Writer
Peter Sainsbury
Peter Sainsbury is a retired public health worker with a long interest in social policy, particularly social justice, and now focusing on climate change and environmental sustainability. He is extremely pessimistic about the world avoiding catastrophic global warming.
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 9 February 2020
If we’d started the transition 30 years ago, gas might (might!) have been a viable transition fuel but it’s certainly not in 2020 despite what the PM and his gassy friends say. Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 2 February 2020
Despite the rhetoric of support for action to combat climate change from senior company executives and members of government, banks and rich nations continue to fund the development of coal mines and power stations, even in countries that currently don’t have any coal power. Centuries of abuse of waterways leads to problems along the Mekong Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Emission reduction or fuel reduction
The last month has clearly demonstrated to all thinking Australians that Scotty-from-Marketing may well know how to run a brilliant election campaign that against all predictions saved the Coalition from an absolute drubbing (while basically maintaining the political status quo), but that he has no vision for Australia beyond keeping the masses as docile as Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 26 January 2020
A development plan for the 21st century is needed for northern Australia, perhaps informed by lessons from the Niger Republic. Three stories from north America: dead ‘penguins’ along the west coast indicative of severe ecosystem disruption caused by ocean warming; Trump fails to halt coal’s decline; and US Department of Justice provides support for oil Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 19 January 2020
Excess heat will be responsible for 8.5 million deaths per year by 2100. Russia possibly developing plans for adaptation to climate change but Australian politicians continue to rage against the dying of the coal-generated light while investors flee coal companies. Meanwhile an Australian hero works for a just transition. Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 12 January 2020
The dismal failure of the Madrid COP meeting in December starts the round up for 2020, and no one should be surprised by Australia’s disgraceful performance in Madrid when they see the government’s latest greenhouse gas emission projections to 2030. In better news, the highest court in the Netherlands has required the government to reduce Continue reading »
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Sunday environmental round-up, 15 December 2019
Strong evidence that every day’s delay in reducing greenhouse gas emissions makes the ultimate task more difficult (and less achievable; exploding the myth that natural gas is a safe, low emissions transition fuel to a carbon free world; hoped-for outcomes from the current COP meeting in Madrid; some Christmas suggestions; and a visual tribute to Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 8 December 2019
With this year’s climate change Conference of the Parties (COP) getting underway this week in Madrid, the articles this week focus on climate change: the future of coal and renewables in China, problems with projects funded by rich nations in developing countries, climate tipping points, responses to climate deniers’ arguments, and counting and reducing emissions Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Health professionals stepping up to support action on climate change
Climate change is already causing injuries, illness and premature death. This is only going to get worse. Health professionals, individually and collectively, are taking action to highlight the health problems, including being arrested for blocking development of the Adani mine. Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 1 December 2019
How much can we trust the certification system for palm oil? Not much according to two reports over the last 4 years. Air pollution kills 3,000 Australians each year – there’s an opportunity to put pressure on ministers to enact higher national air pollution standards. Bankers are increasingly recognising the need for urgent action to Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 24 November 2019
A very strong international flavour this week. Land degradation problems and encouragement to shift to renewables in India; Bangladesh planning to massively increase its coal-fired power generation; California fighting back against Trump and car makers on fuel efficiency standards; Germany legislating to achieve its Paris agreement targets; and large increases in nitrous oxide emissions globally. Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 17 November 2019
Fire chiefs and health professionals stand up for action on climate change. Fly ash from coal burning causes major problems in Indonesia. The International Energy Agency identifies the main trends influencing energy supply over the next 20 years. Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 10 November 2019
Nearly all about climate change this week: 20 fossil fuel companies responsible for producing 35% of all greenhouse gas emissions and confusing the public and politicians about the causes of climate change; the USA starts the formal process of withdrawal from the Paris agreement: will others follow? is the Paris agreement dead in the water Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 3 November 2019
The articles this week provide follow-ups to previously reported items: the NSW government changes legislation to promote climate change; the world’s largest reinsurer models the risks posed by climate change and walks away from coal; melting glaciers are but one manifestation of the changes wrought by climate change in mountain areas; December’s Conference of the Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 27 October 2019
A report on levels of peace around the world demonstrates that climate change is associated with conflict and forced migration. On-demand bus services and electric vehicles are proving popular, economical and good for the environment. Is social collapse arising from inaction on climate change inevitable and if so how do we prepare for it? Deforestation Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 20 October 2019
