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.

Peter's recent articles

Environment: Adopt a tapeworm. Love your lice. Give a leech lunch

Environment: Adopt a tapeworm. Love your lice. Give a leech lunch

Parasites need our help, not our disgust. Electricity usage increases with the temperature, but the price falls as renewables increase. Cyanobacteria’s sliding door moment.

Environment: Coal, oil and gas still produce three-quarters of all greenhouse gases

Environment: Coal, oil and gas still produce three-quarters of all greenhouse gases

Three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions still originate from the burning of fossil fuels in the energy sector. Australia’s legislation regarding environmental destruction is hindering environmental repair. Increasing demand for copper requires more recycling.

Environment: Humans’ contempt for the natural world drives environmental destruction

Environment: Humans’ contempt for the natural world drives environmental destruction

Environmentalists have failed to transform the underlying social values that drive environmental destruction. Fifteen companies produce 30% of Australia’s greenhouse gases. Mountains provide 60% of our fresh water, but not for much longer.

Environment: Building nuclear involves killing more people

Environment: Building nuclear involves killing more people

Building nuclear power plants requires keeping air-polluting coal power going for an extra 25 years and killing 3000-10,000 Australians. Which milk alternatives will reduce your environmental footprint? Australia’s Carbon Credit Units trade for less than a tenth of the social cost of carbon. US Environmental Protection Agency abandons the environment.

Environment: The folly of focusing on net zero

Environment: The folly of focusing on net zero

Governments and corporations have been tricking the public by focusing emissions reduction attention on net, rather than real, zero. Reducing methane emissions would reduce global warming quickly and cheaply. Bring back our swamps.

Environment: Albanese sacrifices the marine environment for Tasmanian votes

Environment: Albanese sacrifices the marine environment for Tasmanian votes

Prime minister showers salmon farmers with treats despite the environmental destruction and massive salmon deaths. Nations have opportunities during 2025 to improve ocean health. Exponential increases in global battery storage capacity. People alive today have produced most of the world’s greenhouse gases.

Never has violence been initiated by the oppressed

Never has violence been initiated by the oppressed

Violence is initiated by those who oppress, who exploit, who fail to recognise others as persons – not by those who are oppressed, exploited and unrecognised.

Environment: Governments like docile populations, that’s why they intimidate activists

Environment: Governments like docile populations, that’s why they intimidate activists

Governments want you to feel powerless, but the tools for change are in our hands. Australia’s economy is failing to decarbonise. Burning trees to produce electricity is phoney environmentalism.

Environment: Australia’s exported greenhouse gas emissions are double our domestic emissions

Environment: Australia’s exported greenhouse gas emissions are double our domestic emissions

Australia is the fourth largest exporter of fossil fuel emissions. The US should be bearing the largest financial responsibility for helping poorer nations cope with climate-related damage. There’s never been a global transition from one energy source to the next.

Environment: States and territories to reduce their emissions by 44% by 2030

Environment: States and territories to reduce their emissions by 44% by 2030

States and territories on target to reduce their net emissions by 44% by 2030. Solar’s contribution to the world’s energy supply could hit 50% by 2035. How to curb the carbon-guzzling lives of the super-rich. Helping your local native birds through the hot days.

Environment: Australia unlikely to play its proper part in keeping warming under 1.5°C

Environment: Australia unlikely to play its proper part in keeping warming under 1.5°C

Will Australia’s Paris Agreement emissions reduction target for 2035 be consistent with a 1.5oC-world? The US wants a fossil fuel future; China wants renewables. Whatever … coal consumption is still rising.

Environment: One giant leap for mankind was nothing compared with today’s challenges

Environment: One giant leap for mankind was nothing compared with today’s challenges

Facing the challenges of the energy transition sustainably and fairly. British Medical Journal jumps into the degrowth debate. Let’s all celebrate World Wetlands Day.

Environment: Accelerating towards a collision with the climate

Environment: Accelerating towards a collision with the climate

Human societies are setting themselves on a collision course with climate-induced catastrophes. Lithium-ion batteries will soon be facing competition. How to deal with x and the conflicts it creates?

Environment: Warming, thawing Arctic presents problems for everyone

Environment: Warming, thawing Arctic presents problems for everyone

The Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the globe and the effects are global. Bacteria responsible for escalating methane emissions. The false binary of system change or individual behaviour change.

Environment: Global plastic pollution treaty talks collapse

Environment: Global plastic pollution treaty talks collapse

Should we focus on the plastic or the pollution to eliminate plastic pollution? How to ensure that climate action produces a fairer, more inclusive, healthier world. Brush turkey urban population takes off.

Environment: Australia opposes nations’ legal obligations to tackle climate change

Environment: Australia opposes nations’ legal obligations to tackle climate change

International Court of Justice to provide advice on nations’ climate change obligations. SE Australia and WA to experience more heat waves than predicted but NT and FNQ will have fewer. Mixed evidence of countries working together to progress sustainability.

