Three major Far South Coast (FSC) organisations have come together to host a Federal Election Candidates’ Forum at the Bermagui Community Centre on Saturday, 4 June at 5.30 pm. Clean Energy for Eternity Inc, the National Trust (FSC Branch), and the National Parks Association (FSC Branch), have invited all Eden Monaro Candidates to present their positions and to address real concerns within our Electorate.
The Moderator for the evening will be Mr Tim Holt, former well-known and respected ABC-South East Radio presenter. Representatives will include: Dr Matthew Nott, Founder and President of Clean Energy for Eternity Inc; Dr Frances Perkins, Chair of National Trust (FSC Branch); Mr David Gallan, President of National Parks Association; and Dr Bronte Somerset from NPA’s Great Southern Forests campaign.
The Forum will focus on big issues requiring strong leadership. These include climate change, the future of our native forests, and the quality of life in our region as influenced by employment and business opportunities through renewable energy projects, health, education, and protection of our natural environment. There will be ample opportunity for questions from the audience.
For further information, please contact Prue Kelly, Clean Energy for Eternity Inc on 0418 161 547 or [email protected]
****************
PS We need your help in the 2016 Federal election to remind voters and politicians that tackling climate pollution is vital. To spread the word, please post a message on Facebook or Twitter – it’s easy using this link that Climate Change Balmain Rozelle has prepared. There are 21 different Facebook posts/Tweets you can share over the eight week election campaign. Even better email the link http://www.climatechangebr.org/page15.htm to all your friends so they can do the same
CEFE members were out in force for the People’s Climate March on November 27. Mosman and Northern Beaches CEFE both participated in the Sydney march, and a group also marched in Canberra. In Bega there was a well attended pre-march picnic at which Matthew Nott spoke.
Philippa Rowland, one of the founding members of Clean Energy for Eternity, is Paris-bound, keen to play a role in shaping a safer climate future for the world. Philippa intends to bear witness at a pivotal time in the world’s response to a warming atmosphere.
“If we turn the corner now we still have time,” she said.
“There’s a lot we can do as individuals. We can do so much more as communities, but unless we can also have an influence on policy, we can go backwards quite fast.”
It is that focus on changing policy that drives Philippa towards France as a representative of the community-based Climate Action Network.
Philippa is deeply honoured to be playing a role in Paris, building on her experience at the 2009 UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen. Paris must succeed where Copenhagen failed. What is needed is a new international agreement on climate change, applicable to all countries, that kept global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.
“Climate change is now a lived experience, one of the shocking things about climate change is the injustice at the fact that the impact falls hardest on those who are unable to deal with it”. In the lead-up to the talks, countries have flagged proposed pollution cuts and clean energy measures in order to meet a binding target.
“We know they’re not enough, but it’s more a sense that people are offering up what they can do,” she said.
“There is an opportunity to actually tap into what a better future can look like and put your energy into creating that better future.”
Ms Rowland is more hopeful of a positive approach under new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull than under Tony Abbott’s leadership.
“There’s a sense that we may become a country that stands up to its own responsibility,” she said.
As nations prepare for the Paris UN Climate Conference in November, there are quite diverse groups calling for meaningful emissions reduction targets and action to limit global warming to the international agreed target of 20C. Check out the following:
LGNSW’s submission to UNFCCC Taskforce into Setting Australia’s post-2020 target for greenhouse gas emissions.
About 80 people attended a Q&A session organised by CEFE Northern Beaches at the Narrabeen Tram Shed on March 9 2015. Upper house candidate Justin Field represented the Greens, James Wheeldon, candidate for the seat of North Shore represented the ALP and Rob Stokes Minister for the Environment represented the Coalition. CEFE’s John Davis moderated. The questions came from CEFE members and other local environmental groups. They were given to the panel members in advance and each had the same time to answer.
