Conservation news

*Pipistrelle lifeline
*Leatherback listing
*Regrowth clearing in QLD
*Kimberley news
*Reef News
*Fuel
* Solar: Desertec - North Africa
*Wind
*More wind
*IWC & climate change

*Pipistrelle lifeline
Minister Garrett has announced and funded the Christmas Island ecosystem rescue, which will improve the condition of habitat for the critically endangered Christmas Island pipistrelle bat. Whether this will improve prospects for the pipistrelle remains to be seen. For details - http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2009/mr20090701a.html

*Leatherback listing
Our marine team have achieved uplisting of the Leatherback turtle from endangered to critically endangered, due to continuing population declines and habitat loss, which will mean a greater focus on protection and recovery for the species.

*Regrowth clearing in QLD
The moratorium on regrowth clearing in Queensland has been extended to 6 months, allowing WWF staff to work on focusing to maintain the existing 1.5m hectare ban on clearing of endangered regrowth and hopefully extend the ban to include 4-5M hectares of vulnerable landscapes and a new charge on habitat clearing outside these areas to help mitigate the 30 mega-tonnes of greenhouse emissions stemming from this practice.

*Kimberley news
A new project engaging Traditional Owners, tourism operators and industry groups to manage coastal tourism in the Kimberley in a more sustainable and culturally sensitive way has been announced by WWF-Australia, The Leading Travel Companies Conservation Foundation (TLTC) and The Kimberley Land Council (KLC).
Read the media release here - http://wwf.org.au/news/indigenous-involvement-in-kimberley-tourism/

*Reef News
In early June the Queensland Government introduced new legislation to prevent dangerous run-off of farm pollution. The laws will require sugar cane farmers and cattle graziers in three key Reef catchments to prevent over-fertilisation of their crops, plus some will be required to have an environmental risk management plan for their property.
Also, it looks as though the new Reef Water Quality Protection Plan between the Queensland and Australian Governments may soon be signed off. We hope the Federal Government agrees to the State’s commitment for a 50% cut to pollution in next 4 years, and also that the State provides more detail on how it is going to achieve the target outside its regulatory agenda.

*Fuel
Queensland has finally caught up to the rest of Australia by scrapping the 8.3c per litre fuel subsidy. Although this was something WWF was asking for, we probably need to thank the financial crisis for the decision. It will save Queensland taxpayers more than $2.4 billion over four years, which we hope will be reinvested into more sustainable transport options.

* Solar: Desertec - North Africa
A consortium of about 20 blue chip German companies in particular MUNICH RE, the largest reinsurance company globally and SIEMENS, the power equipment producer are on their way to invest 400 billion EURO into concentrated solar power (CSP) in the North African region. This may bring about 15% of all electricity to Europe in a few decades and including also boosting renewable supply in the region. If other countries’ industrial consortiums follow we can ‘easily’ double the amount of CSPO produced.
This is the largest energy project ever in mankind’s history and a giant leap forward for making solar power commercially available and a mainstream power supply.
Interested to know more? Try this link to The Guardian

*Wind
One of Australia’s highest wind farms could be up and running on a site near Canberra within three years.

*More wind
Australia’s biggest wind farm with almost 600 turbines is to be built in far western NSW. State government approval has been given for the project at Silverton, near Broken Hill. It will generate enough electricity for 200,000 homes.

*IWC & climate change
The International Whaling Commission adopted a major climate change resolution on the last day of its 61st meeting, although it failed to take decisions on contentious whaling issues after days of negotiations that have hampered its progress in recent years.
The 85 IWC member countries unanimously agreed to adopt a resolution on climate change co-sponsored by the United States and Norway.