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Oz GetUp petition against coal seam gas (CSG)

Fri, 2011-08-19 03:34 — Cyber Activist

Oz GetUp petition against coal seam gas (CSG) - The Australia advocacy group GetUp has a petition demanding Government action to "halt the unbridled expansion of the coal seam gas industry":
Click here: -> http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/coal-seam-gas/petition/stop-coal-seam-... <- to sign the GetUp Petition

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Climate change & floods: 40 expert views

Tue, 2011-02-15 20:09 — Cyber Activist

Climate change & floods: 40 expert views - Because the day to day weather is highly variable one cannot attribute any specific weather event (such as the current Asian, South American and Australian [Climate Change Action Group]

Australia: Report shows how to reach 100% renewable stationary energ

Thu, 2010-07-29 17:36 — Cyber Activist

Australia: Report shows how to reach 100% renewable stationary energ - The /Zero Carbon Australia/ (ZCA) report is the culmination of 12 months of pro bono work by engineers, scientists and postgraduate university students, [Climate Change Action Group]

Reminder of Australia wide rallies this weekend...

Fri, 2009-06-12 11:45 — Cyber Activist

Reminder of Australia wide rallies this weekend... - visit http://www.climaterally.org to find details of a rally near you [DETAILS]

International Energy Agency 'blocking global switch to renewables'

Fri, 2009-01-16 13:53 — Cyber Activist

International Energy Agency 'blocking global switch to renewables' - International Energy Agency accused of consistently underestimating potential of wind, solar and sea power while promoting oil, coal and nuclear as [(read more)]

Credibility zero ..

Mon, 2008-10-13 11:32 — Cyber Activist

There should be no surprise Don Burke has joined Gunns.

The self-described "practical environmentalist" (perhaps in the manner of John Howard's "practical reconciliation") was until earlier this year head of the "Australian Environment Foundation"
an Institute of Public Affairs-linked group of climate change denialists, opponents of landclearing restrictions and nuclear power and timber industry supporters. An Institute of Public Affairs-linked group of climate change denialists, opponents of landclearing restrictions and nuclear power and timber industry supporters.

Burke has described the environmental movement as "obsolete"
and "the greatest threat to the world's environment".

Gunns received an award from the Foundation in 2006 for grasslands
management and protection of an endangered butterfly

Gunns has also provided funding to the IPA.

-- Bernard Keane
- from today's Crikey
------------------------------
Reference links:
AEF: http://www.aefweb.info/index.php?source=cmailer
ABC Story: "AEF Honours Gunns" http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1752110.htm?source=cmailer
Don Burke Retires as Chair of AEF: http://jennifermarohasy.com/blog/2008/09/don-burke-retires-as-chair-of-t...
-----------------------------------
thanks to Peter from the CCA Group

climate emergency protest, Sydney - please spread the word

Tue, 2008-09-16 07:21 — Cyber Activist

climate emergency protest, Sydney - please spread the word - *Climate **emergency - **renewables **now**!*

*Protest outside offices of Xstrata coal!*
*1 Macquarie Place** Sydney** CBD (off Loftus St, near Circular Quay) , **
5pm Thursday October 2nd*
***It's a climate emergency!** **Melting of the Arctic sea ice may be
complete by the northern summer of 2010. We must urgently decarbonise our economy to radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and existing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Xtrata, NSW's biggest coal exporter, is about to start work on the Mangoola mine in the Hunter Valley. The call for renewables is more urgent than ever!*

The protest is organised by People for a Safe Climate (PSC), which brings together people from climate action groups and other environmental, peace, social justice and political organisations. We meet Thursdays, 6pm in the UTS Students Association back room, level 3, UTS Broadway. All welcome. For further info, contact Kamala, 0417 319662; Holly 0417 682 541; Alison 9818 6718

*How you can help out before **October 2nd:*

- Come along to the smaller stunts we're holding in the lead-up. The
first such action is on *Thursday Sept 25th 8-9am at Martin Place, *with another on *Tuesday Sept 30th*.

- Help out at stalls or with leafleting. Please contact us or come along
to our next meeting. Posters and leaflets for the rally can be picked up at the Resistance Centre (23 Abercrombie St, Chippendale) or outside the UTS Students' Association (level 3, UTS Tower). *Or they can be downloaded at *
http://safeclimate.wikispaces.com/poster and
http://safeclimate.wikispaces.com/leaflet+to+print.