Environment: Climate protesters blockade Newcastle’s coal port despite government bans

Environment: Climate protesters blockade Newcastle’s coal port despite government bans

Draconian laws don’t discourage climate protesters. Hydrogen’s rainbow of colours. CCS continues to underperform. Clean energy investments increasing but so are investments in fossil fuels.

Environment: The future of humanity hangs in the balance

Environment: The future of humanity hangs in the balance

‘We are on the brink of an irreversible climate disaster’, scientists conclude. Donkeys: feral pests or nature’s saviours? Climate change threatens global food security and farmers’ incomes.

Environment: Carbon capture and storage – what’s the real goal?

Environment: Carbon capture and storage – what’s the real goal?

Carbon capture and storage fails to deliver carbon but succeeds for governments and industry. The pros and cons of reducing your personal carbon footprint. How best to tackle Australia’s land clearing loopholes.

Environment: Optimistic predictions for the energy transition

Environment: Optimistic predictions for the energy transition

Renewable energy and its applications are pushing fossil fuels out of business – but will it be fast enough? Climate scientists are encouraged to be more vocal to stave off a ghastly future.

Environment: Earth system tipping points threaten our stable environment

Environment: Earth system tipping points threaten our stable environment

Dangerous tipping points threaten the stability of several of Earth’s natural climate-controlling systems. Conclusion: warming of 1.5oC is not safe. Possible to protect humans from dangerous animals without killing them. Tanzania accused of apartheid by its own people.

Environment: The climate crisis is a health crisis

Environment: The climate crisis is a health crisis

Climate change will soon be causing an additional 250,000 deaths per year worldwide – children are at particular risk. Only 4% of greenhouse gas emission reduction policies actually reduced emissions.

Environment: using the law to drive (and retard) climate action

Environment: using the law to drive (and retard) climate action

Climate activists are increasingly using the courts to challenge development approvals and change the law, but so are action delayers. Access to electricity is increasing worldwide, but fossil fuels still dominate electricity production.

Environment: NSW’s environmental assessment process for logging ignores the previous 200 years

Environment: NSW’s environmental assessment process for logging ignores the previous 200 years

Ignoring 200 years of native forest logging underestimates the consequences of current logging. Beware of false solutions for plastic pollution. How to make your garden bird-friendly.

Environment: Zambia has lots of copper but will Zambians benefit?

Environment: Zambia has lots of copper but will Zambians benefit?

The green transition needs copper but how do poor copper-rich countries reap the rewards? The hydrogen-energy balloon is floating away. Underground tanks help to manage flash floods. Big cats become the prey.

Environment: Peak oil is close but the descent will be slow

Environment: Peak oil is close but the descent will be slow

Peak oil is imminent but it will be a long time before we return to base camp. China surging ahead with solar while continuing to burn coal. NATO produces the equivalent of half of Australia’s annual CO2 emissions.

Environment: hole in the ozone layer: the patient is improving but still needs intensive care

Environment: hole in the ozone layer: the patient is improving but still needs intensive care

The hole in the Antarctic’s ozone layer is recovering but very slowly. How to eat seafood sustainably, restoring our disappearing mangroves and cemeteries for the living.

Environment: burning wood in power stations doesn’t help the climate

Environment: burning wood in power stations doesn’t help the climate

The living, not our forebears, have put most of the CO2 into the atmosphere. Substituting wood for coal in power stations doesn’t reduce CO2 emissions. A little warmth helps bell frogs fight chytrid fungus.

Environment: will humans behave like monkeys when climate apocalypse strikes?

Environment: will humans behave like monkeys when climate apocalypse strikes?

Summers right across the northern hemisphere are getting hotter but vegetation can lower the temperature locally. Macaques show humans how to cope with hotter conditions. Poor progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Environment: banks still bankrolling fossil fuels

Environment: banks still bankrolling fossil fuels

Big banks keep providing big money to fossil fuel companies but it’s time for the Global North to invest for the future and pay its historic climate debt to the Global South. Diminishing Sagebrush is threatening the USA’s Greater sage-grouse.

Environment: eating responsibly - less bottled water and even less meat

Environment: eating responsibly - less bottled water and even less meat

Bottled water is not good for the environment or your health. If you eat meat, eating less is good for both. Governments are unreliable protectors of forests and human rights (but you knew that already).

Environment: Solar gets cheaper but more oil and gas is what we’re promised

Environment: Solar gets cheaper but more oil and gas is what we’re promised

As solar panels get cheaper, companies and governments commit to increasing oil and gas production. Community opposition to wind farms funded by fossil fuel interests. Indigenous languages threatened by climate change.

