Climate

Friends of the Earth Adelaide > Climate

Hands Across the Sand: Semaphore, May 19

May 14, 2018

Let’s join together at Semaphore beach, to celebrate our coasts and oceans and send a message to say no to risky and dirty deep sea drilling in the Great Australian Bight and yes to a clean energy future.

Our climate is being pushed beyond it’s bounds – it’s up to us to stand together and demonstrate that a safe and healthy environmental future is the only outcome we will settle for.

You can help us to create a symbolic barrier along the shore to call for the protection of the unique and pristine Great Australian Bight.
Email sa.info@wilderness.org.au for more information

Help us by posting your photos from Hands Across the Sand on social media and tag @Great Australian Bight Alliance plus use hashtags#JoinHANDS #fightfortheBight #underwaterwilderness #unitetheBight

As we want to leave as smaller footprint as possible, please consider catching public transport or riding along the beautiful beach-side shared bike path.

Actions, Adelaide FoE Notes, Clean Futures, Climate, Mining

The Energy Transition

May 14, 2018

At the recent visit by Bill McKibben for 350.org, FoE Adelaide released The Playford Declaration. It says, in part, the following:

Here in South Australia we are in the midst of an energy transition
from fossil fuels to renewables plus storage.

We applaud what the former State Government has achieved in the construction of renewables and battery storage; the solar subsidy it announced for low income citizens; and the planned move to overlapping local grids to provide a robust network.

While South Australia is well on target to hit its plan for 50% renewables, and predicted to reach 73% renewables by 2025, it is still funding the search for more gas fields, fails to oppose oil exploration in the Great Australian Bight, and is still considering unconventional gas and fracking in the north and south-east of the state.

It makes no sense to search for new fossil fuels which we cannot burn if we hope to contain warming to at most the 1.5 – 2 degrees we pledged for the Paris Agreement.

We need to recognise that the Energy transition is not yet complete.

Premier Thomas Playford in the mid 1940s shifted our energy system to use brown coal from Leigh Creek.
We need visionary politicians who realise that we need to both rapidly move to 100% renewable energy,
and to stop burning fossil fuels.

We call upon current and would-be politicians (and Premiers!) to take inspiration from Playford’s example and commit to a just, socially equitable energy transition: support not only a rapid move to renewables but also stop the support and funding of fossil fuels, whether for domestic use or export, for the sake of the state, the nation, and the planet.

Read the full declaration at adelaidefoe.org/jet/ or download the Energy-DeclarationFinal

If you’re interested in working on the renewables transition campaign, there’s a meeting for FoE members and supporters at the common room at Christie Walk (entry off 101 sturt st) from 3pm on Saturday, May 26th.

Adelaide FoE Notes, Clean Futures, Climate, Divestment, Renewables, Sustainability

THE LOFOTEN DECLARATION

May 14, 2018

Climate Leadership Requires a Managed Decline of Fossil Fuel Production

Global climate change is a crisis of unprecedented scale, and it will take unprecedented action to avoid the worst consequences of our dependence on oil, coal, and gas. Equally as critical as reducing demand and emissions is the need for immediate and ambitious action to stop exploration and expansion of fossil fuel projects and manage the decline of existing production in line with what is necessary to achieve the Paris climate goals.

Clean, safe, and renewable fuels are already redefining how we see energy and it is time for nations to fully embrace 21st century energy and phase out fossil fuels.

The Lofoten Declaration affirms that it is the urgent responsibility and moral obligation of wealthy fossil fuel producers to lead in putting an end to fossil fuel development and to manage the decline of existing production.

We stand in solidarity with, and offer our full support for, the growing wave of impacted communities around the world who are taking action to defend and protect their lives and livelihoods in the face of fossil fuel extraction and climate change. It is a priority to elevate these efforts. Frontline communities are the leaders we must look to as we all work together for a safer future.

A global transition to a low carbon future is already well underway. Continued expansion of oil, coal, and gas is only serving to hinder the inevitable transition while at the same time exacerbating conflicts, fuelling corruption, threatening biodiversity, clean water and air, and infringing on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable communities.

The full declaration, plus a list of global signatories, here

 

Adelaide FoE Notes, Clean Futures, Climate

Accelerate Climate Action! Bill McKibben in Town May 4th

April 27, 2018

Glen Klavotsky, of 350.org writes:

Sometimes you hear someone speak and it can change your view on the world.

350 founder Bill McKibben is one of those people.

He is a compelling speaker – someone who has changed people’s minds about climate change.

That’s why we’re so excited about bringing Bill to Australia for the Accelerate Climate Action tour. Because at each of our event locations across the country, people will get empowered to take climate action, and have the chance to hear from local climate activists in their area.

Have you booked your tickets?

350’s Jackson was inspired by Bill McKibben to get into climate activism. “He showed me that our governments weren’t going to handle this,” Jackson says. “And that it was up to people like us to step up, and stop the fossil fuels industry burning the planet up.”

Another testimonial comes from 350’s Joce. “I loved how he made the Maths so simple,” she says. “I could scribble it straight into my notebook and then re-read it to friends for months after. The simplicity of the numbers was just overwhelming.”

Alongside Bill in Adelaide, you will also hear from founding member of Coloured Stone, Bunna Lawrie; Repower Port Augusta’s Lisa Lumsden; and Peter Owen, Director of the Wilderness Society in South Australia.

Are you ready to accelerate on climate action?

Book now to hear from a world renowned climate activist, people taking action on the ground in your area, and join with us in fighting for a safe climate future.

We hope to see you there,

Glen, for the 350 Australia team

PS. Once you’ve booked to join us on the Accelerate Climate Action tour, make sure you invite your friends and family on Facebook. Help us make this Fossil Free event massive!

Adelaide FoE Notes, Climate

Concern over gas exploration in the SE

February 28, 2018

As you may be aware, a number of residents in the South East have concerns regarding any mining or petroleum activities, particularly with large swaths of exploration licences over their properties.  The most concerning area is water security.  When there are droughts, the South East residents are fully dependent on the groundwater.  Health concerns, keeping the South East’s world renowned  clean and green image for export growth, and impacts on the economy are other concerns.  2015 – 2016, the value of agriculture in the SE, was  $3.2 billion, which was 51% of the total gross value of agricultural production in SA.
The geology and hydrology, including limestone, cavernous systems, and fault lines are not suitable for any drilling or mining and petroleum activities, apart from extractive mining for road and building materials.  With both mining and petroleum activities, there are risks to the groundwater, soil and air, through loss of well integrity, any dewatering of the aquifers, waste water disposal from gas or oil activities and no suitable way for safe disposal, contamination from tailing and benefication ponds for mining, salt impacts and landscape changes. Emissions and waste water ponds may impact bird life.  There has been a shocking disaster in Canada, where 7500 song birds flew into a gas flare at a gas processing plant and died.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/7-500-songbirds-killed-at-canaport-gas-plant-in-saint-john-1.1857615
All gas needs flaring. I understand, if there is viable amounts of gas, the Katnook Gas Plant will be upgraded. In other places, including Australia,  my colleagues have told me that there have been a number of animal and bird deaths that may have died through road kill and extra traffic on the roads, and also through drinking water from the contaminated waste water ponds.
I would like these concerns to be on the agenda in the South Australian Parliament, after the election.  
… Read more >>

Adelaide FoE Notes, Climate, Mining