SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED THIS WEEK. So lets start at the very beginning – a very good place to start. Earlier this week, the Federal Government’s energy policy took another hit, this time from Nobel Laureate and former US Energy Secretary to Obama, Dr Steven Chu, who was in town to accept an honourary Doctorate from ANU is an advocate of urgent transition from fossil fuels to nuclear and renewable energy to combat climate change. Continue reading The hills are alive, with the sound of backflips
If you haven’t been following the G20 Summit in Brisbane, here are ten things that happened over the weekend that help to form an important way forward for our international community.
Continue reading 10 Important Things that Happened at the G20 Summit 2014
The news on everybody’s lips at the moment is, of course, the landmark decisions revealed yesterday by the US and China. For those who missed it, US President Obama announced that the USA would cut its carbon emissions by 26%-28% (from 2005 levels) by 2025, and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China would peak emissions by 2030, and aim to get 20% of its energy from clean/zero-carbon emission sources by the same date. Continue reading US/China deal throws Abbott off balance
Two weeks ago, the Perth Diocese announced it would divest its fossil fuel investments, and last week its Canberra counterparts did the same. This week the Melbourne Diocese has followed suit, resolving to take “all reasonable steps” to divest its stake in corporations whose revenues from fossil fuel extraction or production exceed 20 per cent of their total revenue.
At their annual 800 person strong General Synod (akin to an AGM), Professor Kate Rigby, Chair of Monash University’s Environmental & Humanities Department spoke about the changes to the energy paradigm in the present day. “While coal might have been cheaper [than renewable energy], this is only because its environmental impacts have not been factored into costing and because coal and other fossil fuel industries receive massive government subsidies.”
According to Environment Victoria, the Australian Federal Government spends approximately $10 billion per year on handouts (subsidies, tax breaks, infrastructure and cash) to the larger fossil fuel polluters. Continue reading The real cost of fossil fuel subsidies
SustainingPeople 