'Families face $460 slug on carbon' | The Australian

THE Australian Capital Territory has quantified the real-world effect of the carbon tax, warning it, along with a general rise in power prices, will account for a $460-a-year increase in the cost of living for a typical family.

But as the federal opposition seized on the figure as evidence that the Gillard government was "in denial" about the effects of the tax, Climate Change Minister Greg Combet indicated it was in line with the commonwealth Treasury's modelling.

U.N. sounds environment alarm ahead of Rio summit | Reuters

Global carbon dioxide emissions have increased nearly 40 percent between 1992 and 2010, led mainly by rapid growth in large developing nations such as Brazil, China and India, UNEP data shows.

Biodiversity is also on the wane, most notably in the tropics with a 30 percent decline since 1992.

State eases sea level regulations | Eco-Business.com

The Baillieu government will wind back rules making new property developments in seaside towns plan for sea-level rises caused by climate change, arguing they have hampered rural growth.

Planning Minister Matthew Guy has also rejected recommendations of a major review that climate change should be specifically considered under state planning laws.

Announcing the changes yesterday Mr Guy said the previous rules – which forced developers to factor in a sea-level rise of 80 centimetres by 2100 – had been too restrictive.