Reissue: CANWin Fact Sheets

CANWin Fact Sheet imageIn 2007 a group of CANWin members formed a research group to investigate and report on the science of global warming and policy options for dealing with it. They produced four fact sheets, which are interesting to read again as Australia takes the first steps towards a low-carbon, sustainable economy.

Is Humanity Really Causing Climate Change?

How the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assesses and summarises scientific studies about climate for governments Download Is Humanity Really Causing Climate Change?

Carbon Trading: What’s it all about?

How a carbon trading scheme could reduce carbon emissions. Download Carbon Trading: What’s it all about?

Carbon Offsets and Carbon Neutral

An important and contentious part of emissions policy. Can we really buy our way out of global warming? Probably not. Download Carbon Offsets and Carbon Neutral

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Australia

To price carbon emissions you have to measure them. This fact sheet used official sources to summarise how Australia’s greenhouse emissions are produced and where they occur. Download Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Australia

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Protect our land and water: Rally Martin Place, 11.45am, Tues May 1st

NSW Farmer's Protect Our Land and Water header

The NSW Farmers’ Federation has organised this rally to force the State government to provide real protection for the water and land we all need to live. To protect food production and water resources, we must have:

  1. Genuine upfront planning that does not subject our most productive and sensitive areas to the risks and uncertainty of exploration;
  2. Independent protection for water right across the state that applies before mining and coal seam gas activities interfere with those resources.

Coal markets are in decline, and we don’t need coal seam gas to generate electricity. The government claims it will not permit damaging exploitation of coal or CSG; if you won’t let them exploit, why let them explore?

Protecting food and water resources is not an issue for party politics or political ideologies. How can you have a good political barney if there’s no water to grow the beverages that fuel it? Next Tuesday, join the farmers, the Sydney Food Fairness Alliance, Lock the Gate, the CWA, the Nature Conservation Council, the Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association, Southern Highlands Coal Action Group, and many more.

Update 2 May 2012

Transport and meeting point details removed

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Community consultation, community priority

Local MP Pru Goward is also Minister for Family and Community Services. It’s one of the most difficult jobs in government, but Pru asked for it because of her deep commitment to the well-being of children. So she must be heartened that “intergenerational equity” was one of the high priority concerns raised at her Community Consultation in Mittagong on 18 April. It’s a fancy way to say something very simple: we owe our kids a fair go.

Commitment to the next generations drives some of the world’s most prominent climate campaigners. James Hansen has studied the workings of earth’s climate for 40 years, and in 1981 and 1988 he accurately predicted how greenhouse gases would now be affecting the Earth if humans continued to burn fossil fuels. He called his book for general readers Storms of My Grandchildren.

Child in coal mine

Illustration from the Report of the 1842 Royal Commission into Children's Employment (Mines). © National Coal Mining Museum for England.


Queenslander John Cook founded the award winning website Skeptical Science as a contribution to his daughter’s future.

Commitment to the next generations also drives members of CANWin and hundreds of other action groups throughout the country. CANWin secretary Philip Walker was unable to attend the Community Consultation, so he wrote a personal letter asking a crucial question:

Dear Ms Goward,

I am writing to you as a member of your electorate, in particular view of your planned community consultation session at Mittagong RSL on Wednesday night next.

Yesterday, the Liberal NSW Energy Minister called for the abolition of the Renewable Energy Target. Mr Hartcher’s “pile of paper” piece in the media referring to the carbon tax, indicated to me that there likely will be little “consultation” of the strong community views for action on the reduction of fossil fuel use and extraction in our Shire. This appears to be part of an increased rate of Coalition party members at both state and federal levels, attacking renewable energy.

Renewable energy is important to me. The world must turn away from the centuries old use of fossil fuels. Such old technologies are no longer sustainable. Some of us may be old enough not to have to see the terrible consequences for the world if action towards renewable energy does not continue in earnest now. My son and daughter and their children will be the ones to face it. It is our generation who now holds the reins and we must act. This wholehearted support of renewable energy is the most important action the NSW Government can take to improve local outcomes with a positive flow on to the wider community.

Further, it makes sense that with coal and gas prices going up and renewable energy costs fast coming down, the only effective way to manage rising energy bills is to move towards renewable energy.

If the Coalition continues to attack renewable energy, I will be pointing out to my friends, family members and people in my community that the Coalition is trying to block renewable energy and is at risk of locking us into not only higher energy prices, but disaster for the future.

Ms Goward, will you confirm your party’s long term commitment to the Renewable Energy Target?

Regards, Philip Walker
Bundanoon, NSW.

Published with permission

Minister Goward. For the sake of the children, Renewable Energy for NSW.

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Science Facebook style?

In 1975 ABC Radio launched The Science Show, which continues to report on matters scientific: discoveries, speculations, dead-ends, debates, proofs, disproofs, heroism, misconduct, personalities, fun and sheer wonderment.

In 2011, a geek called Hank Green used Facebook to launch SciShow, which… well see for yourself. Here’s his take on the Five Scariest Effects of Climate Change.

Will this abbreviated social media educative effort last as long as its radio predecessor? Maybe, if Hank starts to give references so that thoughtful people can follow up on what he says. But then, would thoughtful people follow up a reference to zombies??

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“Business as usual” in 2050?

“Environmental Outlook to 2050: The Consequences of Inaction.” That doesn’t sound much like a cry from the heart, especially considering that it’s published by the OECD, but that’s what it is. It’s the title of a recent report that looks at the world of 2050 if current trends in population and economic growth continue and the world does not adopt more ambitious green policies.

The True Green Energy

The report looks at four major concerns: climate change, biodiversity, water and the health impacts of environmental pollution. Taken together, they mean shortages of water, land, food, and a decent life.  You can find summaries of the findings on Climate Spectator and in this article by Fairfax journalist Ross Gittins. In Gittins’ words:

With no policy change, continued degradation and erosion of natural environmental capital could be expected, ‘with the risk of irreversible changes that could endanger two centuries of rising living standards’.

The problems are enormous and complicated, but in an odd way that’s good news: complicated problems have many solutions. Business as usual in 2050 could be very different from business as usual in 2012. We can still avoid the grim future that the OECD foresees.

“As countries struggle with the immediate challenges of stretched public finances and high unemployment, they must not neglect the longer term. Action needs to be taken now to prevent irreversible damage to the environment.

“Greener sources of growth can help governments today as they tackle these pressing challenges. Greening agriculture, water and energy supply and manufacturing will be critical by 2050 to meet the needs of over 9 billion people.” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría.

We know that one solution in Australia is clean energy generation on large and small scales. That means large scale generators like a 20MW solar thermal power plant and small generators like the PV solar panels on many Highlands roofs. It also includes regional generators, owned by their communities and generating income as well as power, like the Hepburn Wind co-op in Victoria.

You can be part of the solution. Contact CANWin to join one of the working groups from CANWin’s Clean Energy Future for Wingecarribee workshop in 2011.

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