Why ration the future?
We all face a global warming emergency. Climate change science tells us that feedback mechanisms are driving us towards catastrophic climate change, requiring rapid cuts in carbon emissions. The idea of carbon rationing is a better response than carbon taxes, and here's how it will work . Very interesting, tell us what you think....
A forum for issues important to the people of the Scenic Rim Region and surrounding areas.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sun goes down on solar schools
October 16, 2009 - Article from: The Australian
THE Rudd government's $480 million "national solar schools" program was quietly suspended yesterday afternoon via a notice posted on the popular scheme's website.
"The National Solar Schools Program has been suspended to any new claims in 2009-10. This suspension takes effect as of 3:00pm 15 October 2009," the notice said.
A spokesman for Environment Minister Peter Garrett, who did not formally announce the program's closure, said 1300 schools had been approved under the program last year and 500 had already been approved this financial year, with another 700 "still in the pipeline for assessment".
Those 700 would be funded if eligible, and additional money made available if required.
But no more applications will now be considered until next financial year.
Announcing the program in July 2008, Mr Garrett said "the Rudd Labor government wants every Australian school -- primary, secondary, public and private -- to have the opportunity to become a 'solar school' and the commencement of this half-a-billion dollar program delivers on our election commitment."
"... Industry too will benefit from the program from the $480 million federal funding injection, creating increased demand for large solar power systems for school roofs," Mr Garrett said at the time.
The suspension is the latest in a series of changes and cuts to government solar programs, including the introduction of a means test on the household solar panel rebate and the ending of the remote solar program.
Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt said it was "amazing that this government can waste $16billion on unwanted school halls but suspend a key solar program that every school appears to want".
The program has already hit implementation hurdles with NSW's centralised tendering process meaning no school had installed panels more than a year after the program started, and many schools running into problems hooking their panels into the power grid.
Mr Garrett's spokesman said the Department of the Environment would contact every school registered under the program as well as those with applications on hand to advise of the suspension until next year.
Under the program schools were eligible for up to $50,000 to install solar power systems, or energy efficiency spending on items such as lighting, fans or awnings. Rainwater tanks, small wind turbines, small hydro power generators and skylights were also eligible.
We wonder just how serious is this Labor government about fostering and developing an energy-descent mindset in our children ?
THE Rudd government's $480 million "national solar schools" program was quietly suspended yesterday afternoon via a notice posted on the popular scheme's website.
"The National Solar Schools Program has been suspended to any new claims in 2009-10. This suspension takes effect as of 3:00pm 15 October 2009," the notice said.
A spokesman for Environment Minister Peter Garrett, who did not formally announce the program's closure, said 1300 schools had been approved under the program last year and 500 had already been approved this financial year, with another 700 "still in the pipeline for assessment".
Those 700 would be funded if eligible, and additional money made available if required.
But no more applications will now be considered until next financial year.
Announcing the program in July 2008, Mr Garrett said "the Rudd Labor government wants every Australian school -- primary, secondary, public and private -- to have the opportunity to become a 'solar school' and the commencement of this half-a-billion dollar program delivers on our election commitment."
"... Industry too will benefit from the program from the $480 million federal funding injection, creating increased demand for large solar power systems for school roofs," Mr Garrett said at the time.
The suspension is the latest in a series of changes and cuts to government solar programs, including the introduction of a means test on the household solar panel rebate and the ending of the remote solar program.
Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt said it was "amazing that this government can waste $16billion on unwanted school halls but suspend a key solar program that every school appears to want".
The program has already hit implementation hurdles with NSW's centralised tendering process meaning no school had installed panels more than a year after the program started, and many schools running into problems hooking their panels into the power grid.
Mr Garrett's spokesman said the Department of the Environment would contact every school registered under the program as well as those with applications on hand to advise of the suspension until next year.
Under the program schools were eligible for up to $50,000 to install solar power systems, or energy efficiency spending on items such as lighting, fans or awnings. Rainwater tanks, small wind turbines, small hydro power generators and skylights were also eligible.
We wonder just how serious is this Labor government about fostering and developing an energy-descent mindset in our children ?
Newsflash: Ireland bans GM
Ireland will ban growing of GM crops, and a voluntary GM-free label can be placed on all animal products (such as meat, poultry, eggs, fish, crustaceans, and dairy) that are raised with GM-free feed, according to a GM-Free Ireland press release. Ireland joins Japan and Egypt as one of the few but growing number of countries that have banned the cultivation of GM crops.
GM-Free Ireland Co-ordinator, Michael O'Callaghan:
"The WTO's economic globalization agenda has forced most Irish farmers to enter an unwinnable race to the bottom for low quality GM-fed meat and dairy produce, in competition with countries like the USA, Argentina and Brazil which can easily out-compete us with their highly subsidized GM crop monocultures, cheap fossil fuel, extensive use of toxic agrochemicals that are not up to EU standards, and underpaid migrant farm labor.
The Irish Government plan to ban GM crops and to provide a voluntary GM-free label for qualifying animal produce makes obvious business sense for our agri-food and eco-tourism sectors. Everyone knows that US and EU consumers, food brands and retailers want safe GM-free food, and Ireland is ideally positioned to deliver the safest, most credible GM-free food brand in Europe, if not the world."
This is good news for Irish farmers, and also good news for the expanded market outside Ireland - the U.S.A. imports large amounts of Irish dairy products. Now if only we could see the same kind of bipartisan strong action here in Australia...