- Help us cover the costs of the campaign by donating to:

People for a Safe Climate
Commonwealth Bank. BSB 06 2498 Account no 101 556 65

**
*The rally is calling for:

· *100% electricity from renewables within 10 years*
Former US vice-president Al Gore has called for US power generation to be 100% carbon-free within 10 years. With abundant solar, wind and geothermal resources, there's no reason why Australia couldn't be powered entirely by renewables. We must go beyond the government's inadequate targets.

· *Keeping power in public hands*
We need maximum public accountability for the power industry. Full
electricity privatisation has been knocked on the head, but there is still a danger that our new Premier will sell-off the electricity retailers, move that would continue to sacrifice our environmental needs.

· *The phasing out of coal*
Burning coal for electricity accounts for over a third of Australia's
greenhouse gas emissions each year. In addition, when Australia's coal exports are burnt, it causes more pollution than the total of Australia's domestic economy.

· *The expansion of public transport
*Transport is responsible for 14% of Australia's carbon emissions, with the largest contribution coming from passenger cars. We need to reverse the priorities of Governments which fund for freeways while starving public transport systems.

· *No carbon trading loopholes!*
The government is taking a business-as-usual approach to the climate emergency. Carbon trading alone will be too slow; with free permits for the big polluters it won't work at all. It must not be linked to international "carbon offset" schemes; these do nothing to reduce domestic emissions and often support environmentally damaging projects. Under its plan, the government admits, emissions will rise for some years to come. From: [Climate Change Action Group]

climate change impact on water and sanitation.

Tue, 2008-08-26 15:31 — Cyber Activist

climate change impact on water and sanitation. - Dear Friends, Greetings from MASS & Water Initiatives Orissa ! We are compiling a country strategy paper on "Climate Change and Drinking Water Sanitation" that will form the base for a National Workshop on the subject, we will be holding shortly. For this paper, we are looking for good studies & reports that narrate impacts of climate change in water and sanitation. We are also seeking examples of adaptation and mitigation, especially community based approaches. Please lead us to any reports and web links that you think would help us get a real picture of these issues in general and India in specific.

May we also request you to kindly share with us your ideas and experiences on the subject and also please let us know if you think you can participate in the workshop and contribute a paper. At present we are looking forward to "Abstracts" of papers that individuals and institutions can present in the workshop and would shortly write to people with further details on the workshop. However, it would be highly appreciated if you could share your ideas and abstracts asap so that we can plan the final list of participants.

Selected participants will be provided with travel and logistics by the
organisers.

Looking forward to hear from you at the earliest.

Thanks and regards,

Ranjan
--
Ranjan K Panda
Dhanupali, Sambalpur 768005, Orissa, INDIA
Mobile: +919437050103
Skype: ranjan.climatecrusader

A TRULY EVOLVED BEING IS ONE THAT VALUES OTHERS MORE THAN IT VALUES ITSELF.... bloged from: [Climate Change Action Group]

The nuclear debate for slow learners

Fri, 2008-08-22 20:56 — Cyber Activist

blogged from ...The nuclear debate for slow learners - [Greens-Media] Wednesday 20th August 2008 Brendan Nelson's confused call for a renewed debate on nuclear energy would be funny if it were not so serious, [Climate Change Action Group]... thanks to Greg.
thanks to Greg too, for watering my Bonsai Trees :-)

1. Nuclear debate for slow learners
2. Wong ducks deforestation hypocrisy-Greens
3. S-E NSW biomass power is no solution to climate challenges
----

Tuesday 19 August 2008
[Greens-Media]
Wednesday 20th August 2008

Brendan Nelson's confused call for a renewed debate on nuclear energy
would be funny if it were not so serious, Australian Greens spokesperson on nuclear issues Senator Scott Ludlam said today.

"The Greens welcome the call for yet another rational, informed debate
on nuclear energy. Australia has these debates every couple of years,
and the pro-nuclear side keep losing. They never seem to figure out
why."

"Australians have a deep distrust of nuclear technology. It is not
because they are emotional, irrational or uninformed, but because
nuclear power and uranium mining have no place in a sustainable society and people know it," said Senator Ludlam.

"Nuclear weapons, nuclear waste and the risk of accidental contamination for thousands of years stands in stark contrast to the prosperous, renewable society that most Australians want. So by all means lets have the nuclear debate again, and this time let's talk about the role Australia plays in providing uranium fuel to this most destructive of industries. I'm eager to hear Minister Peter Garrett's views on that subject," he concluded.

