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

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

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.

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

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.

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??

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.

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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As the fracking question gathers momentum locally – are we glimpsing an Australian future?

Programme

1.30pm Registration opens
2.00pm Meeting starts
2.45pm Meeting ends; Light refreshments available
3.00pm Film and discussion.

Film: Design for Life: Permaculture — The Food Forest Story

This quietly inspiring film shows how Graham and Annemarie Brookman built their dream, transforming a bare paddock near Adelaide into a bountiful food forest, using renewable energy, appropriate technology and sustainable farming and living practices. They show that an ordinary family can grow its own food and create a productive and diverse landscape. The Food Forest is not just about sustainable gardening and farming. Energy wise projects at the farm include straw bale buildings, passive solar housing, solar hot water, and solar panels for electricity.

After the film there will be an opportunity to talk about it with a panel of experienced permaculture enthusiasts, including local identity Jill Cockram.

Film cost: Free to CANWin Members. Visitors welcome: $8

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.

The workshops are part of the CSIRO Energymark program. They consist of eight sessions, held about two weeks apart.

You will receive your own copy of the CSIRO Home Energy Saving Handbook and build on it to:

• Identify ways to reduce your energy consumption
• Develop an action plan to save on power bills
• Learn more about energy and climate change issues
• Find and discuss how to lower our carbon footprint at home, at work and in our Highlands communities.

The groups will be small so that everyone can have their say with a minimum of pressure: local people talking about what matters to us in Wingecarribee.

Schedule and location will depend on what suits most participants.

Sign up now or ask for more information: just email Tim Edwards at email hidden; JavaScript is required

Check out the program at www.energymark.com.au