Michael Mazengarb
@michaelmazengarb.bsky.social
Renewable Energy and Climate Change policy | Climate law. Writes at Tempests and Terawatts tempestsandterawatts.com
wtf does 'salutation-focused' mean?
November 5, 2025 at 12:35 AM
wtf does 'salutation-focused' mean?
A new edition of the UNEP's Emissions Gap Report is out. It shows countries making little progress in ramping up ambition, and the very low likelihood of current commitments limiting warming to 1.5 degrees.
We're probably avoiding 3 degrees, but there's much more to do. www.unep.org/resources/em...
We're probably avoiding 3 degrees, but there's much more to do. www.unep.org/resources/em...
November 5, 2025 at 12:26 AM
A new edition of the UNEP's Emissions Gap Report is out. It shows countries making little progress in ramping up ambition, and the very low likelihood of current commitments limiting warming to 1.5 degrees.
We're probably avoiding 3 degrees, but there's much more to do. www.unep.org/resources/em...
We're probably avoiding 3 degrees, but there's much more to do. www.unep.org/resources/em...
This 'free solar hours' announcement is smart politics, associating free electricity with renewables.
It's also reflects the real market, with wholesale electricity prices dropping below zero every day this week in NSW and QLD during the solar peak.
explore.openelectricity.org.au/energy/nsw1/...
It's also reflects the real market, with wholesale electricity prices dropping below zero every day this week in NSW and QLD during the solar peak.
explore.openelectricity.org.au/energy/nsw1/...
November 4, 2025 at 1:07 AM
This 'free solar hours' announcement is smart politics, associating free electricity with renewables.
It's also reflects the real market, with wholesale electricity prices dropping below zero every day this week in NSW and QLD during the solar peak.
explore.openelectricity.org.au/energy/nsw1/...
It's also reflects the real market, with wholesale electricity prices dropping below zero every day this week in NSW and QLD during the solar peak.
explore.openelectricity.org.au/energy/nsw1/...
A member of the Senior Executive Services (SES, i.e. a senior public servant) within the climate and environment department accepted a gift ticket from Woodside to attend an industry conference.
Question is why even accept this when tickets were just $150.
Conflicts of interest come pretty cheap.
Question is why even accept this when tickets were just $150.
Conflicts of interest come pretty cheap.
November 3, 2025 at 2:55 AM
A member of the Senior Executive Services (SES, i.e. a senior public servant) within the climate and environment department accepted a gift ticket from Woodside to attend an industry conference.
Question is why even accept this when tickets were just $150.
Conflicts of interest come pretty cheap.
Question is why even accept this when tickets were just $150.
Conflicts of interest come pretty cheap.
The Sydney edition of the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge has been cancelled due to forecast extreme weather…
October 21, 2025 at 8:17 PM
The Sydney edition of the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge has been cancelled due to forecast extreme weather…
The JP Morgan Corporate Challenge (a fun run for corporate types) is planned for Sydney tomorrow.
I think the climate might be about to deliver some karma for some participants…
I think the climate might be about to deliver some karma for some participants…
October 21, 2025 at 9:04 AM
The JP Morgan Corporate Challenge (a fun run for corporate types) is planned for Sydney tomorrow.
I think the climate might be about to deliver some karma for some participants…
I think the climate might be about to deliver some karma for some participants…
We are living in a very strange timeline.
October 19, 2025 at 9:06 AM
We are living in a very strange timeline.
Admitted as a lawyer today!
More exciting climate-related career updates coming soon.
More exciting climate-related career updates coming soon.
October 17, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Admitted as a lawyer today!
More exciting climate-related career updates coming soon.
More exciting climate-related career updates coming soon.
"Even achieving emissions reduction targets consistent with the ambitious goal of 1.5°C of global warming under the Paris Agreement will result in the further loss of 70–90% of reef-building corals compared to today, with 99 corals being lost under warming of 2°C or more"
www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/...
www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/...
October 13, 2025 at 3:17 AM
"Even achieving emissions reduction targets consistent with the ambitious goal of 1.5°C of global warming under the Paris Agreement will result in the further loss of 70–90% of reef-building corals compared to today, with 99 corals being lost under warming of 2°C or more"
www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/...
www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/...
The 'statement of reasons' given by enviro minister Murray Watt approving the North West Shelf gas project extension contains some astonishing mental gymnastics.
He assumes the same level of emissions could occur even if the project didn't proceed
epbcpublicportal.environment.gov.au/_entity/shar...
He assumes the same level of emissions could occur even if the project didn't proceed
epbcpublicportal.environment.gov.au/_entity/shar...
October 7, 2025 at 12:56 AM
The 'statement of reasons' given by enviro minister Murray Watt approving the North West Shelf gas project extension contains some astonishing mental gymnastics.
He assumes the same level of emissions could occur even if the project didn't proceed
epbcpublicportal.environment.gov.au/_entity/shar...
He assumes the same level of emissions could occur even if the project didn't proceed
epbcpublicportal.environment.gov.au/_entity/shar...
I don’t think that’s a metaphor. It’s hard to think of more literal diplomatic isolation.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/w...
