Extreme fire weather days in Australia have doubled, new study finds: CSIRO
Extreme fire weather days have increased in Australia by 56 per cent over the last four decades, according to new research from an international team of scientists, including CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency ... CSIRO researcher, Dr Pep Canadell, said an increase in fire weather trends translated to an increase in the number of Australian bushfires.
Fire & Climate 2022
The first of a three part series by Philip Hopkins. Sharing information globally about the causes and impacts of destructive bushfires in an era threatened by global warming drew about 360 people to an international conference in Melbourne in June. Fire & Climate 2022, presented by the International Association of Wildland Fire in partnership with Natural Hazards Research Australia, concentrated on the most significant forces shaping wildland fire today.
Go for gold and make tracks at special Sunshine Coast Olympics event
From children to seniors, beginners to pros, everyone is invited to join the fun and #HaveaGo at a free council community event in Caloundra on July 23 – a celebration to acknowledge exactly 10 years to go until the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games open. Get on your bikes at Sugar Bag Road Mountain Bike Trails from 10am-3pm for an action packed day of demos, trails, #HaveAGo sessions and rubbing shoulders with world class champions.
World Heritage forty years on
Ian Hutton introduces observations from Warren Nicholls, who worked on processing the nomination of Lord Howe Island for World Heritage Listing in 1982 ... "So, on my most recent visit in April 2022, what are the changes that I notice. The Islanders are still so friendly and hospitable. Ned’s Beach is still a great place to snorkel and feed the fish. The trek up Mt Gower is still challenging and just as rewarding with its spectacular views (although now safer with the addition of ropes at certain points). But there are other changes. Noticeable and for the good."
From Woodford Dale to the world
Geoff Helisma. Everyone loves a success story, especially if it’s someone they’ve known or with whom they’ve brushed elbows - the Lower Clarence’s Ry X, who is on the cover of the June 17 French Rolling Stone magazine, is one of those success stories and, potentially, he might soon become a global name on the lips of music lovers, as well as makers and shakers clamouring for a piece of the action.
Export restrictions contribute to global food price pressure
Moves by governments to restrict exports only exacerbate price rises and increase food insecurity, according to the latest Insights report from ABARES. Executive Director of ABARES Dr Jared Greenville said there were lessons to be learnt from the 2007-08 food crisis.
Wallabies to play England for the new Ella-Mobbs Cup
Australia and England will play for a new trophy when the two nations face off in next month’s eToro England Series; the Ella-Mobbs Cup named after two iconic Rugby figures from each nation. Mark Ella is a Wallabies legend. The first indigenous Captain of the Wallabies, the Fly Half is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted players in Australian Rugby history.
Community Generation
Maldon residents Lauren Adele Stevens and her Dad, Ian Stevens, have once again headed off to Cambodia to continue working at Lauren’s Phnom Penh office with her local Cambodian team ... Alongside our WASH projects, Community Generation will commence a new project delivery of up-skilling and training local Khmer peoples with life-changing plumbing and maintenance skills delivered by fully qualified Australian plumbers,” Lauren said.
Qantas and Airbus joint investment to kickstart Australian biofuels industry
The Qantas Group and Airbus will invest up to US$200 million to accelerate the establishment of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry in Australia, in a landmark agreement ... Due to the lack of a local commercial-scale SAF industry, Australia is currently exporting millions of tonnes of feedstock every year, such as canola and animal tallow to be made into SAF in other countries.
Everything you need to prepare for Lumpy Skin and Foot and Mouth with one click
A new, online one-stop information portal for Lumpy skin disease (LSD) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) preparedness is now available to livestock owners and other industry stakeholders ... “With both LSD and FMD confirmed in Indonesia, the key to Australia’s defence is vigilance, early reporting and ensuring every Livestock Supply Chain enterprise in northern Australia has an updated biosecurity plan in place”: Minister Furner.
AACI and Global Victoria Trade Alliance Program: Mildura, 21 June 2022
Promoting export opportunities across the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) to regional Victoria producers and exporters. Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AACCI) is the proud partner of the Global Victoria Trade Alliance Program being delivered across five regional centres in Victoria.