One of the strong messages highlighted by Dr Mark Diesendorf (Uni of NSW) at the Monaro/ Snowy Mountains Renewable Energy Forum held in Berridale on Nov 6 08 was that we do have the necessary technologies available right now to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% within just a few decades given social and political will to make it happen. Dr Mike Kelly (Federal Member for Eden-Monaro) agreed that action on climate change was necessary and praised his electorate for its forward thinking and action on the issue so far.
This praise is well justified as illustrated by Philippa Rowland whom informed the forum that our region has procured $100,000 in Green Precinct funding for Clean Energy For Eternity to conduct a feasibility study to establish Australia’s first community owned 2MW solar farm in the Bega Valley. This farm will not only move the Bega Valley shire towards achieving a 50% reduction in GHG emissions, but also provide an investment opportunity in the SE region by prospective investors from all over Australia.
The forum also heard that wind power also has the potential to provide great ecological and economic benefits for our region due to the availability of this resource on Monaro. As an example, CEFE’s founders Dr Nott pointed out that the proposed Boco Rock windfarm would generate a total investment of $20 million as well as produce enough renewable power to account for at least half of Cooma Monaro shire’s energy needs.
But the possibilities don’t end there, as David Shapiro (Future Energy) illustrated with his presentation about the (smaller scale) Hepburn Community Wind-farm in Victoria which has now launched its prospectus and is accepting investment by shareholders, thanks to the commitment and vision of a community willing to take leadership and create local solutions.
Real solutions that reduce GHG emissions and safeguard our children’s future ecologically, socially and economically are needed to tackle climate change, and the forum demonstrated that we are well placed to do so. Look out in future CEFE columns for more detailed information on Community Renewable Energy Farms.
Antia Brademanns
Report from Summit Sun in advance of above forum…
Our views will count
DENISE DION Summit Sun
Local people will have the opportunity to directly influence the Federal Government’s White Paper on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) at a meeting in Berridale, Thursday November 6, Member for Eden-Monaro, Dr Mike Kelly has said.
Dr Kelly said that local views on climate change and the carbon pollution reduction scheme will be fed directly to Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong’s office for input into the White Paper due out at the end of the year.
Dr Kelly and Clean Energy For Eternity (CEFE) will host the Berridale meeting in an effort to garner opinion on the Government’s current Green Paper on CPRS and also to look at solutions to climate change issues.
The climate change forum will give members of the public a chance to hear first hand about the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and give their views, feedback and suggestions on the scheme and strategies for tackling climate change, Dr Kelly said.
“After these meetings in Bega and Berridale I will be taking the feedback from these meetings back to Minister Wong,” Dr Kelly said.
CEFE founder, Dr Matthew Nott, said: “This is a huge opportunity for us to help shape policy through Mike Kelly. I understand that the comments will go directly to Penny Wong’s office and that she has made a special allowance to include this feedback.”
Ms Wong’s office confirmed that there were numerous levels of consultation going on and that they expected to be releasing Treasury modelling on the CRPS at the end of this month.
Dr Nott encouraged everyone to attend the Berridale meeting November 6, 5.30-7.30pm.
Sue Edmondson, CEFE, Snowy Mountains committee member said that the meeting wouldn’t be a talk fest on the problems of climate change but rather a chance to hear ideas and practical solutions from inspiring speakers.
Dr Matthew Nott, the founder of CEFE, will give an update on windfarm development on the Monaro.
Dr Mark Diesendorf from the University of NSW will talk about why action is so urgently needed and the renewable energy solutions.
David Shapero will talk about the Hepburn experience of developing a community owned windfarm in Daylesford, Victoria.
Dr Kelly has called climate change the single biggest challenge this country has faced since World War II and has said that he wants to use the forum to ensure the community has a voice and an opportunity to comment on the CPRS Green Paper.
About 80 people attended a Q&A session organised by CEFE Northern Beaches at the Narrabeen Tram Shed on March 9 2015. Upper house candidate Justin Field represented the Greens, James Wheeldon, candidate for the seat of North Shore represented the ALP and Rob Stokes Minister for the Environment represented the Coalition. CEFE’s John Davis moderated. The questions came from CEFE members and other local environmental groups. They were given to the panel members in advance and each had the same time to answer.
