ZERO EMISSION NETWORK CONFERENCE
The Zero Emission Network two day conference "TARGET ZERO" is on this coming weekend.
OverviewThe first day will be a foundation building day, focused largely on the solutions needed to implement a fast transition to a Zero Emissions Minus future.
The second day will consist of campaign skills training, workshops, Zero Emission Network AGM and a series of strategic planning meetings around different campaign focuses.
Date: June 30 / July 1 Venue: Casey Plaza Theater - Rear Bld 10 - Bowen Lane - RMIT - Melbourne See map H6
Who should come?Members of climate action groups, people campaigning on zero emissions, people wishing to find out more about climate change solutions, people who believe a "zero emission minus" goal is not achievable and are willing to be convinced otherwise.
Registration: Please register by emailing bookings@zeroemissionnetwork.org .
If emailing please use the subject "Target Zero Booking"
Costs are a suggested donation of:
$20/10* for the weekend.
$10/$5* for a day
which can be paid on the day (cash only).
*Part employment, concession, student etc.
For full details see the Zero Emission Network website: http://www.zeroemissionnetwork.org/Event-Zero-Emission-Conference
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
YCAN! Update
YCAN! has had a great and successful few weeks. We have been working with the Yarra Council to encourage and urge them to adopt a Zero Net Emissions Policy.
At the last council meeting (19th June) recommendations were passed from the report we called for - Reducing Yarra's Greenhouse Emissions. These included the commitment of $225,000 dollars in the 07/08 budget for action on climate change issues and further consideration of the zero net emissions policy, in conjunction with the Environment Strategy (being undertaken by council at the moment).This is fantastic news and we congratulate the City of Yarra Council for understanding the urgency required for action on climate change and providing a platform for this to occur immediately.
In other news, on the 13th of June we held a community meeting focusing on community outreach issues. The meeting stimulated some interesting discussion and produced some clear projects to begin work on. These included - development of material for stalls and holding informative stalls at local events, running some local based forums within schools and business, and further developing a federal election campaign. If you are at all interested in these projects or have some further ideas please do not hesitate in contacting us. We believe this will be the start of putting our community on track for a zero emissions future.
Our next general meeting will be:
11th July, 6:30pm
Kindness House,
288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy.
At the last council meeting (19th June) recommendations were passed from the report we called for - Reducing Yarra's Greenhouse Emissions. These included the commitment of $225,000 dollars in the 07/08 budget for action on climate change issues and further consideration of the zero net emissions policy, in conjunction with the Environment Strategy (being undertaken by council at the moment).This is fantastic news and we congratulate the City of Yarra Council for understanding the urgency required for action on climate change and providing a platform for this to occur immediately.
In other news, on the 13th of June we held a community meeting focusing on community outreach issues. The meeting stimulated some interesting discussion and produced some clear projects to begin work on. These included - development of material for stalls and holding informative stalls at local events, running some local based forums within schools and business, and further developing a federal election campaign. If you are at all interested in these projects or have some further ideas please do not hesitate in contacting us. We believe this will be the start of putting our community on track for a zero emissions future.
Our next general meeting will be:
11th July, 6:30pm
Kindness House,
288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Costa Rica's target - Carbon Neutral by 2021
President Aims for Carbon Neutrality
The race is on.
In perhaps his boldest environmental move yet, President Oscar Arias announced that Costa Rica will be carbon neutral by 2021 – and hopes to be the first in the world to reach the green benchmark. That means bulking up on forest cover and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, according to experts. The deadline may be new – but Costa Rica's fundamental commitment to the environment isn't, President Arias said in a speech at the Wharton Global Alumni Forum on Business and the Environment at the Real-Intercontinental Hotel in the southwest Central Valley town of Escazú June 7. “While other countries were cutting down their trees, Costa Rica was planting for our future, creating a 10% gain in the amount of territory blessed with leafy vegetation,” he said. The President's announcement came at the tail end of San José's notorious evening rush hour, when thousands of Costa Ricans flee the city for suburbia in cars and old buses belching fumes on heavily congested roads. Despite the honking horns and clouds of exhaust just outside the hotel's windows, Arias reminded his audience that hydrocarbons – including gasoline and diesel – bear a heavy tax burden in Costa Rica, making fuel here more expensive than in any other country in Central America. Three percent of these taxes fund Costa Rica's cutting-edge payment for environmental services program, called the National Forest Financing Fund (FONAFIFO), which compensates landowners for growing trees. The program doles out almost $15 million a year to more than 8,000 property owners (TT, May 25). “Today Costa Rica is the only developing country to have adopted a tax on hydrocarbons,” Arias said. “An ounce of prevention is worth a gallon of crude.” On World Environment Day last week, Environment and Energy Minister Roberto Dobles announced the country's intentions to promote hybrid vehicles and encourage use of public transportation to cut down on emissions, as well as a tree-planting campaign to continue the reforestation process (TT, June 8). Dozens of the world's most respected leaders in climate change research and economics at the Wharton event applauded the country's commitment, heralding it as the kind of bold initiative required to stem global warming.