Significant slowdown in global milk production: Rabobank Dairy Quarterly Q2 2022
While global milk production is set to have decreased for at least four consecutive quarters from Q3 2021 to the current quarter Q2 2022 expectations of weakening demand are creating a scenario for moderate price declines in dairy commodities during the second half of 2022, Rabobank says in its latest global Dairy Quarterly report.
‘Carbon-neutral beef coming to a store near you’ – Rabobank Beef Quarterly Q2 2022
First-mover companies around the world are taking the next steps to meet their emissions reduction goals and beginning to release climate-neutral beef products on to shelves, Rabobank says in its latest global Beef Quarterly report.
NASA go for launch in Northern Territory
A series of NASA rockets will be launched into space from the Northern Territory later this month, with the Australian Government signing off on a history making moment for the local space sector. Three scientific suborbital sounding rockets will be launched between 26 June and 12 July 2022 from the Arnhem Space Centre, which is owned and run by Equatorial Launch Australia.
Cairns Group Farm Leaders call for urgent action on WTO ag trade reform
The international coalition of farm organisations, Cairns Group Farm Leaders, has highlighted the need for urgent agricultural trade reform to meet global challenges of food security, climate change and hunger ahead of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference and a Cairns Group WTO meeting.
Gene bank strengthens global agricultural efforts in a changing climate
A new state of the art gene bank has been opened in Morocco by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Gene banks play a crucial role in providing the materials required by researchers and global breeding programs to develop high yielding, resilient and climate adapted crops.
We do not need this recipe for division and bitterness
It is often in the apparently passing statements or actions by which one can tell the make-up of a politician. And so it is with Anthony Albanese ... Mr. Albanese wishes us all to believe that he has a mandate for policies never discussed during the Federal Election Campaign. He doesn’t.
Quilpie Shire’s spectacular Baldy Top lookout turns purple to honour the Queen’s jubilee
On the night of Thursday June 2, Quilpie Shire lit the way for Outback Queensland by staging special Platinum Jubilee celebrations for HRH Queen Elizabeth II at the spectacular Baldy Top lookout. The red earth of the renowned tourist destination turned purple as special purple coloured lights and fireworks were lit, along with several huge bonfires. More than 250 locals and tourists alike gathered to pay respect to the Queen for her Jubilee.
Call for stock stop rehearsals from WAFarmers
Indonesia has 280 million people of which 38 million are farmers. Between them have 16 million cattle and 9 million pigs spread across 6000 inhabited islands, extending 5,500km East to West and 1,800km North to South. As the borders open and the world starts travelling again, we can look forward to the return of the 50 flights a week between Bali and Perth. Each of these flights will carry the risk of the transmission of Lumpy Skin and Foot and Mouth Disease into Australia.
Ploughing for gold
Joan de Bondt. Local resident, Wayne Clayton, and fellow Australian, Daniel Gladwell, have been selected to represent Australia in the World Ploughing Contest later this year... “The very best international ploughing competitors and their teams will be battling it out on Irish soil in September to become supreme World Champions,”: World Ploughing Organisation general secretary, Anna Marie McHugh.
All things fire and climate in Melbourne this month
David Bruce, Natural Hazards Research Australia. Fire and Climate 2022 (Pullman Melbourne, Albert Park, Monday 6 to Friday 10 June 2022) is an International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF) conference on Fuels and Fire Behaviour, Human Dimensions and Safety Summit, in the tradition of past IAWF conferences.
‘Hopes for a hat trick’ – forecast record Australian winter crop planting sees potential for third consecutive bumper harvest: Rabobank
Australia is laying the groundwork for a third consecutive bumper harvest, with this year’s total planted crop area forecast to reach a record 23.83 million hectares, Rabobank says in its just-released 2022/23 Winter Crop Outlook ... Locally, the bank says, “hopes are on” another large winter crop to allow Australian farmers to secure good margins in the face of high costs for inputs including fertiliser, fuel, freight and agrochemicals.
