WHAT’S ON
Time to Choose Rally Keep the 24 March free from 12 noon to 2pm for a large rally against coal and CSG mining. It will start at Hyde Park north.
Film showing On 15 March we will be showing the film “A Mighty Force” which is about the campaign to stop the Camichael Mine. It will be at the Ryde Library 7.-8.30pm
Climate in the Pub – The fight against Fracking. On 13 February there will be speakers from Lock the Gate and 350.org talking about the next hot spots in NSW for fracking. Come and listen. It is at the Three Weeds Hotel, 97 Evans St, Rozelle from 6.30-9pm
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING
In the last month we have done the following :
Written a submission supporting Hornsby Council’s plan to protect trees
Written a submission asking for the current RFA (Regional Forest Agreement) for Victoria to be scrapped and a much stronger one implemented to protect forests from logging.
NEWS AND EVENTS
Divestment news. New York City has announced it will divest its pension funds worth almost $5billion over the next 5 years. In addition it will sue the world’s biggest fossil fuel companies for knowingly creating climate change. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/11/new-york-city-fossil-fuel-divestment-spur-global-movement
UNSW to go 100% renewable The university will source all its power from solar from 2019. It still is to divest its fossil fuel investments.Send a note congratulating the university on this important first step. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/unsw-solar-response
Federal government’s woeful biodiveristy plan Miners receive twice as much tax credits as is spent on the environment https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/feb/02/miners-receive-twice-as-much-in-tax-credits-as-australia-spends-on-environment , Environmental Justice of Australia has also put out a report saying the federal government’s strategy is a global embarrassment. https://www.envirojustice.org.au/media/australia%E2%80%99s-new-strategy-for-nature-a-global-embarrassment WWF and ACF have found that the federal government has slashed funding for the environment by more than 30% since coming into power in 2013 with more to come. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/dec/13/environment-funding-slashed-by-third-since-coalition-took-office
Federal government not supporting stronger car emissions regulations The federal government will not introduce stringent regulations to curb fuel pollution and therefore ignores the damage done to the environment and our health. This is an issue we made a submission on recently. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/26/curbs-on-fuel-pollution-ruled-out-in-favour-of-cheaper-options
2013-2017 hottest 5 year period ever and will only get worse with the current government. Read Climate Council’s watch the video https://www.facebook.com/climatecouncil/videos/1191467134323211/ and read the report http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/2017-heat-report
Here’s some good news China becoming world leader for renewables https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/10/china-on-track-to-lead-in-renewables-as-us-retreats-report-says, locals invest in NSW’s largest windfarm https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/20/nsws-largest-windfarm-highlights-power-of-community-investment , Strathbogie shire residents are saving money by using renewables for their energy supply https://www.facebook.com/climatecouncil/videos/1200661413403783/ , there are big new renewables projects following the success in SA https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/11/big-new-renewable-projects-planned-across-australia-as-tesla-effect-hits
Electric cars A British billionaire wants to build cars in Australia https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jan/22/british-billionaire-eyes-electric-car-plan-for-former-holden-factory, Ford to invest heavily in electric cars https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/15/ford-to-invest-11bn-and-have-40-hybrid-and-fully-electric-vehicles-by-2022, why the electric car has so far failed in Australia https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jan/25/stuck-in-first-gear-how-australias-electric-car-revolution-stalled
Renewable Energy Index is an indicator of how much our energy comes from renewables and how many jobs there can be in the industry. NSW’s record is woeful. Read the report and send a note to your NSW MP asking for more renewables. https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/renewable-energy/renewable-energy-index-updated/renewable-energy-index-state-share
Wind power Australia has enough wind to provide 12 times our energy requirements. Read the report from the Australian Wind Alliance https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/vicwind/pages/1463/attachments/original/1515367822/2017_Wind_Power_in_Australia_ISF.pdf
Tree clearing in NSW is now at truly frightening levels. Read the report http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-editorial/a-shimmer-to-the-horizon-taking-stock-of-the-war-on-our-wildlife-20180119-h0la29