To read the full article follow the links below:
All Our Relations: Native Struggles for Land and Life (Published by the Tico Times, 6/15/07)
http://www.ticotimes.net/topstory.htm By Dave Sherwood dsherwood@ticotimes.net
The race is on.
In perhaps his boldest environmental move yet, President Oscar Arias announced that Costa Rica will be carbon neutral by 2021 – and hopes to be the first in the world to reach the green benchmark. That means bulking up on forest cover and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, according to experts. The deadline may be new – but Costa Rica's fundamental commitment to the environment isn't, President Arias said in a speech at the Wharton Global Alumni Forum on Business and the Environment at the Real-Intercontinental Hotel in the southwest Central Valley town of Escazú June 7. “While other countries were cutting down their trees, Costa Rica was planting for our future, creating a 10% gain in the amount of territory blessed with leafy vegetation,” he said. The President's announcement came at the tail end of San José's notorious evening rush hour, when thousands of Costa Ricans flee the city for suburbia in cars and old buses belching fumes on heavily congested roads. Despite the honking horns and clouds of exhaust just outside the hotel's windows, Arias reminded his audience that hydrocarbons – including gasoline and diesel – bear a heavy tax burden in Costa Rica, making fuel here more expensive than in any other country in Central America. Three percent of these taxes fund Costa Rica's cutting-edge payment for environmental services program, called the National Forest Financing Fund (FONAFIFO), which compensates landowners for growing trees. The program doles out almost $15 million a year to more than 8,000 property owners (TT, May 25). “Today Costa Rica is the only developing country to have adopted a tax on hydrocarbons,” Arias said. “An ounce of prevention is worth a gallon of crude.” On World Environment Day last week, Environment and Energy Minister Roberto Dobles announced the country's intentions to promote hybrid vehicles and encourage use of public transportation to cut down on emissions, as well as a tree-planting campaign to continue the reforestation process (TT, June 8). Dozens of the world's most respected leaders in climate change research and economics at the Wharton event applauded the country's commitment, heralding it as the kind of bold initiative required to stem global warming.
To read the full article follow the links below:
All Our Relations: Native Struggles for Land and Life (Published by the Tico Times, 6/15/07)
http://www.ticotimes.net/topstory.htm By Dave Sherwood dsherwood@ticotimes.net
Has to make you wonder what the response from other countries will be. After all if Costa Rica can do it - Why can't we??
Monday, June 18, 2007
Target Zero
The Zero Emission Network Zero Emission Conference TARGET ZERO is going ahead soon.
The Conference has two parts.
The first day will focus on the solutions needed to implement a fast transition to a Zero Emissions Minus future.
The second day will consist of campaign skills training, workshops, Zero Emission Network AGM and a strategic planning meeting.
Date: June 30 / July 1 Venue: Casey Plaza Theater - RMIT - Melbourne
Speakers/registration will be confirmed in the coming 1-2 weeks.
Costs will be kept as low as possible.
Sponsor inquiries welcome.
Contact Adrian[at]zeroemissionnetwork.org.au and keep a look out for registration details in the coming weeks at http://zeroemissionnetwork.org.au
The Conference has two parts.
The first day will focus on the solutions needed to implement a fast transition to a Zero Emissions Minus future.
The second day will consist of campaign skills training, workshops, Zero Emission Network AGM and a strategic planning meeting.
Date: June 30 / July 1 Venue: Casey Plaza Theater - RMIT - Melbourne
Speakers/registration will be confirmed in the coming 1-2 weeks.
Costs will be kept as low as possible.
Sponsor inquiries welcome.
