We had a successful day at Moocooboola and welcome 23 new supporters. That means you are part of a group of over 630 people who want immediate action on climate change!
WHAT’S ON
School strike The next school strike, part of a world-wide campaign, will be held on Friday 20 September 12 noon-2pm in the Domain. We will be going and invite you to join us. Some of us will be catching the M52 that leaves Top Ryde at about 11am and which stops at the bus stop outside Aldi at the corner of Monash Rd and Victoria Rd at about 11.15am. Otherwise, look for us and our banner at the Domain. Be part of this really important, inspirational movement!
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING
In the last month we have done the following:
Made a submission in opposition to planned changed to Emission Reduction Fund.
NEWS AND EVENTS
Planting trees to save the world. Planting trees could be the most significant way of reducing carbon in the atmosphere. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/04/planting-billions-trees-best-tackle-climate-crisis-scientists-canopy-emissions
Ethiopia is doing it.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/29/ethiopia-plants-250m-trees-in-a-day-to-help-tackle-climate-crisis
But the NSW government is trying to have old growth forests logged. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/17/nsw-remaps-old-growth-forests-to-open-up-reserves-to-logging Sign the petition. https://www.nature.org.au/get-involved/take-action/save-our-old-growth-forests/
Climate action lawsuits Lawsuits against governments and corporations are happening around the world, increasingly by individuals, charities and states. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/04/governments-and-firms-28-countries-sued-climate-crisis-report
350 and Future Super 350 Australia and its partner Future Super (a fossil free super fund) are launching Array, a micro-investing platform that allows you, via an app, to invest in renewable energy. For details, go to https://www.arrayapp.co/
CommBank to get out of fossil fuels by 2030! Sign the letter congratulating the bank and encouraging the other banks to follow. https://www.marketforces.org.au/win-commbank-out-of-thermal-coal-by-2030/
Westpac still investing in fossil fuels Sign the petition asking the bank to stop. https://www.marketforces.org.au/banks-on-notice-2019/
Suncorp will no longer invest in thermal coal but will continue to invest in other fossil fuels. Sign the petition.https://www.marketforces.org.au/campaigns/suncorp/
BHP has set emissions targets which sounds encouraging but check the small print.https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/bhp-sets-emissions-cuts-for-customers-in-major-carbon-push-20190723-p529wk.html In the meantime, there are calls for BHP to quit the Minerals Council, particularly as there is a planned campaign by the Coal21 group saying coal is good for us. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/aug/08/bhp-faces-fresh-calls-to-quit-minerals-council-ahead-of-pro-coal-ad-blitz
35% electricity from renewables within 2 years It’s possible but… https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jul/31/clean-energy-set-to-provide-35-of-australias-electricity-within-two-years
Need more evidence climate change is happening? Fires in the Arctic https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/24/world/wildfires-arctic-climate-sci-intl/index.html record temperatures in Europe https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/24/summers-second-heatwave-set-to-break-records-across-europe scientists say there is no doubt it’s our fault. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jul/24/scientific-consensus-on-humans-causing-global-warming-passes-99 and Australia records its third hottest July https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/02/australia-records-third-hottest-july
Adani – corporate collapse inevitable? The company has not been making money for the last decade. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-24/adani-carmichael-subsidiary-surviving-on-lifeline-from-parent/11338926
Antarctica Marine Park Sign the petition calling for the creation of this park. https://saveourmarinelife.org.au/save-antarctic/
How many jobs are there really in the coal industry? Not as many as the government claims. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-11/fact-check-are-there-54000-jobs-in-thermal-coal-mining/11198150
What does the ADF have in common with Reserve Bank, ASIC, courts and banks? They are joining the list of institutions calling for action on climate change. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-15/defence-lacks-overarching-strategy-for-climate-change-conflict/11304954
And science keeps coming up with the goods. A window film that can store solar energy https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/news/window-film-stores-solar-enegy-574222283 and a device that provides both solar power and clean energy https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jul/09/device-bring-both-solar-power-clean-water-to-millions
Australia could make billions in trade from renewable energy. Australia could power Singapore from renewables. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/14/just-a-matter-of-when-the-20bn-plan-to-power-singapore-with-australian-solar
IPCC says we need to change how we use our land Australia is very vulnerable if how we use our land use for food and habitat doesn’t change. Two reports to explain why. https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/warning-flag-ipcc-finds-rapid-land-warming-threatens-food-security-20190808-p52f6m.html and https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-08-08/ipcc-report-climate-change-land-use/11391180