Clean Futures

Beyond Coal

roman December 2, 2019

from FoE Australia, Nov 21, 2019

Coal power generation is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Australia, being responsible for over one quarter of total emissions. Given that burning coal is our leading contributor to climate change, moving our electricity supply away from coal is one of the quickest, most efficient ways of doing our part to act.

There is a pathway to avoiding the worst impacts of climate change, and avoiding a catastrophic rise in global temperatures. Retiring every coal-burning power station over the next decade — and replacing them with clean energy generation and storage — is the simplest and most effective way for Australia to do our fair share of reducing greenhouse emissions to a safe level. It’s our best shot to tackle climate change, protect people, and protect our planet’s natural places.

That is why we have joined together with six other community-based groups to launch the Beyond Coal campaign.

Change is already happening in the coal sector. But this transition needs to be managed. We need a plan to drive the changes that climate science tells us are needed, while looking after the workers and communities who currently rely on coal.

As Australia’s energy system diversifies, so too will the jobs available in the sector. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, investing in relatively new technologies — like battery storage, battery storage, hydrogen, lithium and rare earths — could be one of our best opportunities to create regional jobs and grow industry hubs. In Victoria, the proposed Star of the South offshore wind farm is expected to provide 12,000 jobs in construction, and 300 ongoing jobs – and could provide up to one-fifth of the state’s electricity needs

Adelaide FoE Notes, Clean Futures, Climate

Solidarity Sit-down Fri 29 Feb, Parliament House

roman November 25, 2019

from School Strike 4 Climate:

Our Government’s inaction on the climate crisis is contributing to catastrophic fire conditions. People are hurting. Communities are being devastated. And summer hasn’t even begun.

But rather than take real action on the climate crisis, all our Government offers is their thoughts, prayers and more support for coal, oil and gas projects.

Our Government has repeatedly ignored Indigenous leaders and firefighters’ warnings of a spiralling bushfire crisis. And they have failed to provide the support needed to manage country and bushfires in a time of climate crisis. They need to be held to account.

On November 29, join all of us at Solidarity Sit-Downs to demand increased support for Indigenous land management and the Rural Fire Service and real climate action:

1. No new coal, oil and gas projects
2. 100% renewable energy and exports by 2030
3. Funding for a just transition and jobs for fossil fuel workers and communities.

Together, we’ll sit shoulder to shoulder outside the offices of our MPs and fossil fuel companies across Australia and hear from those on the frontline of the climate crisis. We’ll also donate to support those impacted by and fighting the fires: https://tinyurl.com/yekkfblg

Bring a cushion, and together let’s show solidarity with everyone on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

Adelaide: 12 noon Friday 29th, SA Parliament

Clean Futures, Climate, Old_Notes

SA’s stunning renewable energy transition

roman November 11, 2019

South Australia now ranks number two in the world – behind Denmark – in total share of electricity generated from”variable” sources – i.e. wind and solar.

What makes South Australia’s achievement all the more remarkable is that South Australia is located at the end of a “skinny” grid, has a “peaky” load that averages around 1,500MW, but can go to more than 3,000MW in the summer heat, and to as low as 500MW in mild and sunny spring days, and it has little connection to other markets, unlike Denmark and most other regions.

See “South Australia’s stunning renewable energy transition, and what comes next” at reneweconomy.com.au for the full story.

Clean Futures, Old_Notes

new battery technology

roman November 11, 2019

A new battery technology that could significantly reduce the price of electric cars and home battery systems has taken a major step towards commercialisation.

The patented design uses non-toxic zinc and manganese, two metals that are abundant in Australia, and incombustible aqueous electrolyte to produce a battery with a high-energy density.

The researchers estimate the cost of this new electrolytic Zn–Mn battery to be less than US$ 10 per kWh compared with US$ 300 per kWh for current Li-ion batteries, US$72 per kWh for Ni–Fe batteries and US$ 48 per kWh for Lead–acid batteries.

See “Uni of Adelaide battery technology could slash electric vehicle cost” at reneweconomy.com.au

Clean Futures, Old_Notes

Agroecology recognized as the solution

roman November 11, 2019

Agroecology recognized as the transformative solution for a food system in crisis by experts at UN

07 November, 2019

Civil society representatives from around the world successfully put agroecology on the agenda of the United Nations Committee on World Food Security, as the truly innovative pathway to resolving environmental, hunger, health and inequality crises, and ensuring the right to food.

This year’s Committee on World Food Security (CFS), 14-18 October in Rome, was held in the context of deepening crises. World hunger and malnutrition are on the rise. Since 2015, the number of people without access to sufficient, nutritious food has been increasing. Over 800 million people — that’s one in every nine of us on Earth — experienced severe levels of food insecurity in 2018. Alongside this, malnutrition due to obesity is soaring, now at over two billion people. At the same time, the industrial food system is now recognized as a leading contributor to the multiple crises facing humanity.

The CFS is the foremost inclusive, intergovernmental and international political platform on food security and nutrition, with a vision to foster the right to adequate food for all. Since 2009, the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism (CSM) organizes the participation of civil society representatives – namely smallholder farmers, pastoralists, fisherfolks, indigenous peoples, agricultural and food workers, landless, women, youth, consumers, urban food insecure and NGOs. It is the largest international space of civil society organisations working to eradicate food insecurity and malnutrition.

“Here people from the global South, from the grassroots, come together with allies like Friends of the Earth International and La Via Campesina, to transform our messages into a political dimension, which we can take to negotiations with member governments.”

Bertrand Sansonnens, Pro Natura-Friends of the Earth Switzerland

“There are two words that people must always respect to be a good advocate within civil society: inclusiveness and solidarity.

Clean Futures, Food, Old_Notes