WHAT’S ON
Covid19 certainly has certainly made it difficult to hold protests and rallies but there are still things you can do from home to call for action on climate change.
Stop Adani You can join the online community slamming Adani’s contractors by going to https://www.stopadani.com/social_club Around once a week, the Stop Adani Social Club (which is having extraordinary success turning around Adani funders and contractors) will send you YOUR mission via a message on WhatsApp, with all the instructions you need to take action within a few short minutes. By forcing the companies Adani is working with to walk away from this climate wrecking project, we can stop them in their tracks!
Taronga Zoo The zoo might be closed but you can tune in daily to see the animals and hear talks by the keepers. https://taronga.org.au/taronga-tv
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING
We had planned to hold a protest outside John Alexander’s office in the days leading up the Zali Steggall presenting her Climate Bill to parliament but had to postpone due to Covid19. We will do this when cirucmstances allow it.
We also had a meeting scheduled with him in April but that has been postponed.
NEWS AND EVENTS
Environmental Laws review We have included this again because the closing dated is 17 April. The Federal government is asking for submissions on Australia’s environmental laws. https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/so-far-legislation-and-reviews-have-failed-to-protect-environment,13698 The ANU has published a report that says the government is doing nothing to protect our unique flora and fauna and is not even applying regulations in those current laws when assessing projects such as Adani’s mine. The WWF has a simple form that you can sign which will count as a submission. We strongly urge you to fill it in. https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/stop-australias-extinction-crisis
Narrabri gas project The NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes has asked the Independent Planning Commission to proceed with public hearings for the Narrabri gasfield and Vickery coal mine even though public gatherings are not possible due to the Covid19 pandemic. Send an email to him asking to postpone until the pandemic is finished. https://lockthegate.good.do/postpone/emailstokes/
2019 and the summer fires – not our proudest moments. 2019 the worst year in the century for Australia’s environment https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/30/probably-the-worst-year-in-a-century-the-environmental-toll-of-2019
Climate Council has written a report called Summer of Crisis. Read it here
https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/summer-of-crisis/
So why haven’t governments responded to climate change as they have for Covid 19? Here’s a thought https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-response-proves-the-world-can-act-on-climate-change-133999
And here’s how we can keep the emissions down https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-worlds-response-has-slashed-co-emissions-heres-how-to-keep-them-down-134094
This is the government’s chance to invest in more sustainable energy for the future
https://independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/investing-in-a-more-sustainable-energy-future,13720
Australia’s major banks still financing fossil fuel projects. All talk and no action.See the report from Market Forces https://www.marketforces.org.au/banksfuelfires/
And there are loopholes in environmental claims made by companies like BP https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/03/11/loopholes-lurking-bps-new-climate-aims
Global banks are failing miserably as well https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/18/global-banks-climate-crisis-finance-fossil-fuels
There are some good things happening in NSW A renewable hydrogen storage project https://reneweconomy.com.au/regional-nsw-town-to-host-large-scale-hydrogen-energy-storage-project-states-first-79334/
Renewable energy zones https://reneweconomy.com.au/nsw-unveils-two-new-renewable-energy-zones-in-11-billion-net-zero-strategy-13866/
Funding for Solar Gardens for Haystacks Solar Garden near Grong Grong. To find out more about the Community Power Agency and what solar gardens are, go to
https://www.communitysolar.org.au/organisations/
And then there are some bad. https://www.smh.com.au/environment/sustainability/strict-rules-for-new-coal-mining-under-sydney-reservoir-20200329-p54eyd.html
Gas is not the answer It’s expensive and underperforming https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/08/expensive-and-underperforming-energy-audit-finds-gas-power-running-well-below-capacity
Super funds are still investing in CSG (is yours one of them?) https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/major-super-funds-back-companies-using-fracking-20200311-p5491e.html
Victoria will allow gas mining based on dodgy information and estimates https://www.tai.org.au/content/highly-misleading-jobs-and-emissions-claims-used-justify-victorian-onshore-gas
Origin temporarily halts gas mining in NT https://reneweconomy.com.au/origin-pulls-plug-on-gas-exploration-in-northern-territory-whos-next-32526/
Emissions may be higher from Santos’ Narrabri CSG mine than previously claimed.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/battle-for-narrabri-report-claims-santos-gas-field-emissions-approach-coal/
Coal Which countries are planning to phase out of coal? https://www.worldcoal.com/coal/06032020/which-countries-are-planning-a-coal-phase-out/
Wind and solar plants soon cheaper than coal https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/12/wind-and-solar-plants-will-soon-be-cheaper-than-coal-in-all-big-markets-around-world-analysis-finds
Available solutions to climate change Project Drawdown has identified 76 things we can do right now to tackle climate change. https://www.sciencealert.com/report-outlines-76-of-the-best-solutions-for-tackling-the-climate-crisis-right-now
There is a book outlining these in more detail called ‘Drawdown. The most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming’ Edited by Paul Hawken. Published by Penguin. There are a lot of suggestions of what all aspects of our economy can do. A great read.
Protecting and restoring soils could make a big difference https://www.ecowatch.com/soil-protection-co2-2645518371.html
Eight documentaries to watch about climate change Now you’ve got a little more spare time, sit down watch these https://www.vogue.com.au/culture/features/8-documentaries-on-climate-change-you-need-to-watch-now/image-gallery/d73ba0628ef1fd9fb5b7de743e7d6619
RECYCLING AND SUSTAINABILITY
Repair Cafe. The cafe won’t be open but you can still ask for their guidance on items that need repair. Describe what is wrong and, if possible, take a photo of the showing the area needing a repair and send to http://enquiries@repaircafesydneynorth.net The repairers will work out how to fix the problem and reply to your email with links to help you do your own repair.