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Australian wildfires spare observatory, uncover bush drug lab
Posted by Reuters: James Grubel on January 14th, 2013
Reuters: Raging wildfires destroyed at least another 28 homes and licked at Australia's leading optical space observatory on Monday, officials said, but spared giant telescopes that have mapped far-away galaxies and discovered new planets.
Less fortunate were a father and son who police arrested after a fire was lit deliberately to destroy illegal drug laboratories they were alleged to be running in dense bushland. Police were closing in on the drug labs when the fire was lit.
More than 140 fires are...
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Australian farmers key to climate change fight: adviser
Posted by Reuters: James Grubel on March 1st, 2011
Reuters: Australian farmers could be major winners from plans to put a price on carbon emissions, particularly as other countries also move to curb greenhouse gas pollution, the nation's top climate adviser Ross Garnaut said Tuesday.
In a report on how carbon markets will impact on rural land use, Garnaut said farmers had a key role to play in climate change mitigation schemes, and had the potential to cash in on carbon offsets through a new Carbon Farming Initiative.
"The land sector, especially through...
More rain on way as Australia sees third-wettest year on record
Posted by Reuters: James Grubel on January 5th, 2011
Reuters: Australia recorded its third-wettest year on record in 2010 due to a major La Nina weather pattern which is now causing record flooding and set to last another three months.
With summer floods swamping much of the northern Queensland state, the Bureau of Meteorology said the second half of 2010 was the wettest on record, with La Nina conditions firmly established by July. The switch to the intense La Nina occurred quickly, replacing the drought-causing El Nino pattern at the start of 2010.
But...