Goongerah Environment Centre threatened with trespassing prosecution after revealing Errinundra Plateau rainforest clearing

May 19, 2015

Members of an environment group who revealed evidence of rainforest clearing in East Gippsland, in south-east Victoria, have been threatened with prosecution. After being tipped off by the Goongerah Environment Centre (GECO), the Department of Environment found VicForests had needlessly destroyed rainforest canopy on the Errinundra Plateau. The state forestry compliance officer has now threatened …

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The TPP Could Have Disastrous Results For The Climate, Environmental Groups Warn

May 15, 2015

A wide-reaching trade agreement between the United States and several Asian nations could have catastrophic repercussions for climate change, including giving corporations the power to sue governments that try to limit polluting industries, environmental groups say. In order to avoid dangerous climate change, scientists estimate that 80 percent of the world’s fossil fuels need to …

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Australian forests need your help – today

May 15, 2015

Environmentalist and campaigner Frances Pike explains why Australian native forests are currently facing their greatest threat and how you can make a difference. The so-called native forest “waste” that is the sticking point in current Renewable Energy Target negotiations is not sawdust, tree stumps or branches. If the industry gets its way it will be …

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RETs and Gippsland forests

May 15, 2015

The Abbott governments plan to define the burning of native forest logs in electricity generators as a ‘renewable energy’ under the planned RET scheme is under sustained attack from environment groups. “The ALP leader, Bill Shorten is also refusing to make a clear commitment that would ensure native forests will not be power station fodder …

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Burning forests for electricity

May 10, 2015

It’s crazy!  When the RET is supposed to be bringing emissions down, the Abbott government is prepared to increase them by burning the land’s greatest carbon stores – our forests – in electricity furnaces. This would have higher emissions than coal (per unit of energy produced – see illustration). It would take 200 years to …

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RET deal stalls after govt insists burning native wood waste is renewable

May 8, 2015

The federal Labor opposition will go to the next election proposing a more ambitious renewable energy target that would enable the large-scale solar industry to gain a share of the subsidised industry. Opposition environment spokesman Mark Butler confirmed the intention on Friday after Labor and the government agreed to end more than a year of uncertainty and support a revised renewable energy target …

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Proposal to include native wood waste could hit wind, solar

May 8, 2015

Along with other proposed changes to the RET, the issue of RECs for native forest waste incinerators is expected to return to parliament, with crucial cross bench senators Ricky Muir and Jackie Lambie vocal in support. Changed conditions in forest markets could mean this has a bigger impact on Australian renewables that it has in …

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Renewable energy deal close but not quite

May 8, 2015

THE clean energy sector is warning against investment-risking “messy” negotiations, after the government and Labor agreed in part to a pared-back renewable energy target. AFTER months of political stalemate, the two parties struck a deal on Friday to slash the target from 41,000GWh to 33,000 but bipartisanship on the entire package remains in doubt. The …

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