Author Archive
Call to end toxic mercury containing fluorescent lighting, also saving greenhouse gas emissions
Climate Action Moreland has joined more than 200 organisations globally in signing a letter to remove 3.5 Gigatons of CO2 emissions between 2025 and 2050 by ending toxic lighting. The letter is targeted at Heads of Delegations to COP4.2 of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. It would also avoid 232 metric tons of mercury pollution from leaking into the environment between 2025-2050, both from the lamps themselves and from avoided burning of coal in power plants.
The open letter asks that the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP-4) – Second segment – must deliver on its mission to Make Mercury History and phase-out toxic mercury-containing fluorescent lighting. The meeting is on March 21, 2022.
Australia signed the Minnamata Convention on 10 October 2013, and ratified the convention on 7 December 2021. Read more at the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment on Australia and the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
(more…)Submission: Moreland Council Budget 2021/22
On Wednesday 2 June Moreland Council had it’s formal submission feedback session to Councillors over zoom on the Draft Council Budget in 2021/22. The Climate Action Moreland submission was six and a half pages in length. Convenor John Englart briefly summarised the submission for Councillors.
Our submission called for increased expenditure to address the climate emergency, and addressed issues across the following areas:
- Infrastructure to improve uptake of Sustainable Transport
- Street trees, in particular the maintenance and protection of trees
- Permeable and low carbon surfaces
- Leisure Centres (in particular Fawkner Leisure Centre redevelopment)
- Open Space
- Comment on other strategic initiatives in the budget, including how to Phaseout gas in council facilities
Petition: Zero emissions by 2030 target for Moreland Council
The City of Moreland declared a climate emergency in September 2018. It has a current zero community emissions 2040 target. Climate Action Moreland and Neighbours United for Climate Action has a petition to Moreland Council to reduce this zero emissions target to 2030. This is consistent with recent science in addressing the urgency of global warming.
Sign the petition at: https://www.petitions.net/moreland_council_adopt_a_zero_carbon_moreland_target_by_2030
North-east Ward – Moreland Council 2020 election candidate responses on climate
MorelandVotes NE Ward Zoom Forum
South Ward – Moreland Council 2020 election candidate responses on climate
Brunswick Residents Network MorelandVotes Candidates Forum
North-west ward – Moreland Council 2020 election candidate responses on climate
MorelandVotes NW Ward Zoom Forum
Moreland Council 2020 election – candidate forums and climate info
Moreland Council election
Moreland Council, along with many other municipal and shire councils in Victoria, will go to the polls on 24 October 2020. Nominations close at 12 noon, 32 days before the election day on 22 September. (See Knowyour Council guide to Elections)
Enrolment closed at 4 pm on Friday 28 August 2020. You can check your enrolment at the Victorian Electoral Commission and update details.
Postal voting starts 6 October, 2020. The election will be by postal ballot. Please use the hastag #MorelandVotes on election social media.
Climate Action Moreland surveyed candidates, asking them to sign a climate emergency declaration, which is in keeping with the existing declaration by Council in 2018. Forums for candidates were run for each of the three Council Wards.
Responses will be published on posts for each ward that will contain the list of candidates, party affiliation or alignment (if any), public contact information (website, facebook, twitter if available), and their answers. We may also add extra information or links to 3rd party websites where we think it empowers voters on making an informed decision at the ballot box.
- South Ward Candidate List and responses – 3 councillors to be elected
- North East Ward Candidate List and responses – 4 councillors to be elected
- North West Ward Candidate List and responses – 4 councillors to be elected
Call for Moratorium on Melbourne Airport expansion
Australia’s increasing aviation emissions – Source: The Elephant in the Sky
In September 2018 Climate Action Moreland joined the global Stay Grounded Network in working to limit aviation emissions, as authorised by our monthly meeting.
“We are strongly advocating for a moratorium on expansion of Melbourne airport infrastructure”, said John Englart, Convenor of local climate group Climate Action Moreland.
Melbourne Airport is the main domestic and international airport for the city and is located just to the north of Moreland municipality. The northern suburbs of Moreland are likely to be directly affected by the flight path of a proposed third runway.
“We are very concerned that the growth dynamic embedded within the airline industry and the private Melbourne Airport Corporation, supported by both the Victorian and Federal Governments, will lead directly to a massive increase in flights and an increase in aviation carbon emissions and climate impact.” said John Englart.
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North East Ward Moreland Council 2016 election candidate responses on climate change
For North East ward 4 Councillors are to be elected, 20 candidates. See VEC Moreland City Council 2016 Nominations. The following is the list of candidates as they will appear on the ballot paper. We have linked all candidate responses to us and indicated if candidates are aligned with any political party.
The election is on Saturday 22 October. See the results.
MIAN, Afshan (ALP aligned)
IRFANLI, Ali (IND)(Response)
FAILLA, Paul (IND)(Response)
GEORGIOU, George (IND)(Response)
KELLEHER, Darcey (IND)(Response)
HELOU, Anthony (ALP aligned)
ABBOUD, Natalie (Greens) (Response)
CARLI HANNAN, Annalivia (ALP aligned)(Response)
HONG, Kevin (No VEC contact)
MICHELL, Danny (ALP aligned)
PULFORD, Adam (Greens)
PAVLIDIS, Helen
TIMPANO, Francesco (IND)(Response)
GARTSIDE, Gordon
*BOLTON, Sue (Socialist Alliance)(Response)
ANGELOPOULOS, Katerina (ALP aligned)(Response)
McGILVRAY, Alex (Greens)(Response)
NUNNS, David (ALP aligned)
BONIFAZIO, Antonio (IND) (Response)
JUBB, Imogen (IND)(Response)
* – an asterisk before name signifies a current councillor standing for re-election. If a candidate has no information after their name it may indicate they did not provide email contact details to the VEC or failed to respond to our survey.
North West Ward Moreland Council 2016 election candidate responses on climate change
For North West ward 4 Councillors are to be elected, 14 candidates. See VEC Moreland City Council 2016 Nominations. The following is the list of candidates as they will appear on the ballot paper. We have linked all candidate responses to us and indicated if candidates are aligned with any political party.
The election is on Saturday 22 October. See the results.
SHAKYA, Raju
O’BRIEN, Mark (No VEC email contact)(ALP aligned)
*KAVANAGH, John (IND) (Response)
MULIPOLA, Alesio
MINEHAN, Shaun (IND)(Response)
*YILDIZ, Oscar (ALP aligned)(Response)
PRYOR, Alice Judith (ALP aligned)(Response)
ASTUTO, Tony (No VEC email contact)
SHARMA LUITAL, Parsu (ALP aligned)
ELMUSTAPHA, Mohamad
*DAVIDSON, Helen (IND)
NELSON, Sian (Greens)(Response)
EL-HALABI, Milad (ALP aligned)
MARTIN, Dale (Greens)(Response)
* – an asterisk before name signifies a current councillor standing for re-election. If a candidate has no information after their name it may indicate they did not provide email contact details to the VEC or failed to respond to our survey.
Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change 