Story via Treehugger
GM-Free Ireland Co-ordinator, Michael O'Callaghan:
"The WTO's economic globalization agenda has forced most Irish farmers to enter an unwinnable race to the bottom for low quality GM-fed meat and dairy produce, in competition with countries like the USA, Argentina and Brazil which can easily out-compete us with their highly subsidized GM crop monocultures, cheap fossil fuel, extensive use of toxic agrochemicals that are not up to EU standards, and underpaid migrant farm labor.
The Irish Government plan to ban GM crops and to provide a voluntary GM-free label for qualifying animal produce makes obvious business sense for our agri-food and eco-tourism sectors. Everyone knows that US and EU consumers, food brands and retailers want safe GM-free food, and Ireland is ideally positioned to deliver the safest, most credible GM-free food brand in Europe, if not the world."
This is good news for Irish farmers, and also good news for the expanded market outside Ireland - the U.S.A. imports large amounts of Irish dairy products. Now if only we could see the same kind of bipartisan strong action here in Australia...
Story via Treehugger
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Moreton Energy Coal Project
An earlier blog posting identified the company Lodestone as having bought farm-in agreements on three EPCs. The company's Annual Report shows that they have purchased an additional EPC and are in the process of approval for another one.
WATCH THIS SPACE ...
WATCH THIS SPACE ...
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Australia's CPRS Breaching International Obligations
The low levels of ambition demonstrated by the proposed CPRS legislation have been
widely condemned. The target range of between 5 and 15% reduction below 2000 levels
by 2020, (rising to 25% in the event of international agreement) falls unacceptably
below world standards, with the current international negotiating range for developed
countries falling between at least 25% and at least 45% below 1990 (a lower base year
than the Australian commitment) levels by 2020 according to the revised negotiating
text prepared for Copenhagen in June 2009.3 This represents an increase of 5% in the
upper end of the range of 25-40% that was agreed upon by the Ad Hoc Working Group
on Further Commitments for Annex 1 Parties under the Kyoto Protocol in 20084,informed by
IPPC 4th Assessment Report of 2007. It is noted that this range does not take into account lifestyle
changes which have the potential to considerably increase this range.
On an analysis of the legal texts, combined with the critical mass of scientific evidence
and international momentum, ClientEarth advises that the current target range
proposed in the CPRS Bill leaves Australia open to allegations of breach of its
international legal obligations under articles 4, 5 and possibly 6 of the World
Heritage Convention (WHC) and article 4 of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Targets also have a significant bearing on
Australia’s ability to discharge its obligations under other instruments of international law
such as the Convention on Biological Diversity 1992.
(extracted from "Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Legislation – International Comparative Analysis"). To read the full document click here .
widely condemned. The target range of between 5 and 15% reduction below 2000 levels
by 2020, (rising to 25% in the event of international agreement) falls unacceptably
below world standards, with the current international negotiating range for developed
countries falling between at least 25% and at least 45% below 1990 (a lower base year
than the Australian commitment) levels by 2020 according to the revised negotiating
text prepared for Copenhagen in June 2009.3 This represents an increase of 5% in the
upper end of the range of 25-40% that was agreed upon by the Ad Hoc Working Group
on Further Commitments for Annex 1 Parties under the Kyoto Protocol in 20084,informed by
IPPC 4th Assessment Report of 2007. It is noted that this range does not take into account lifestyle
changes which have the potential to considerably increase this range.
On an analysis of the legal texts, combined with the critical mass of scientific evidence
and international momentum, ClientEarth advises that the current target range
proposed in the CPRS Bill leaves Australia open to allegations of breach of its
international legal obligations under articles 4, 5 and possibly 6 of the World
Heritage Convention (WHC) and article 4 of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Targets also have a significant bearing on
Australia’s ability to discharge its obligations under other instruments of international law
such as the Convention on Biological Diversity 1992.
(extracted from "Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Legislation – International Comparative Analysis"). To read the full document click here .
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Face Up To Climate Change at the Beaudesert Markets
The branch had a stall at the Beaudesert Markets last Saturday and while we didn't get as many people sign up for photos as we'd have liked it was still an enjoyable morning and we had interesting conversations with some local residents.
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Coal Or Food
Greens senator Scott Ludlam has just posted a very poignant entry on his blogspot. It's to do with the preservation of this nation's food bowl which encompasses the whole of the Murray-Darling basin and the fight to stop the impending coal mines being approved by the Queensland and New South Wales state governments. This post is well worth a read and there are several supporters groups websites listed at the bottom of his post.
Monday, October 5, 2009
International Day of Climate Action, October 24th
Saturday October 24th is the International Day of Climate Action. 350ppm (parts per million) is the acceptable level for carbon in the atmosphere to mitigate uncontrollable climate change. We are already at 385.92 ppm. There are numerous events and actions being organised for this day across the world. Click here to join an event or start an event in your area.
The Boonah-Beaudesert Greens had a stall at the Lead On Sustainability Expo on Sunday 25th which was held in Jubilee Park at Beaudesert. Our 350 photo is below.
The Boonah-Beaudesert Greens had a stall at the Lead On Sustainability Expo on Sunday 25th which was held in Jubilee Park at Beaudesert. Our 350 photo is below.
Senate Preselection Candidates attend AGM
Wednesday night 30th September had some pretty lively discussions going on in the RSL rooms at Boonah. The three QLD Greens senate pre-selection candidates were in attendance at the Boonah-Beaudesert Branch monthly meeting. It's always good to put faces to names and we were very appreciative of the effort undertaken by them to be there on the night. We thank the ladies for their stimulating and engaging discussions. Front Row (candidates) : Libby Connors, Jenny Stirling and Larissa Waters. Back Row : Mark Manning and Andy Grodecki
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