Adelaide FoE Notes

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One Million Jobs suggested by BZE under Govt Consideration

September 17, 2020

the Expenditure Review Committee is considering a pre-budget submission on “The Million Jobs Plan” for a green recovery from climate think tank Beyond Zero Emissions, a consortium backed by heavyweight investors including tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, former Origin Energy and Macquarie Bank chair Kevin McCann and First State Super chief executive Deanne Stewart. Independent modelling by economist Chris Murphy suggests that the plan would boost private investment by an average of $25 billion annually over the next three years, generate 124,000 jobs next year, add 1–2 per cent to GDP, and lift real wages by one per cent in 2022–23. Launched in June, the Beyond Zero Emissions plan is a cracker – it’s the culmination of a decade’s work – and the pre-budget submission proposes that the government fast-track 15 priority projects, including transmission lines to link renewable energy zones to the grid, the massive Star of the South offshore wind-farm proposal off the Gippsland coast, the Walcha solar and storage project in NSW, and the Central Queensland Power Project in Gladstone.

—  Paddy Manning, The Monthly Today, Sept 17th “A million jobs “

Adelaide FoE Notes, Clean Futures

Excess Gas strikes Prime Minister

September 17, 2020

We knew there were problems with the National Covid Recovery Committee (NCC) suggesting gas pipelines from WA to the eastern states as part (or all?) of their covid-19 recovery plan,
but it seems the PM has suffered Gas attacks as well:

That backwards slide has continued throughout this year, primarily through Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor’s “Gas fired recovery” efforts. The crux of this project is a massive expansion of Australia’s fossil gas extraction, transport and burning within Australia, sure to result in an extremely significant increase in Australia’s domestic and exported emission footprint, both of which have grown primarily due to gas over the past years.

Let’s be blunt.

In any other universe, recovering from one public health crisis by worsening another would spark immediate backlash. An “asbestos led recovery” would be career-ending; as would a “tobacco led recovery” or a “AK-47 led recovery”. But fossil fuels have locked their harm so deeply into our lives that we have become desensitised to this incredible, radical significance of proposing to hurt humans as a pathway to helping them. What is happening here is simultaneously deadly and ludicrous.
— Ketan Joshi, renew economy, Sept 15th, “Morrison casts dark shadow over energy transition with massive gas intervention”

there is nothing accidental or haphazard about the Coalition’s latest threat to the energy industry; the attempt to force-feed more gas generation into Australia’s main grid and the massive government subsidies promised to extend its infrastructure and open up new gas basins. It may not make much sense, on any level, but that just makes it all the more sinister.

Morrison has made clear he wants the post-Covid recovery to be led by gas, and appointed gas lobbyists to direct the recovery plan. Taylor is seeking to hijack the two key renewable energy bodies to support gas and CCS, and has spent two years erecting bollards trying to slow down the clean energy transition.

… Read more >>

Adelaide FoE Notes

Plans for a Just Transition: FoE Adelaide Zoom meeting Sept23rd

September 17, 2020

Join Friends of the Earth online as we look at Plans for a Just Transition

While the government focus is on a gas-led recovery,
the need for quick, effective transition
becomes clearer each day.

We invite you to join us for the online meeting
from 6 to 7:30 on Wednesday, Sept 23rd.
We’ll hear from our guest speakers,
take a tea break and engage in discussion.

Our guest speakers are Cam Walker,
Friends of the Earth Australia,
talking about the Transforming Vic document

and Philippa Rowland,
MultiFaith SA, talking about
the renew WA document and looking
at the principles involved.

Please book your ticket at eventbright:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/121472247763
(you will receive Zoom details shortly after you book)

After we’ve heard from our guest speakers,
we’ll discuss what we can do to create a
Just Transition document for SA.

 

Time: Wednesday, Sept 23, 2020 6pm – 7:30pm Adelaide
Part 1: 6:00 – 6:40pm Talks by Cam & Philippa
<10 min tea break @ 6:40>
Part 2: 6:50 – 7:30pm Q & A and discussion

Documents of Interest:

Adelaide FoE Notes

Legislation banning nuclear power in Australia should be retained

March 11, 2020

Jim Green, Online Opinion, 27 Feb 2020

Nuclear power in Australia is prohibited under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. A review of the EPBC Act is underway and there is a strong push from the nuclear industry to remove the bans. However, federal and state laws banning nuclear power have served Australia well and should be retained.

Too cheap to meter or too expensive to matter? Laws banning nuclear power has saved Australia from the huge costs associated with failed and failing reactor projects in Europe and North America, such as the Westinghouse project in South Carolina that was abandoned after the expenditure of at least A$13.4 billion. The Westinghouse / South Carolina fiasco could so easily have been replicated in any of Australia’s states or territories if not for the legal bans.

There are many other examples of shocking nuclear costs and cost overruns, including:

* The cost of the two reactors under construction in the US state of Georgia has doubled and now stands at A$20.4 to 22.6 billion per reactor.

* The cost of the only reactor under construction in France has nearly quadrupled and now stands at A$20.0 billion. It is 10 years behind schedule.

* The cost of the only reactor under construction in Finland has nearly quadrupled and now stands at A$17.7 billion. It is 10 years behind schedule.

* The cost of the four reactors under construction in the United Arab Emirates has increased from A$7.5 billion per reactor to A$10-12 billion per reactor.

* In the UK, the estimated cost of the only two reactors under construction is A$25.9 billion per reactor. A decade ago, the estimated cost was almost seven times lower. The UK National Audit Office estimates that taxpayer subsidies for the project will amount to A$58 billion, despite earlier government promises that no taxpayer subsidies would be made available.… Read more >>

Adelaide FoE Notes, Climate, Nuclear