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Friends of the Earth Adelaide > Climate

Federal Government attacks on environmental groups

August 20, 2015

The Federal government is now attacking environmental groups on two fronts.

1. One inquiry well under way is the following attempt to remove tax free donation status of environmental charities like Friends of the Earth.

“The House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment will inquire into and report on the administration and transparency of the Register of Environmental Organisations (the Register) and its effectiveness in supporting communities to take practical action to improve the environment.” More information here.

Friends of the Earth Australia has made a submission and hearings are being held around the country. The Adelaide hearing is scheduled for September 1st – location to be announced. The hearing will be open to the public and we intend to have a representative monitor the Adelaide event.  Friends of the Earth are appearing before the inquiry in Melbourne on September 21st – location to be announced.

2. “The Abbott government has revealed plans to repeal a section of Australia’s environment laws that allows green groups to challenge approvals for mining projects and other large developments in the courts. Federal Attorney-General George Brandis said the government would seek to repeal section 487 (2) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and “return to the common law”, after it was used successfully by the Mackay Conservation Group to overturn the federal environment minister’s approval of the Carmichael mega-coal mine in Queensland’s Galilee Basin.” Renew Economy: The six big lies in Tony Abbott’s attack on the environment

The Six Big Lies in Tony Abbott’s attack on the environment:

Lie 1. It’s the economy versus the environment

Lie 2. The parade of projects

Lie 3. Coal jobs at risk

Lie 4. Activists destroying the industry

Lie 5. The cost of emissions reductions

Lie 6. The sheer hypocrisy of it all

A good article at the Guardian article: George Brandis says vigilante green groups are destroying thousands of mining jobs

You are invited to sign the PETITION to Attorney George Brandis asking him to:

Stop Abbott government destroying Australia’s environmental laws.

… Read more >>

Clean Futures, Climate, Divestment, Environmental Law, FoE, Mining, Nuclear, Old_Notes, Sustainability

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100% Renewable Energy for SA – in just 15 years! Wed August 19th

August 18, 2015

100% Renewable Energy for SA – in just 15 years!

Wed August 19th 6:30pm

Kings Head Hotel, King William St Adelaide

SA is the standout state – today getting 40% of its electricity from renewable sources – at least 3 times more than any other mainland state in Australia. Great!

Did you know we could hit 100% renewable electricity? And in just 15 years?

This is one of the findings of the Conservation SA commissioned report by energy expert Dr Mark Diesendorf of the University of NSW.

It will not only clean up our environment to do our share to halt climate change, it will continue to bring down our state’s electricity costs.

Come and hear:

1. Julia Winefield of Conservation SA speak on the report together with

2. Margaret Hender of CORENA and

3. Nicki Ison of Community Power Agency

who will all indicate how we can fast track renewable energy projects in our own communities, plus what we each of us can do to ensure Dr Diesendorf’s report becomes a reality.

Order free tickets via Eventbrite

See you there!

Check out the 100% Renewables SA Facebook page

Clean Futures, Climate, Renewables, Sustainability

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FOE Australia tracks the Nuclear Royal Commission

August 18, 2015

In addition to our local Anti-Nuclear/Pro-Renewables campaign, you can keep an eye on Friends of the Earth Australia’s website for updates – thanks to our national Nuclear Campaigner Dr Jim Green.

http://www.foe.org.au/royal-commission

If you’d like to be on our local campaigner Nectaria Calan’spersonal nuclear email list please contact adelaide.office@foe.org.au

Climate, FoE, Mining, Nuclear, Old_Notes, Renewables, Sustainability, Weapons proliferation

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FoE Adelaide Annual Report 2014/15

August 13, 2015

Friends of the Earth Adelaide has two main collectives.  The Fair Food Adelaide collective works on food sovereignty issues including March Against Monsanto, and the Clean Futures Collective focuses on Mining and Energy; and is pro-renewables, anti-nuclear and anti-fracking.

Fair Food Adelaide

This financial year Fair Food Adelaide focussed on events for Fair Food Week held each October where we held two events – a bicycle community garden tour, and a forum on food poverty co-hosted with Foodbank SA. After a local food Long Table lunch and an end of year picnic, we’ve had a quieter 2015 as two of our main organisers have had to step down due to new jobs.  Our monthly Urban Orchard food swap is continuing, and instead of rallying on the anniversary of the first March Against Monsanto we wrote letters to SA’s Agriculture Minister to congratulate him on standing strong to continue SA’s GM moratorium and championing soil improvement rather than GMO crops.  We also lobbied the federal Agriculture Minister and Health Minister asking them to ban the weedkiller Roundup (glyphosate) in light of the recent announcement by the World Health Organisation that it probably causes cancer. We have received replies from Barnaby Joyce saying the approval status of glyphosate is under review.  We are also collecting signatures for a petition to Bunnings asking them to stop stocking the neonicotinoid pesticides that harm bees. We also work with the GM-Free Australia Alliance as one of its member groups. Member Kim Hill hosted workshop on The End of Agriculture at the Students of Sustainability conference in July.

We’ll continue to keep members up to date with information on our Facebook page, Facebook group, googlegroup and website.

See www.facebook.com/fairfoodadelaide and www.facebook.com/groups/MarchAgainstMonsantoAdelaide

Sign up for our fortnightly e-newsletter at the bottom left side of our home page www.adelaide.foe.org.au… Read more >>

Clean Futures, Climate, FoE, Mining, Nuclear, Old_Notes, Publications, Renewables, Reports, Sustainability, Weapons proliferation

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Make a submission to the Senate Inquiry on the Murray River

July 26, 2015

The Murray needs water, not politics

Submitted by Cam Walker on Sat, 25/07/2015 – 15:45

Opposition to the Murray Basin Plan is mounting, and the stakes are very high. Rogue Senators and angry irrigators from the South Basin have managed to mount a Senate Select Committee Inquiry into the Basin Plan. The Inquiry will look into the social and economic impacts of the Plan’s implementation. Essentially, though, it is about attacking the river-saving buyback of water for the environment. Some farmers and Irrigators believe that water buybacks are destroying communities and, somewhat surprisingly, hurting the environment. 

A Public Meeting was held in Barham NSW on July 8th and was just the beginning of what could be another protracted political argument over how our largest river system is managed. But while the politics roll on, Basin ecosystems continue to face threats, including a looming drought and a Federal Government proposal to cap water buybacks. 

The Basin Plan already represents a huge political compromise. The 3200GL of environmental water promised in the Plan is barely enough to keep the iconic ecosystems of the Basin alive, especially given the uncertainties of climate change.

Can we risk more meddling in this historic agreement? Please consider making a submission to the Senate Inquiry on the Governments proposal to cap water buybacks for the environment.

Submissions close 31st July 2015.

Water Amendment Bill 2015 – Brief guide to writing a submission.

 

Climate, Old_Notes, Sustainability

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