Australia’s big four banks to stop lending to thermal coal mining and coal-fired power plants
The Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Westpac, and National Australia Bank are closing their books on fossil fuel financing in response to shareholder pressure.
Australia
New Australian marine parks protect area twice Great Barrier Reef’s size
The two parks will be established around Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean to the northwest of continental Australia. The new parks cover 740,000 square kilometers (286,000 square miles) of ocean.
Australia announces $100 million initiative to protect our oceans
Much of the funding will go towards ecosystems that involve seagrass and mangroves, which play a key role in drawing carbon out of the atmosphere.
World-first biomarker test can predict depression and bipolar disorder
Australian scientists have developed and validated a world-first test that is claimed to accurately measure levels of a brain protein known to be associated with depression and bipolar disorder.
Entire state of South Australia powered solely by solar in a world first
The state of South Australia for a short period earlier in October met 100 percent of its energy needs from solar power – a world-first for a jurisdiction of its size.
Australia to complete world’s new largest solar farm ever by 2027
The solar farm, which is three times larger than the world’s current largest solar farm in northern China, is also expected to provide thousands of jobs related to construction and hundreds of jobs once construction is done.
Cancer breath test detects 80% of cases in early trial
The team from Australia’s Flinders University has developed a breath test that can detect exhaled breath profiles associated with head and neck cancers, with the tool demonstrating a high degree of accuracy in early trials.
Australian scientists create seaweed supplement for cows that reduces methane emissions by 80%
If only 10% of global cattle herds consumed the supplement, created by FutureFeed Ltd, it would be the same as taking 50 million cars off the roadways.
South Australia becomes first Australian state to ban single-use plastics
The law, which is expected to come into force in 2021, means that selling, supplying or distributing a “prohibited plastic product” will be illegal. The list of banned items includes plastic straws, cutlery, and drink stirrers, as well as polystyrene cups, bowls, plates, and clamshell containers.
Greenery-covered high-rise will have more trees than a nearby park
With over 1,000 trees and 20,000 plants on its exterior, the Urban Forest will boast more trees than a nearby park in Brisbane, Australia. The project is hailed as one of the world’s most densely-forested greenery-covered buildings by designer Koichi Takada Architects.