September 26, 2025 at 11:40 PM
I don’t think that’s a metaphor. It’s hard to think of more literal diplomatic isolation.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/w...
Just an absolute peak Canberra day today.
September 25, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Just an absolute peak Canberra day today.
It's only a 30 minute walk from the UN to Madam Tussauds...
September 24, 2025 at 7:08 AM
It's only a 30 minute walk from the UN to Madam Tussauds...
September 20, 2025 at 5:41 AM
Just a reminder that the federal court recently found the Australian government has a track record of failing to set emissions reduction targets consistent with the best available science.
September 17, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Just a reminder that the federal court recently found the Australian government has a track record of failing to set emissions reduction targets consistent with the best available science.
So the report (which Bowen didn’t write) is ‘out of the playbook’ of… conservative political leaders? Like John Howard and Scott Morrison?
September 15, 2025 at 11:08 PM
So the report (which Bowen didn’t write) is ‘out of the playbook’ of… conservative political leaders? Like John Howard and Scott Morrison?
News Corp machine in overdrive, trying to diminish the National Climate Risk Assessment
September 15, 2025 at 6:59 AM
News Corp machine in overdrive, trying to diminish the National Climate Risk Assessment
Just a little observation that the metadata on the website for the National Climate Risk Assessment shows the report was uploaded on Thursday last week, but effectively withheld from public visibility until today.
September 15, 2025 at 6:42 AM
Just a little observation that the metadata on the website for the National Climate Risk Assessment shows the report was uploaded on Thursday last week, but effectively withheld from public visibility until today.
Nature going to get rekt.
"Species will be forced to move, adapt to the new conditions or die out, with (on average) half of terrestrial species being exposed to climatic conditions that they do not currently experience, leading to potential species loss."
"Species will be forced to move, adapt to the new conditions or die out, with (on average) half of terrestrial species being exposed to climatic conditions that they do not currently experience, leading to potential species loss."
September 15, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Nature going to get rekt.
"Species will be forced to move, adapt to the new conditions or die out, with (on average) half of terrestrial species being exposed to climatic conditions that they do not currently experience, leading to potential species loss."
"Species will be forced to move, adapt to the new conditions or die out, with (on average) half of terrestrial species being exposed to climatic conditions that they do not currently experience, leading to potential species loss."
The assessment shows how unconscionable it is that some try to frame climate action as the domain of 'privileged city elites' when it is remote and regional populations who are the most at risk from future climate change.
September 15, 2025 at 1:18 AM
The assessment shows how unconscionable it is that some try to frame climate action as the domain of 'privileged city elites' when it is remote and regional populations who are the most at risk from future climate change.
One of the bleakest charts in the report:
"At +3.0°C of global warming, heat-related mortality is projected to increase by 444% in Sydney, 259% in Melbourne, 335% in Townsville, 312% in Perth, 146% in Launceston and 423% in Darwin compared to current conditions"
"At +3.0°C of global warming, heat-related mortality is projected to increase by 444% in Sydney, 259% in Melbourne, 335% in Townsville, 312% in Perth, 146% in Launceston and 423% in Darwin compared to current conditions"
September 15, 2025 at 1:13 AM
One of the bleakest charts in the report:
"At +3.0°C of global warming, heat-related mortality is projected to increase by 444% in Sydney, 259% in Melbourne, 335% in Townsville, 312% in Perth, 146% in Launceston and 423% in Darwin compared to current conditions"
"At +3.0°C of global warming, heat-related mortality is projected to increase by 444% in Sydney, 259% in Melbourne, 335% in Townsville, 312% in Perth, 146% in Launceston and 423% in Darwin compared to current conditions"
'Projections show that the increased cost of government [Disaster Relief Funding] over the next 40 years could equate to a cumulative $130 billion in today's dollars. [This] is likely to be an underestimate because the increasing frequency of extreme events is likely to compound costs of recovery'
September 15, 2025 at 12:59 AM
'Projections show that the increased cost of government [Disaster Relief Funding] over the next 40 years could equate to a cumulative $130 billion in today's dollars. [This] is likely to be an underestimate because the increasing frequency of extreme events is likely to compound costs of recovery'
"The total economic cost of climate-related disasters was $38 billion per year on average, representing 2% of GDP in 2020, and by 2060 this cost could rise to at least $73 billion, or 4% of Australia's GDP"
September 15, 2025 at 12:55 AM
"The total economic cost of climate-related disasters was $38 billion per year on average, representing 2% of GDP in 2020, and by 2060 this cost could rise to at least $73 billion, or 4% of Australia's GDP"
"Climate change impacts will disproportionately affect
populations already living in vulnerable circumstances,
such as remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities, older people, young children and those
with pre-existing health conditions."
populations already living in vulnerable circumstances,
such as remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities, older people, young children and those
with pre-existing health conditions."
September 15, 2025 at 12:48 AM
"Climate change impacts will disproportionately affect
populations already living in vulnerable circumstances,
such as remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities, older people, young children and those
with pre-existing health conditions."
populations already living in vulnerable circumstances,
such as remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities, older people, young children and those
with pre-existing health conditions."