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.