For media enquiries contact Scott Ludlam on 0417 174 302

Tim Norton
Communications & Campaigns
Office of Rachel Siewert | Australian Greens Senator for WA
Tim.Norton@... | M: 0418 401 180
www.rachelsiewert.org.au | www.greens.org.au | www.greensblog.org
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Wong ducks deforestation hypocrisy-Greens
Tuesday 19 August 2008

The Minister for Climate Change, Penny Wong, has ignored Australia's
logging and burning of native forests as a critical contribution to
global warming in her Sydney speech to loggers today, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"The latest Australian National University research shows that such
logging may produce up to 25 per cent of Australia's carbon pollution of
the atmosphere. But Minister Wong, while outlining the Rudd government's overseas aid to stop logging in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, ducked Australia's need to stop logging here," Senator Brown said.

"In fact, Prime Minister Rudd has committed $100 million to Tasmanian
transport infrastructure spending with Gunns' proposed pulp mill the
beneficiary.

"Senator Wong's promise to the loggers to fund reforestation activities
is crazy when she backs public funding of a pulp mill which entails
deforestation of 200,000 hectares.

"Senator Wong advocates carbon sinks as "practical action" while also
backing destruction of Australia's biggest carbon sinks - its native
forests. This is bad economic, environmental and forest policy," Senator
Brown said.

Further information: Ebony Bennett 0409 164 603
---------------------------------------------------------

S-E NSW biomass power is no solution to climate challenges
19 August 2008

Developing wood-fired power stations based on so-called wastes from
native forestry in NSW's South-East would weaken Australia's ability
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

Dr Kaye who is today visiting the South Coast to talk about energy
issues said: "We will be working hard to stop biomass electricity
generation from native forestry feed-stocks being included in
renewable energy targets.

"Recent research from the ANU massively increased estimates of carbon
locked up in the native forests.

"This moves these biomass power stations from the green side of the
ledger to the brown team. They should should sit alongside coal-fired
generators as major contributors to global warming.

"In a climate change-constrained world, continued wood-chipping of
native forests will inevitably be recognised as an irresponsible and
unnecessary release of greenhouse gases.

"Developing power plants based on biomass from these forests would not only create new economic dependencies on a high emission activity. It would actually increase greenhouse gas emissions.

"Professor Mackey's research released two weeks ago shows that ending the exploitation of Eastern Australia's native forests and allowing them to regrow would take about 24 per cent of Australia's current annual greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere for each of the next 100 years.

"That would be a massive and welcome 136 million tonnes of CO2 annual contribution to repairing the climate.

"With figures like these there is little hope of generating
sustainable electricity based on products coming from an industry
that is a major emitter.

"Forestry industry propaganda talks about burning wastes to create the impression of sustainability.

"Wood-chips would inevitably end up in the furnaces and biomass would drive the continued expansion of an unsustainable industry," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye@...
web: www.johnkaye.org.au

mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
----------------------------------------------------------

TAMAR VALLEY POWER STATION PURCHASE NOW A FAIT ACCOMPLI?

As Government Energy Strategy Collapses Under Basslink Gamble
Tuesday, 19 August 2008

The Tasmanian Greens today responded to the Premier's Ministerial
Statement regarding the government's buy back of the Tamar Valley Power Station, which had been predicted by the Greens, saying that the purchase was now a fait accompli due to Labor control of the Lower
House.

Greens Shadow Energy spokesperson and Member for Bass Kim Booth MP said today that all domestic power consumers would ultimately pay the price of both the Tamar Valley Power Station buy-back, and the Basslink gamble, which has left Tasmania in a perilous energy position, through increased power prices.

Mr Booth also pointed out that the Premier suddenly has had to take over the issue of the Tamar Valley power saying that it appears that Mr
Llewellyn had bungled this project and misinformed the public about its
future so badly that Mr Bartlett has had to intervene in a desperate
attempt to restore government credibility.

"The Labor government has now locked Tasmania into expensive power with no room to move," said Mr Booth.

"This latest farce of the government buying back the Tamar Valley Power Station is just another sad chapter in Labor's book of energy mistakes."

"Thanks to Labor incompetence and failure to listen to advice, we are
now taking over a half finished lemon with no grid connection at this
time, instead of a unit that should have been custom built to operate
within the frequency restraints of the current Tasmanian system, as the
Greens had advocated when we were the only Party in the Parliament to vote against the station's sale last year."

"Again and again I queried what was going on with the Tamar Valley Power Station, and I was just fobbed off by Mr Llewellyn, I broke the news publicly last week that the government intended to buy back the station and was ridiculed by the Minister at the time."

