World’s largest hybrid timber tower to be built in Sydney
According to BVN, this tower is “is one of the most hopeful technologies in moving the construction industry toward real solutions to the global climate crisis.”
Australia & Oceania
New $190 million Australian recycling fund will prevent 10 million tons of waste
The new multi-million-dollar fund will assist companies which sort and convert tires, glass, plastic and paper waste into a range of beneficial products. The pledge follows a long list of recent government injections into improving domestic recycling capacities.
City of Sydney now runs on 100% renewable energy
Central Sydney, Australia is now entirely powered by renewable energy. By using locally sourced clean energy from wind and solar farms, the region will now see CO2 emissions reduced by around 20,000 tonnes each year. The move will save an estimated A$500,000 per year over the next decade.
Tens of thousands around the world protest George Floyd’s death in global display of solidarity
Tens of thousands of protesters have marched in the US for six consecutive nights over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer. Demonstrators now have gathered in London, Berlin and Auckland, among other cities, in solidarity with the US crowds.
Ambitious ‘cloud brightening’ experiment launched to restore Great Barrier Reef
Results from the trial were “really, really encouraging”, the project’s lead scientist Daniel Harrison from Southern Cross University said.
New Zealand pledges $2 million to help relocate Fijians displaced climate change
The package is part of a broader commitment from New Zealand to invest at least $300 million in climate assistance over the next three years around the globe.
Australian High Court rules Aboriginal people cannot be deported
The court found Aboriginal people held a special status and were exempt from immigration laws, after it considered the cases of two convicted criminals whom the Government wanted to deport.
Scientists develop ultra-high capacity lithium-sulphur battery
Scientists at Monash University in Australia have developed a battery with a capacity five times higher than that of lithium-ion batteries that could lead to drastically cheaper electric cars and grid energy storage.
Palau becomes first country to ban ‘reef toxic’ sunscreen
The International Coral Reef Foundation said the banned chemicals were “known environmental pollutants – most of them are… incredibly toxic to juvenile stages of many wildlife species”.
New Zealand passes historic zero carbon bill with near unanimous bipartisan support
The New Zealand parliament has passed landmark legislation that enshrines the country’s commitment to the Paris Agreement into law, and will see the country achieve zero net carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.