Here’s a comment I posted on ‘Crikey’ concerning current trends in Australian retailing.  It’s theme is that Australian retailers should stop complaining and work on changing their business model. http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/05/03/a-rate-cut-wont-stop-harvey-normans-profit-slide/

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/us/uranium-mines-dot-navajo-land-neglected-and-still-perilous.html?_r=1&hpw Uranium mines on indigenous land in the US. http://theconversation.edu.au/rapid-warming-in-se-australia-challenges-plans-to-adapt-gradually-6076   Step-wise change may indicate more rapid base-line effects on rainfall and temperature in SE Australia. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/02/technology/apple-presses-its-suppliers-to-improve-conditions.html?_r=1&hp   Apple’s new CEO putting attention on the supply chain and on labour conditions in China. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/08/indian-tribe-avatar-supreme-court  A landmark case on indigenous rights and mining before the Indian Supreme Court. http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/what-happens-when-all-the-wells-run-dry-20120409-1wl3a.html  [...]

I have posted a comment on Crikey’s piece, “Not a match in sight at the final round of MDBA meetings”.  I am very critical of the MDBA’s community engagement process, as outlined in this comment. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/rooted/2012/04/16/not-a-match-in-sight-at-the-final-round-of-murray-darling-meetings/#comment-8818

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/02/us/in-california-a-bold-plan-to-reshape-the-central-valley-flood-plain.html?src=recg#h[AadEsa,1]  New plan for California central value restoration. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-water-congress-20120301,0,5831589.story But Congress votes to undo it, and two decades of water reform. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/03/opinion/the-poverty-of-an-idea.html?_r=1&hp  A review of Michael Harrington’s work and influence, 50 years after ‘The Other America’. http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/with-reef-ecosystems-it-may-be-all-or-nothing/ Important research on Mediterranean reef ecosystems. http://www.climatespectator.com.au/commentary/killing-manufacturing-kindness  An interesting take on environmental standards and strategic competitiveness in manufacturing. http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/carbon-tax-may-help-protect-wildlife-20120307-1ukmx.html  Putting [...]

http://www.climatespectator.com.au/commentary/chinas-carbon-tax-very-real   The ongoing debate on China’s carbon tax, sparked by a combative article in the Wall Street Journal. http://www.eco-business.com/features/forest-conservation-policies-what-works-and-what-doesnt/   An excellent article on the success of Payment for Environmental Services (PES) schemes in Costa Rica and China. http://theconversation.edu.au/the-biodiversity-fund-another-missed-opportunity-4889   An excellent piece on biodiversity policy and spending in Australia. http://www.futurity.org/earth-environment/restored-wetlands-may-never-recover/  Important international data on the effectiveness [...]

http://theconversation.edu.au/three-quarters-of-americas-threatened-species-arent-being-protected-4753   Deficiencies in US conservation. http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/the-end-the-nuclear-renaissance-6325  An excellent piece by John Quiggin on global energy developments. http://www.eco-business.com/news/tibet-spends-us507-mln-building-eco-security-barrier/  The Tibetan eco-security projects 2011-2015. http://www.eco-business.com/news/urban-estuaries-100-fold-weaker-as-%E2%80%98blue-carbon%E2%80%99-sinks/  Important study of Australian estuaries as declining carbon sinks over the past 60 years. http://www.eco-business.com/news/poyang-lake-threatened-by-exploitation/  Threats to China’s largest freshwater lake. http://www.eco-business.com/news/hebei-residents-negotiate-compensation-for-water-diversion/  An unusual win for Chinese local residents over water diversions; [...]

http://theconversation.edu.au/the-science-behind-the-murray-darling-basin-plan-4502  CSIRO modelling for the MDB. http://www.eco-business.com/press-releases/corporate-sustainability-leaders-to-focus-on-employee-engagement-and-supply-chain-in-2012/  Annual Sustainability Executive Survey 2012: employee engagement and supplier’s sustainability credentials as the main focus. http://www.eco-business.com/news/top-20-banks-that-finance-big-coal/  International coal financing and social costs. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/01/cairo-cape-climate-change?intcmp=122  Projected climate change impacts on Africa. http://www.climatespectator.com.au/news/uk-track-2020-maps-out-2050-climate-cost  UK progress on emissions reduction is meeting targets, but with nuclear firmly in the mix. http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/12/01/tesco-and-wal-mart-fuel-indian-political-crisis/  Walmart and [...]

See my comments on the socio-economic modelling of the MDBA.

See my comment on Brian Ramsey’s Crikey piece on the Murray Darling Basin Plan.  

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/10/31/corporate-social-responsibility-does-more-harm-than-good/  A challenging view of CSR. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/nov/03/david-lynch-crazy-clown-time  David Lynch interview. http://www.eco-business.com/news/data-policy-key-to-successful-wind-projects/  Data limitations on wind-farm projects. http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/03/no-one-size-fits-all-for-climate-change/  Climate change a species size variations. http://theconversation.edu.au/rivers-rain-and-releases-what-happens-when-you-dam-a-waterway-3934  Water releases and river ecology. http://www.eco-business.com/opinion/the-birth-of-a-power-source/  Germany achieves 20% renewable power by subsidising solar. http://theconversation.edu.au/forests-of-eastern-australia-are-the-worlds-newest-biodiversity-hotspot-3935  Australian biodiversity hotspot no. 2: eastern forests. http://www.springer.com/life+sciences/ecology/book/978-3-642-20991-8 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/04/greenhouse-gases-rise-record-levels?intcmp=122  Rapid rise in GHG in 2010. http://www.climatespectator.com.au/commentary/coping-chinas-urban-tsunami  [...]