"Now it is David Llewellyn who looks ridiculous as his ducking and
weaving, and bungling of the Energy portfolio, has been exposed to the
extent that it has required the Premier to have to step in, confess to
the Tasmanian public, and clean up the mess," Mr Booth said.

Kim Booth MP
Greens Shadow Energy Spokesperson
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens,
(03) 6233 8300
www.tas.greens.org.au

Submissions due Friday (tomorrow) on Feed-in Tariff for renewables

Thu, 2008-08-14 22:04 — Cyber Activist

Your chance to support Christine Milne's FIT Bill
Posted by: "Steve Meacher" via Climate Emergency Network
Date: Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:19 am

This Friday, August 15, is the deadline for submissions to the SenateInquiry into Christine Milne's Private Member's Bill for a nationalgross Feed-in Tariff for all renewable energy technologies.

http://greensblog.org/2008/06/20/help-me-make-a-renewable-feed-in-law- a-reality/

http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eca_ctte/renewable_energy/ index.htm

Destruction of Carbon bank, Reject Alice Uranium Licence, Water Reform

Tue, 2008-08-12 17:17 — Cyber Activist

Tuesday, 5 August 2008

Rudd must end destruction of Australia's biggest 'Green Carbon' banks, native forests - Greens

The Australian National University's report on the role of natural
forests as Australia's biggest carbon banks underscores the horror of logging in an age of climate change, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"Native forest logging is the Rudd government's biggest blind spot in tackling climate change. It is three times worse for climate change than previous assessments estimated (640 units of carbon, not 217) and in tall eucalypt forests like those of Victoria's central highlands or Tasmania's Styx, Weld and Florentine valleys, it is 10 times worse (over 2,000 units of carbon)," Senator Brown said.

"The Rudd government should be leading the charge in Copenhagen to ensure the green carbon in the natural forests of both developed and developing countries are recognised and protected."

The ANU report says logging 'is equal to 24 per cent of the 2005
Australian net greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors; which were 559 million tonnes of CO2 in that year'.

"That is more than the whole of the transport sector," Senator Brown said.

Senator Brown said that Prime Minister Rudd approving Gunns' pulp mill in Tasmania will be a culpable act, worse than approving a new
coal-fired power station.

"Ending logging costs nothing but a transition package for workers and has a huge bonus in protecting wild flora and fauna, as well as water storages. However, Mr Rudd has, quite perversely, already offered $100 million of taxpayers' money in transport infrastructure largely aimed to get Gunns' pulp mill up and going."

Senator Brown said that the blind spot on the destruction of
Australia's biggest carbon banks by the export woodchip industry was facilitated by the widespread placement of forestry aficionados in government agencies, including the Australian Greenhouse Office.

"The AGO's failure to produce this analysis years ago is deliberate
and inexcusable. It has undermined the Office's own mission," Senator Brown said.

NOTES

1. Native forests and other native vegetation store massive amounts of carbon. Logging carbon rich native forests greatly exacerbates global warming.

2. Protecting and restoring native forests and their stored carbon
is a central and positive part of the solution to the climate crisis
in Australia, as well as globally.

3. Emissions (not net emissions) from native forest logging and
clearing exceeded 90 Mt CO2 in 2006 (the most recent figures
available), compared with 80 Mt CO2 for transport.

4. All emission sources should be reduced, including from native
forest logging and clearing of native vegetation (not necessarily via
emissions trading). Currently native forest logging is ignored in the
proposed CPRS and there is no serious attention to reducing emissions from land clearing.

5. Emissions from native forest logging and clearing are largely
avoidable. The simplest way to deal with them is through regulation and a transition package to assist affected workers and industries.

6. The only aspect of 'forestry' proposed to be covered by
emissions trading is new plantations (planted from 1990), boosted by existing tax deductions. These compete with agriculture for land and water.

Report says native forests store 3 times as much carbon as previously thought (9 times as much in Tasmania's Styx Valley)

The report says native forests hold 9.3 billion tonnes of carbon (a
car emits 4 tonnes per year).
-------------------------------------------------
Monday, 4 August 2008

Greens call on major parties to reject Alice Springs uranium
exploration licence. The two major parties should reject the Cameco/Paladin application for a uranium exploration licence close to Alice Springs, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today, following his visit to the Northern Territory.

"A uranium mine 21km from the CBD of Alice Springs is unthinkable," Senator Brown said.

"Labor and the Country Liberal parties should have already rejected the Cameco/Paladin application," Senator Brown said.

"The uranium exploration site covers the subterranean water source for Alice Springs and it is also in the path of seasonal dust storms. If it goes ahead it will create radioactive waste that will be toxic for thousands of years."

