Australia wins at not honouring 1.5C climate commitment.
Australia wins not honouring the 1.5C commitment Fossil award
Australia took out an international award on the eve of the Climate Ambition international conference. But it is not an award to celebrate.
Australia was handed the international ‘Fossil Award’ for failing to honour our climate commitments under the Paris Accord. Five years ago Australia signed the Paris Agreement at the UN climate talks known as COP21. Australia even agreed to 1.5 degrees target inclusion in the Draft climate agreement.
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Time for a Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty
Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
Climate Action Moreland has endorsed the international call for a Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty.
This is an initiative to phase-out fossil fuels and fast-track solutions.
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Taking the temperature of Moreland Playgrounds and surfaces
Hot seat, hot synthetic surface. CB Smith Reserve
Summer is fast approaching and already we have had days with temperatures reaching into the low 30s Celsius degree level. Surfaces in Moreland heat up much more than the ambient temperatures.
This build up of heat in surfaces such as footpaths, roads, buildings, playground equipment and synthetic turf, contributes to the urban heat island effect, which tends to be much more pronounced in highly built up urban areas such as in Moreland.
Particularly notable is that synthetic surfaces have higher spot temperatures than either asphalt or concrete surfaces when all are in full sun.
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Climate Emergency toolkit for Councils launched
Local Government climate emergency toolkit
Former City of Moreland Councillor Dale Martin has authored a Local Government climate emergency toolkit, drawing upon his experience as a Councillor, and also consultation with other Councillors and community members (including with Climate Action Moreland).
The toolkit offers practical recommendations for how local governments (also known as city councils and local councils) can take immediate action to address the climate emergency.
It is written for local government councillors, Council officers and community members who want to take climate action.
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Gas leak closes down Sydney Road shops in Coburg: we need transition off gas
Coburg Gas leak
A large gas leak in Coburg has closed down Sydney Road between Bell street and Harding street, threatening the strip shopping area including Victoria Street Mall.
The hazardous gas leak at 424 Sydney Rd, Coburg, has prompted an emergency warning at 12.20pm on Sunday 15 November. Gas fumes spread towards Victoria St Mall. All Gas services in the area have been impacted.
Let’s get this straight: Gas is a fossil fuel. Gas leaks can be dangerous (explosive potential). Breathing Gas can affect our health. There are fugitive emissions leaks throughout the distribution system.
We need to transition residential and business customers off gas both for short term safety and health, and long term climate safety. There are good alternatives to gas for heating, cooking and most industrial uses.
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Green New Deal for Victoria passes in Upper House motion
Samantha Ratnam: Green New Deal for Victoria
On Wednesday the Legislative Council passed a motion for a Green New deal for Victoria. This motion was put forward by the Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam (Northern Metropolitan) and was supported by the Labor Party and by crossbench MPs. It comes just two weeks before the Victorian state budget will be delivered.
Samantha Ratnam is a former Councillor and Mayor of Moreland.
Congratulations to Samantha Ratnam, Leader of the Greens, in putting this motion forward; and for the Labor Party and crossbench MPs, including Fiona Patten from Northern Metropolitan Region, for supporting it.
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Epidemic Thunderstorm asthma warning: expected to become more frequent and severe due to climate change.
VicHealth warning map for thunderstorm asthma forr 11 November 2020
This is an extreme weather warning for tomorrow (Wednesday 11 November 2020) for epidemic thunderstorm asthma. Anyone who suffers asthma or heyfever should have their medications and asthma plan ready. Risk is rated as moderate for tomorrow.
The Victorian Health Department advises:
“People with current, past or undiagnosed asthma or hay fever are considered to be at risk. Having both asthma and hay fever or poorly controlled asthma increases the risk further. Those at increased risk should:
* avoid exposure to any storms that may emerge, especially the wind gusts that precede them
* have a reliever appropriately available (as discussed with your doctor or pharmacist)
* remind themselves of their asthma action plan and have practical knowledge of the four steps of asthma first aid.”
Is Moreland prepared for a mega-drought?
Drought stress on wetlands
New research from the University of Queensland suggests that Mega-droughts – droughts that last two decades or longer – are tipped to increase thanks to climate change.
Professor Hamish McGowan, the leading author of the new study, said the findings suggested climate change would lead to increased water scarcity, reduced winter snow cover, more frequent bushfires and wind erosion. The research looked at geological records from the Eemian Period – 129,000 to 116,000 years ago – when temperature were similar to or slightly higher than today.
Mega droughts will change how we use water, and also have implications for food security both locally and nationally.
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Election results for Moreland Council 2020 and candidate priorities 2021-24
The election results for City of Moreland Council have been announced. Some old Councillors re-elected, some new Councillors.
The new Council will be made up of: 4 Greens, 3 Labor, 4 Independents. Five of the eleven Councillors are women maintaining a good gender split. But the results in North West Ward have been brought into doubt due to what appears to be intentional postal vote tampering. (See news reports at The ABC and The Age). The VEC announced on Nov 3 referral of the matter to Victoria Police and the Local Government Inspectorate, and the results to be referred to VCAT to determine further action.
With visits to our website starting to rise in mid September, October provided our highest site visits on record since our website was established in 2009, and nearly double the number of visits compared to the 2016 Council election campaign. Moreland residents were eager to find out where candidates stood on climate and sustainability, especially during this time when we are all under stress due to the pandemic.
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Cities Power Partnership Climate Awards 2020
Climate Awards 2020
No, Moreland Council didn’t win, indeed wasn’t even listed as a finalist, in the Climate Council Cities Power Partnership Climate Awards 2020.
These awards were presented by the ABC Fight for Planet A presenter Craig Reucassel in a webinar on Thursday night, 29 October 2020. They showcased the depth and breadth of Councils across Australia taking climate action in many different ways, through many different projects, even during this time of pandemic. Taking action for the Climate emergency.
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