Category Archives: Policy, Economics

Discussion of government (all levels) policies and economic matters as they relate to climate and the environment.

Reissue: CANWin Fact Sheets

Posted on 10 May 2012 by | Leave a comment

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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Posted in Climate Science, CO2 Emissions, Pricing carbon

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

Posted on 27 Apr 2012 by | Leave a comment

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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Posted in Energy generation and distribution, Events, Land Use, Water security

“Business as usual” in 2050?

Posted on 21 Mar 2012 by | Leave a comment

“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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Posted in Global Sustainability, Policy, Economics

Clean Energy Roadshow

Posted on 3 Mar 2012 by | 1 Comment

Stories from the Clean Energy Frontline

The vast majority of Australians support a move to 100% clean energy.But some think we’re not ready yet.

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) is hitting the road, sharing real stories from the clean energy frontline which prove that we’re 100% ready to start making the switch.

Hear real people tell their stories from the clean energy frontline: workers, farmers, small businesses, big businesses, inventors, investors and community leaders are seeing big benefits for themselves, their communities and Australia from the work that’s going on around the country.

Registrations are now open for clean energy forums in Wollongong, Queanbeyan and Wagga Wagga.  

For details of times and places, see the Nature Conservation Council website.


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Posted in Energy, Energy generation and distribution, Inform & discuss, Renewable energy

Clean Energy: Everybody’s Doing It

Posted on 6 Feb 2012 by | 1 Comment

Stylised Sun radiating in 4 directionsCoal and oil fuels are dinosaurs that hold media and market attention because they’re huge. But while the dinosaurs rampage, all around them thousands of people are entering the new era: the age of clean, inexhaustible energy. In the words of grass-roots organisation 100% Renewable:

Right now Australia faces a choice: we can continue our dependence on fossil fuels, keep mining and burning coal, keep polluting our air and water. We can keep damaging our farmland and heath, be left behind the rest of the world on investment and face an uncertain future with an unstable climate. Or we can make the switch to 100% clean renewable energy, creating a safer, healthier happier future for all.

The excitement of this new era is palpable in the planning for 100% Renewable’s 2-day Big Solar Boot Camp at Port Hacking on the weekend 11-12 February 2012. The programme concentrates on community action: how to make the clean energy message heard above the ruckus of the dinosaurs.

We saw the urgent demand for renewable energy in Wingecarribee shire at CANWin’s Clean Energy workshop last year. Plans such as Zero Carbon Australia 2020 and Sustainable Energy Australia show the ways 100% clean energy can be achieved in less than 10 years.

Big Solar is about solar-powered electricity generators on the same scale as coal-fired power stations. Big solar is one of the technologies that is making coal-fired power redundant. CANWin, along with hundreds of other groups in the Climate Action and 100% Renewable networks, can force governments to learn that the coal-fired dinosaur’s day is done.

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Posted in Energy, Energy generation and distribution, Regional energy, Taking Action