Investments in renewables are increasing but not fast enough. Oil and gas companies continue investing to produce yet more greenhouse gases, including burning coal underground to produce gas in SA. On current trends Australia’s economy is going to take a big hit from climate change, particularly the property and agricultural sectors. Rising sea level is Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 13 October 2019
This week’s articles all have visual cues. Climate change is already affecting people’s lives and it’s not always the environment itself that causes the harm. In various ways though people are resisting, as demonstrated in three short videos from around the world. And finally, rising water temperatures are devastating salmon breeding and stocks in the Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 6 October 2019
Synopses of two books: why climate change is happening quicker than expected and why civilisation will look very different soon. Antibiotic resistance is a serious and growing problem, not helped by spraying antibiotics on citrus trees in the USA. Microplastics are in the water we drink but that’s probably not a health problem, certainly not Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 29 September 2019
Six deep transformations in the structure of society will be required to meet the SDGs and the Paris goals – but are the proposals deep enough? Net zero emissions is ‘Mission Possible’ though for the hard-to-reduce industrial and transport sectors of the economy, even if the Trump administration is hell bent on reducing environmental controls, Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 22 September 2019
The world’s rich countries continue to pump US$64 billion per year into coal companies, with Japan leading the charge internationally and domestically. Unhealthy environments are responsible for almost a quarter of deaths globally, but maybe if your community is in an environmentally-challenged area it’s best to stop fighting the environment and move. And a shout-out Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 15 September 2019
A focus on the economic aspects of climate change this week: business-as-usual will reduce global GDP but climate action is blocked by potential financial losers; the Adani mine is viable only because of massive government subsidies, while in India investment in coal facilities is plummeting; and hydrogen power seems to have some answers for Australia Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 8 September 2019
An update on the Adani mine to start and on Sydney’s Sea-eagle chicks to close. In the middle of the sandwich is evidence demonstrating the lethal effects of air pollution and the health benefits of reducing even apparently low levels of pollution, a new World Heritage site recognising the link between Indigenous culture and country Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Revolving doors and roulette wheels
CBD is the daily scuttlebutt column in the Sydney Morning Herald. Monday’s offerings included a piece that provided examples of the revolving door for staff between the inaptly named Responsible Wagering Australia and the ALP. I strongly recommend it. Continue reading »
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Sunday environmental round up, 1 September 2019
Ship owners start to clean up their highly polluting fuel; forests are being felled and burned around the world but ordinary Brazilians want more done to prevent the loss of their iconic rainforest; and the fashion industry starts walking the talk on environmental sustainability. Finally, Saudi Arabia ? and Timor Leste ? have different feelings Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 25 August 2019
Ocean scientists express the need for urgent action in eight policy areas to restore the health of the world’s oceans, while an article in the BMJ highlights the links between ocean health and human health. Australia’s current review of air quality standards is timely in light of a report identifying four locations in Australia that Continue reading »
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Sunday environmental round up, 18 August 2019
A new report from the IPCC focusing on land and climate change draws together many threads from the environmental and social crises facing the world. CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are of course the major cause of global warming but methane from fracking and tipping points in earth systems also magnify the problem. Victorians send Continue reading »
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Sunday environmental round up, 11 August 2019
Last week we were deep in the oceans. This week we’re high in the sky: the global warming effect of air travel and ways of reducing it: technology, government intervention, industry initiatives, personal behaviour change and buying carbon offsets. And if you’re still keen to get on a plane, stories from Bangladesh and the Mekong Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 4 August 2019
With apologies for the anthropomorphism, Sydney’s newly-hatched Sea-Eagles would like this week’s round up as it focuses on their future habitats: land and marine environments (with good news about soil carbon and regenerative farming and not good news about deforestation and seabed mining). And for once, an example of Australia leading the way on climate Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 28 July 2019
Hunger is on the increase again and the world will need yet more food over the next three decades. How can we properly feed 10 billion people and save the planet? Do the solutions lie in technology, behaviour change or socio-economic change? While the Australian government continues to ignore climate change, state, territory and local Continue reading »
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PETER SAINSBURY. Sunday environmental round up, 21 July 2019
The close connection between climate change and loss of biodiversity is finally receiving the attention it deserves, particularly the need to halt deforestation and begin massive programs of reforestation. Vales Point power station in NSW provides an indication of the perils in store for the public purse as privately owned fossil fuel facilities reach the Continue reading »