s fourth consecutive year of growing greenhouse emissions as nothing but good news, your ears might have pricked up at the claim that South Australia and Victoria have had to bring in ‘expensive and polluting’ diesel generators and that South Australia in particular is burning ‘80,000 litres of diesel an hour, just to keep the lights on’.
With so many half-truths floating about in the so called ‘energy debate’, it’s worth unpacking this claim. Read more
Chaos Theory in Action | CEAG Liz Bossley
The overhaul of the regulatory regime for financial instruments, including commodities, since the banking crash of 2008 constitutes a lot more than the archetypal “butterfly flapping its wings” of chaos theory. So we should not be surprised to see far-reaching and unintended consequences in the market from the flapping of the weighty Dodd Frank and EMIR/MiFID wings of legislation.
Better the Devil You Know: Changes in the commodity market over the last 10 years | Lindsay Horn
Less than 10 years ago the Wall Street Banks were on top of the oil trading heap and their client business in derivatives was an important source of profit for the banks and a major entry point for any corporate hedger.
Things have changes in the last 10 years.
Loy Yang B failure sends prices soaring, triggers supply safeguards | SMH
The Australian Energy Market Operator has kicked off emergency measures to protect power supply after Victoria's Loy Yang B brown coal-fired power station failed on Thursday afternoon, sending electricity spot prices soaring.
As temperatures rose around southern Australia Loy Yang B's generators failed at around 4pm, instantly taking around 528 megawatts of energy out of the state’s grid.
Read more