Australia has relatively unreliable weather patterns and so it’s in a precarious position with water supplies and food production. Given these fragilities, we have a lot to lose in the climate stakes, yet our greenhouse emissions are increasing faster than the global average, and at nearly twice the rate of the USA. Across the world, …
The debate over logging water catchments has been won hands down by environmental arguments, but Minister Thwaites refuses to accept the science. Below are his bizarre arguments and the responses from Sarah Rees from the Central Highlands Alliance, who’s been tracking this issue for years. John Thwaites – Only 0.02% of Melbourne’s catchments are logged …
Drought and irrigation needs have almost tipped our fragile river red gum wetlands over the edge. As if that weren’t enough, Mr Bracks now plans to have more than 100,000 red gums cut down for Victorian railway sleepers. The Murray River has no replacement for its red gum forests. The Mildura railway line does; it …
When he was leader of the opposition in 1995, Mr Brumby made this statement in Parliament: “In my remaining 16 minutes I will make a case for why we need an independent commissioner for the environment to ensure that governments honour policy commitments that they have made with other governments. There is no better example …
Ending logging is the fastest and cheapest solution to climate change. Logging and forest destruction is now recognised as one of the main causes of climate change. In the next 24 hours, world deforestation will release as much CO2 into the atmosphere as 8 million people flying from London to New York.According to a report …
Our local MP Craig Ingram was on ABC talkback in February waxing lyrical about the inspiring majesty of whales and how Japan shouldn’t be hunting them. When I suggested that our land giants were equally rare, awesome and inspiring and were being equally butchered for an equally senseless reason, he stuttered a disagreement. His capture …
Ending logging is the fastest and cheapest solution to climate change. Logging and forest destruction is now recognised as one of the main causes of climate change. In the next 24 hours, world deforestation will release as much CO2 into the atmosphere as 8 million people flying from London to New York. According to a …
The Victorian water shortage has been worrying the state’s electricity generators for several months. Coal-fired generators need large amounts of water for cooling. The Latrobe Valley power stations supply 85% of Victoria’s electricity and the water shortage is threatening their ability to generate power. Electricity generators in NSW and Queensland face similar problems.The hydro-electric schemes …
With global warming sceptics finally beginning to take their heads out of the increasingly hot sand, attention is shifting to what individuals can do to slow the looming disaster. Buying renewable energy for your home is one option. ‘GreenPower’ is the federal government’s term for electricity generated by accredited renewable energy sources – wind, solar, …
The subject of limiting population growth is taboo amongst both environment groups and politicians at present – it brings with it thoughts of social control, the one child policy and Big Brother. But this topic will have to be tackled soon as part of the climate debate. The Optimum Population Trust says that the lifetime …
