Tag Archives: oceania

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What does net zero by 2050 actually mean?

Prime Minister Scott Morrison today announced his Coalition government has agreed to aim for net zero emissions by 2050.

But what does net zero mean, and how do you get there?

As the world edges closer to COP26, a crucial United Nations climate summit hosted in Glasgow, Scotland, we answer the big questions about net zero 2050.

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Australia's commitment to has reducing carbon emissions has come under pressure, ahead of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

What are net zero emissions?

Net zero emissions means removing as much greenhouse gas from the atmosphere as what's emitted, so the net amount added is zero.

And 2050 is a target date?

That's right.

But it's important to note that Australia is only committing to the 2050 net zero goal, it is not a legally binding target.

Some Western countries have made their net zero targets a legally binding goal, and critics of Mr Morrison argue Australia needs to follow suit.

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How do you achieve net zero?

Australia, its companies and farmers will need to rely on natural methods or use technology to "capture" the gas and store it away where it won't escape into the atmosphere.

What kind of natural methods?

Things like planting trees or restoring grasslands to soak up carbon dioxide (CO2), the most abundant greenhouse gas we emit.

And tech?

This is broadly about investment into green technologies, including solar and clean energy sources.

New technology is also being developed to literally suck carbon from the air near facilities which burn gas, coal and oil.

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Smoke pours from the steelworks and coal loading facility in Port Kembla, NSW.

What about carbon sinks?

Yes, Mr Morrison alluded to this when he spoke about 90 million hectares of productive agricultural land in Australia which can be used as a carbon sink.

By carbon sinks, scientists are describing a reservoir which absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and locks it away.

And there are artificial carbon sinks too?

There sure are.

You might have heard the term carbon capture and storage.

Carbon sucked from the air can be stored, usually buried in reservoirs underground or below the floor of the sea, in artificial carbon sinks.

Some scientists are unsure about the potential consequence of using this practice on a large scale.

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Coles launches online-only marketplace to rival Woolworths, Aldi

Supermarket giant Coles is muscling in on Aldi and Woolworths by launching its own online marketplace offering exclusive internet-only deals.

Dubbed Coles "Best Buys", the site offers customers discounted products and offers that are not available in store.

Some of the launch deals available at BestBuys.coles.com.au include refurbished Apple iPad 6 units for $259, giant backyard greenhouses for $699 and electric ovens from $599.

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Everything offered under the Coles online exclusive range will be delivered free of charge to customers, and shipped direct to buyers from the suppliers themselves.

The launch of Best Buys comes hot on the heels of fierce rival Woolworths, who launched a near-similar site called "Everyday Market" in late September.

Discount German grocer Aldi – which famously prides itself on being different to the two major players – has begun offering some products from its highly-coveted "Special Buys" range online.

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Coles general manager for health and home Jonathan Torr said the site would prove to be a huge opportunity for suppliers wishing to get their products in front of a national audience, without having to have them in-store.

"At Coles, we're committed to delivering great value for our customers," Mr Torr said.

"Our Coles Best Buys offer in store has proven incredibly popular with our customers over the past year, and now we're excited to launch an online platform where customers can exclusively get an array of premium, big-ticket items online under the trusted Best Buys brand that they know and love.

"Free delivery is included across the entire range which is something we're really proud to offer our customers, by working closely with our brand partners to get products directly into their homes sooner, at the best price possible."

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Coles supermarkets across the country were shut because of a register outage.

New products will be added to the site every Friday, starting this week.

The products cannot be purchased as part of a weekly grocery shop transaction via Coles online orders.

If the products purchased are faulty, they cannot be returned to Coles stores — if a return is sought, customers are asked to contact Coles online customer care to arrange a return directly with the supplier.