Contact Adrian[at]zeroemissionnetwork.org.au and keep a look out for registration details in the coming weeks at http://zeroemissionnetwork.org.au
Thursday, June 14, 2007
GE Forum
Public Forum: GE-free - why Victoria should stay that way
When: Thursday, June 21, 6 - 7.30pm Where: The 60L Building, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton
Cost: Free More info: truefood@au.greenpeace.org
The forum will be hosted by Greenpeace and GeneEthics and includes the following speakers:
Dr Judy Carmen: Epidemiologist, biochemist and Director of the Institute of Health and Environmental Research
Dr Maarten Stapper: former CSIRO scientist and organic farming expert
Julie Newman: former vice president of WA Farmers Federation Grains Council and National spokesperson for the Network of Concerned Farmers
(also a great chance to check out 60L - one of the best examples of commercial green building in Australia)
When: Thursday, June 21, 6 - 7.30pm Where: The 60L Building, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton
Cost: Free More info: truefood@au.greenpeace.org
The forum will be hosted by Greenpeace and GeneEthics and includes the following speakers:
Dr Judy Carmen: Epidemiologist, biochemist and Director of the Institute of Health and Environmental Research
Dr Maarten Stapper: former CSIRO scientist and organic farming expert
Julie Newman: former vice president of WA Farmers Federation Grains Council and National spokesperson for the Network of Concerned Farmers
(also a great chance to check out 60L - one of the best examples of commercial green building in Australia)
Monday, June 11, 2007
YCAN! Community Meeting, 13th June
YCAN! has been busy on a number of fronts over the past few months. We have begun lobbying the Yarra council to move to a Zero Net Emissions policy, engaging the state and federal government on no new coal fired power stations and general climate change issues, compiling a submission for the Eddington inquiry and attending various community events.
It is now time to begin and launch our community outreach projects. We have some ideas, but really, we want to hear from you! What do you need to begin and further address climate change within your life? How can we as a community work together to achieve a sustainable future!
Please come along to our next meeting and tell us what you and the community needs. We're excited about the difference we can all make, here and NOW!
When: Wednesday, 13th June
Where: Kindness House, 288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Time: 6:30pm -7:30pm
It is now time to begin and launch our community outreach projects. We have some ideas, but really, we want to hear from you! What do you need to begin and further address climate change within your life? How can we as a community work together to achieve a sustainable future!
Please come along to our next meeting and tell us what you and the community needs. We're excited about the difference we can all make, here and NOW!
When: Wednesday, 13th June
Where: Kindness House, 288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Time: 6:30pm -7:30pm
News from G8
From GRIST news
A Jury Of Your Pyrrhus
G8 climate deal is failure or triumph, depending whom you ask
Thursday last week the G8 agreed to a climate deal it's been fine-tuning for weeks.
It notably did not commit to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's goal of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions 50 percent by 2050, but it did say countries would "consider seriously" adopting such a goal. Thanks, George! The agreement also endorses Bush's plan to bring developing countries to the negotiating table, but confirms that the U.N. is the best place to work out future climate treaties.
Many observers were outraged that the U.S. had once again purple-nurpled the world, but others tried to look on the bright side. "While Europe has been itching on the starting blocks for the past decade, Bush has been sulking in the changing room," said one European policy adviser. "At least he is now on the track." Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, chief climate adviser to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, offered this take: "The United States is now on a bandwagon they cannot stop."
for more updates from G8 summit check out Grist.
A Jury Of Your Pyrrhus
G8 climate deal is failure or triumph, depending whom you ask
Thursday last week the G8 agreed to a climate deal it's been fine-tuning for weeks.
It notably did not commit to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's goal of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions 50 percent by 2050, but it did say countries would "consider seriously" adopting such a goal. Thanks, George! The agreement also endorses Bush's plan to bring developing countries to the negotiating table, but confirms that the U.N. is the best place to work out future climate treaties.
Many observers were outraged that the U.S. had once again purple-nurpled the world, but others tried to look on the bright side. "While Europe has been itching on the starting blocks for the past decade, Bush has been sulking in the changing room," said one European policy adviser. "At least he is now on the track." Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, chief climate adviser to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, offered this take: "The United States is now on a bandwagon they cannot stop."
for more updates from G8 summit check out Grist.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
PM defers setting carbon target
Far from the desired target of 'zero emissions now', the PM has again taken a less than proactive role in the fight against climate change.
John Howard says Australia will set a carbon emissions target next year.
Speaking at the Liberal Party's Federal Council today, Mr Howard laid out the Government's policy to tackle climate change.He has given the Government until 2012 to introduce a carbon emissions trading scheme, which would be national in scope and "as comprehensive as practicable".
He also worryingly repeated his belief that nuclear energy had an important role to play in Australia's response to climate change.
For the full article see today's Age here.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