Environment: Pacific politician calls out Australia’s climate duplicity

The temperature is rising and the world is getting increasingly dangerous, even the rich bits. Former Tuvalu PM slams Australia’s climate policies. Rights of and around rivers.

Environment: When will politicians take climate change seriously?

Environment: When will politicians take climate change seriously?

Both the WHO and UN may be starting to take seriously the effects of climate change on health. A global plan to save 1,000 freshwater fish from extinction. Covid reverses life expectancy at birth.

Environment: Government delivers climate rhetoric but not emissions reductions

Environment: Government delivers climate rhetoric but not emissions reductions

Australia’s emissions reductions have stalled just when we need to be ramping up ambition and action. Concrete’s emissions set to be high for decades.

Old trees are good trees

Old trees are good trees

Big old trees are few in number but store lots of carbon. Loopholes found in Victoria’s ban on native tree logging. Great Barrier Reef bleaches for fifth time in eight years.

Environment: CO2 emissions still increasing

Environment: CO2 emissions still increasing

CO2 emissions continued to increase in 2023 with now little chance of global warming staying under 1.5oC. Planting trees is part of the solution but only in the longer term. Even Hollywood is getting the message.

Environment: Expert calls Australia’s carbon offset scheme a scam

Environment: Expert calls Australia’s carbon offset scheme a scam

Australia’s carbon offset scheme costs a lot and captures almost no carbon but provides a fig leaf for continuing emissions. Technology-based Carbon Dioxide Removal is still a distant dream. Distributed energy resources can be the Swiss Army knife of the electricity system.

Environment: Oil and gas producers underreport methane emissions

Environment: Oil and gas producers underreport methane emissions

How accurately are methane emissions reported and whose estimates can you believe? Who should be the last producers of oil and gas? What are Australia’s commonest birds?

Environment: Australia publishes its first climate risk assessment

Environment: Australia publishes its first climate risk assessment

Australia is conducting its first climate risk assessment and developing an adaptation plan. Not only humans experience heat stress, so do other animals and plants. If you must feed wild birds, listen to the experts tips.

Who is supplying Israel with the oil it needs?

Who is supplying Israel with the oil it needs?

It's no surprise that USA and Russia are supplying oil to Israel to fight its war. Nor that that some major international oil companies are keen to profit. But it seems odd that Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq and Egypt are involved.

Environment: Fossil fuel company profits are delaying grid decarbonisation

Environment: Fossil fuel company profits are delaying grid decarbonisation

Securing a liveable planet and the retail price of electricity are important but current fossil fuel profit margins are slowing grid decarbonisation. Water temperature in the Pacific is influencing methane emissions in the sub-Arctic. Enjoy nature this Easter.

Environment: Booming oil and gas profits mainly benefit shareholders

Environment: Booming oil and gas profits mainly benefit shareholders

The oil market is twice as large as all ten largest metal markets combined. Most oil and gas profits go to shareholders, not reinvestment in the industry. Since 2001 only 5 months have been cooler than the average for 1981-2010. Extinction Rebellion perform at the National Gallery of Victoria.

Environment: Oil and gas making massive profits now but stormy waters ahead

Environment: Oil and gas making massive profits now but stormy waters ahead

Shrinking demand signifies rocky times ahead for many individual oil and gas producers but the industry will survive for decades yet. Emissions from farming and forestry aside, Australias emissions have been stagnant for 20 years. Feral pigs are destroying our wetlands and rivers.

Environment: Cryptocurrency using as much electricity as Sub-Saharan Africa

Environment: Cryptocurrency using as much electricity as Sub-Saharan Africa

Renewables are about to supply the annual increase in electricity usage globally but cryptocurrencys power demands are surging. Most industrial fishing vessels are untracked, including those around Australia. Climate change has already caused 4 million deaths.

Environment: Putting a price on carbon: is it worth all the trouble?

Environment: Putting a price on carbon: is it worth all the trouble?

Economic theory supports a price on carbon but implemented schemes struggle to deliver emissions reductions. China firmly in the EV driving seat. Climate action is failing to meet its targets globally.

Environment: The wealthy cause climate change; the poor suffer its consequences

Environment: The wealthy cause climate change; the poor suffer its consequences

Richest 1% produce as many greenhouse gases as the poorest 66%. Climate denialists have a new lyric: sure, its happening - so what? but Australians are concerned about climate change and want action. No, its not OK to shoot a hippo.

Leading oil and gas producers plan to keep pumping

Leading oil and gas producers plan to keep pumping

USA plans to maintain high levels of oil and gas production until at least 2050 so it can export freedom. Healthy ecosystems require integrity, not just biodiversity. Endangered slug runs circles around arty rivals.

Environment: Humans dont make history we play host

Environment: Humans dont make history we play host

How germs made history. Greenhouse gas emissions keep rising but USA and Europe are still the major causes of global warming.

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