"Alice Springs is already a global attraction with it stunning natural
environment and rich cultural history. The approval of an exploration licence will threaten jobs in tourism and other local industries, aswell as damage Alice Springs' clean solar city image," Senator Brown said.

Senator says Environment Minister Peter Garrett should make clear he will stop the mine if Territory authorities give it the go ahead.

A short YouTube clip about the licence application, made by the NT
Greens, can be viewed at: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=36vOfdA5cvQ

---------------------------------------------------

Monday 4 August 2008

Give it some teeth: Greens call for truly independent water authority

Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young has said there must be a truly independent water authority for the Murray-Darling to have a chance at being restored.

"Under the current model, State Premiers can veto the decisions of this supposed 'authority'," said Senator Hanson-Young.

"Unless we have a genuinely independent national water authority, that actually has teeth to enforce its rulings, the river will die.

"The present situation is a mess of bureaucracy and buck-passing.

"Prime Minister Rudd must take leadership on the issue and facilitate a properly national approach to fixing this disaster."

The Greens are backing scientists' calls for new water to be released into the river system by October, in order to restore environmental flows to the parched waterway.

"The Murray needs a drink before Christmas," concluded Senator
Hanson-Young.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will be attending the rally at Goolwa next Sunday August 10 from 10.30am in support of the River Murray.
---------------------------------------
For further information please call Gemma Clark on 0427 604 760

Further information: Ebony Bennett 0409 164 603
Ebony Bennett
Media Adviser
Office of Greens Senator Bob Brown
Ph: (02) 6277 3170
Fax: (02) 6277 3185

Visit Bob's new myspace site at:
www.myspace.com/bobbrowngreens

Prepare For Global Temperature Rise of 4C, Warns Top Scientist

Mon, 2008-08-11 21:07 — Cyber Activist

Prepare For Global Temperature Rise of 4C, Warns Top Scientist - Defra's chief adviser says we need strategy to adapt to potential catastrophic increase by James Randerson Published on Thursday, August 7, 2008 ... [ Read more: CCA]

Sydney climate emergency rally: organising meeting August 14

Sun, 2008-08-10 00:43 — Cyber Activist

via: Yahoo Climate Change Action Group
Sydney climate emergency rally: organising meeting
***August 14***
Take part in organising a climate emergency rally in Sydney, September 27, please come to the first meeting:

6.30pm
Thursday August 14
UTS

We're seeking the involvement of as many groups and individuals as possible, so please forward this through your networks.

Supported by

Alison Potter, Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle
Brianna Pike, Resistance
Damien Lawson,
Climate Justice Coordinator Friends of the Earth Australia
Janet France, North Shore Climate Action
Jonathan Doig, Sutherland Climate Action Network
Jo Ferris, Sydney Uni enviro collective convenor
Jo Spangaro, Ryde Gladesville Climate Change Action Group
Kamala Emanuel, Socialist Alliance
Maria White, UNSW enviro collective co-convenor
Nicky Ison

*We need urgent action on climate change!*
A call for a national week of protest action beginning September 21
Climate change is already occurring, much faster than the world's
scientists have predicted. Recent data including the very real possibility of the arctic sea-ice melting by September this year demonstrate that this is a climate emergency.

We are concerned that the Australian government's proposed Emissions Trading Scheme will be full of loopholes and by the government's own admission will allow emissions to continue rising for some years. We believe such incremental measures are unacceptable: We need greenhouse emissions to start to fall immediately and sharply.

To begin to solve the problem we need action on many fronts including:

* No new coal;
* Massive public spending on renewable energy;
* More public transport not new freeways;
* End logging of old growth forests.

We call for a national week of protests across Australia at the Spring Equinox, in the week beginning September 21. This week of action can highlight the summer melt of the Arctic ice and other worrying signs that demand urgent measures to de-carbonise the economy from state and Federal governments.

We ask climate change campaign groups and networks and all environmentally concerned organisations across Australia to work together for a co-ordinated and effective week of public protest around these themes.

*Call issued by the organising committee for the July 5 Climate Emergency rally in Melbourne
Endorsed unanimously by participants at the final session of the August 2
Climate Justice seminar in Melbourne
http://www.climatejusticeseminar.blogspot.com
Please spread the word and START ORGANISING!!!

Perhaps funding policy needs a bit of a "tweek"

Tue, 2008-08-05 18:05 — Cyber Activist

Perhaps funding policy needs a bit of a "tweek"
'500 apply for solar rebate per week' - http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/4846677 [Full thread - Climate Change Action Group]

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