One year out from the state election, green groups put parties on notice
A healthy environment and a safe future for all Victorians must be the top priority for all parties contesting the 2010 State Election, Victoria’s leading environment groups said today.
One year out from the state election, Environment Victoria, The Wilderness Society, Friends of the Earth and the Victorian National Parks Association have released a document outlining seven key areas that require urgent action by the party that wins next November’s state election.
The groups said all parties needed to reassess their approach to the environment, including the Brumby Government who is yet to initiate any major environmental initiatives, and the Liberal Party whose environment policies are alarmingly inconsistent.
“Victoria’s environment has supported communities for thousands of years and is home to some of the most important places and species in the world. But the simple truth is, we’re facing an environmental emergency,” Environment Victoria’s CEO Kelly O’Shanassy said.
“Our rivers run dry as greenhouse emissions rise. Our forests shrink while our cities sprawl. And we swelter through heatwaves that Victoria has never experienced before – this is not the future we want.”
You can find our election agenda and extra info here.
[Nov 17, 2009]
We are just a few days away from starting our coastal walk up the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay.
We have been getting a great response, and many have said they will join us for sections of the walk.
We are walking in order to highlight the impacts of sea level rise on people, communities and landscapes along the way. We have public forums planned for Rosebud, Frankston and St Kilda. You would be most welcome to join us.
Full details here:
http://www.portphilliprising.org/
Following revelations last week that the Energy Minister is advocating for a new coal export industry for Victoria, several hundred community members met on the steps of Parliament today to show their opposition to the plan.
Green groups have been inundated with calls from community members who are furious about Peter Batchelor’s support of a new proposal by Exergen to export Victoria’s coal to India.
A letter sent to Premier Brumby from prominent scientists, climate change experts, and leading green and church groups opposing the establishment of a Victorian coal export industry was also released today.
There is a release, link to the letter and photos from the rally here.
Are you aware that VicRoads plans to bulldoze much of Coomoora Woodland Flora and Fauna Reserve in Keysborough soon to make way for the Dingley Bypass?
The VicRoads Dingley Arterial Project involves the construction of a four-lane, 3.5km dual-carriage extension of the existing Westall Road extension, from Springvale Road to the Dandenong Bypass.
The bypass extension will run directly through the Coomoora Woodland Flora and Fauna Reserve (Melway 88, K8).
Coomoora is a natural oasis used by bushwalkers and local school groups and the community. It is one of only five nature reserves in the City of Greater Dandenong, the only one in Keysborough, and one of the few remaining green wedges in the south-eastern metropolitan region.
As contracts for construction of the bypass are to be finalised by December (for works to commence in early 2010), urgent action must be taken now to protect this valuable nature reserve.
Details on what you can do are available here.
Coomoora Reserve
Sorrento – Port Melbourne, November 21 – 27
The sea is already rising at an increasing rate because of climate change.
Scientists are predicting seas will rise globally by more than a metre by the end of this century, and perhaps much more. For example, melting of the Greenland ice sheet is accelerating, it contains the equivalent of about seven metres of sea-level rise. Around the world many thousands of communities will be lost, millions of people will be displaced, and the map of the continents will be changed forever.
In early summer, we are planning to walk the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay, to highlight the impacts of sea level rise on people, communities and landscapes along the way. We will leave Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula, and head north along the coast, marking the one metre level where we can with a simple marker (a stick with piece of blue ribbon).
We would welcome your involvement in this project. There are details here.
[Thursday 17 September, 2009]
Zero emissions homes within reach
In the wake of Victoria’s warmest and driest winter on record, environment groups today called for new building standards to reduce emissions and water use, and to help the state’s homes and families cope with future temperature and price shocks.
The call coincides with the release of a new report today, which shows that with the right government support and with efforts to fast‐track stronger environmental building standards, Victorian homes and neighbourhoods could be emissions‐free and water efficient by 2020.
The report, Towards climate safe homes: The case for zero emissions and water saving homes and neighbourhoods, was prepared by Environment Victoria in partnership with the Alternative Technology Association (ATA), Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), Friends of the Earth (FoE) and the Moreland Energy Foundation (MEFL).
You can find a press release and link to the report here.
poa grassland, Thredbo Valley
Premier Brumby has released the first stage of the Victorian Government’s plan – their Climate Change Green Paper. There is an opportunity to tell the government what you expect them to do on the question of climate change.
They are accepting submissions to their climate change plan until Wednesday 30th September 2009.
I have been finding it hard to get the time to write our submission guidelines, but they will be posted on the FoE website by next week at the latest.
Our initial response can be found here.
To make a submission, check here.
[July 7]
The proposed expansion of Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) will involve the rezoning of up to 46,000 hectares of land for residential development, new roads and a freeway. These areas are largely in the north and west, and in the outer south east.
This policy could see unprecedented destruction of the green wedges – the non-urban areas of Metropolitan Melbourne often referred to as the cities lungs. There will be environmental damage, including the loss of considerable sections of western and northern grasslands, destruction of wildlife including endangered species, increased greenhouse gas emissions, the construction of even more freeways/ the ring road, and loss of farm land.
In a very real sense, this proposal is about what type of city we want to live in. This massive expansion, to allow low density sprawl, is the anti thesis of sensible urban design. In a time of climate change we must be protecting at risk and fragmented ecosystems, such as native grasslands and grassy woodlands – not further fragmenting them. In a time of rising energy and fuel costs, we should be re-localising much of our food production – which means protecting arable land, not putting it under low density sprawl. We should be building compact urban areas which are well serviced by public transport – not allowing more growth out beyond the reach of PT.
If you have time, please make a submission – this needs to happen before July 17.
You can find details here.
Thanks! regards, cam
[July 1]
hello all
there is a web version of the report available here:
http://www.foe.org.au/resources/publications/general-environemntal-issues/green%20new%20deal.pdf/view
Also, you may have seen recent research by Friends of the Earth England that shows that at least 70,000 jobs could be created across England and Wales if councils slashed climate-changing emissions by insulating homes and businesses and fitting green energy to buildings. This resonates with what we have been arguing in GND and elsewhere.
Full details on this research can be found at: http://www.foe.co.uk/
They have launched a campaign called ‘get serious about climate change’, focused on local councils: http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/get_serious/index.html
Meanwhile, some good news from Scotland is that the parliament has recently introduced the most serious climate change bill yet established. Full details at:
http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/campaigns/bigaskscotland/
regards, Cam
pomaderris leaf, Peter McConchie
[June 1]
hello all
over the past week we have been getting a fair number of emails from people asking us to keep this process going – through having a public launch of the report, or a session to test peoples responses, starting a regular ‘new deal’ newsletter, etc.
It seemed that with all our other commitments the easiest thing might be to do a fortnightly summary of related events – for instance the wonderful news that Wales has announced it will go to 100% renewable energy by 2025(!). I will try and post a summary/ update fortnightly here. Also, there are more comments still coming in for the actual report so at the end of this month I will produce version #4 – in the meantime, the ‘final‘ report is it!
Till then, thanks for all your interest and great ideas, regards, Cam
If you want to contribute ideas/ info for the newsletter please either post them on this blog or email directly to me: cam.walker@foe.org.au
