Posts filed under ‘Policy’
Merribek NGOs advocate for Australian climate commitments for COP27
The following statement was sent to Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen and Federal MP for Wills Peter Khalil on 9 October 2022 urging them to adopt commitments regarding the Global methane Pledge, climate finance and rejoining the Green Climate Fund, to take to the UN climate conference COP27.
We look like already achieving a partial win on this. On 13 October Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said on Radio National that Australia is considering signing the Global Methane Pledge, reports the Guardian.
(more…)Forum on Transport issues for Merribek for 2022 #vicvotes state election
Local Candidates for the 2022 state election discussed transport issues for Brunswick and the northern region in a forum organised by The Metropolitan Transport Forum and hosted by the City of Merri-bek at Brunswick Town Hall on 4 October 2022.
Some of the local issues discussed included:
- frequency and reliability of trains on the Upfield Line and the need to duplicate and extend the line;
- better bus services especially on Sundays;
- more level access tram stops to boost accessibility for all;
- safe cycling and provision of local protected cycling infrastructure.
- Refurbishment of Sydney Road to increase safety and liveability for all users
- Brunswick Level Crossing Removal
Climate and sustainability Comment on Council agenda 10 August 2022
Our comment on Moreland (Merri-Bek) Council agenda for 10 August 2022, sent to all Councillors.
Dear Councillors,
There are a few agenda items of significance at Council meeting in August. Two deal with improving cycling infrastructure, one with advocacy for improving public transport (buses) as part of a northern region assessment. These three agenda items are important for addressing transport emissions in Moreland.
Transport is about 16 percent of Moreland’s community emissions profile, with automotive emissions being 12 percent. (Refer Snapshot July 2019-June 2020 https://snapshotclimate.com.au/locality/municipality/australia/victoria/moreland/2019/fy )
The Councillor NOM on a Council policy on surfaces for sportsfields and open spaces is also important for climate and sustainability considerations.
(more…)Submission: Setting Victoria’s 2035 climate target
What should Victoria’s 2035 emissions reduction target be? We strongly believe it should be science based taking into account our carbon budget with global equity considerations. The Victorian Government called for submissions by June 5, 2022. Our submissions concentrated on Transport, as we see that is a major policy blind spot with regard to public transport, active transport and aviation.
- Victoria’s target for 2020 was to cut emissions by 15-20% below 2005 levels. That target was achieved two years early.
- Victoria’s target for 2025 is to cut emissions by 28-33% below 2005 levels.
- Victoria’s target for 2030 is to cut emissions by 45-50% below 2005 levels.
Read our submission for 2025 and 2030 targets in which we argued for at minimum the emissions cuts identified by the Combet review matching the science: of at least 43% by 2025 and 67% by 2030 to have any chance of limiting warming to 1. 5°C. (Download PDF version)
The next short-term target, for 2035, must be set by 31 March 2023. An independent panel of experts will advise on a target for 2035, the best action to reach that target and what the pathways to net zero emissions by 2050 could look like. The Panel will prepare a report with their advice to government by 1 March 2023.
(more…)Candidates answer more climate questions in #willsvotes
The people of Wills submitted so many questions and we could only get to a fraction of them during the candidates forum. We then selected a further six questions that had been submitted and sent them to all of the candidates that attended the forum.
Only Leah Horsfall and Sarah Jefford have responded so far – we hope to hear from the other candidates who attended the forum soon (Peter Khalil, Sue Bolton, and Emma Black). You might like to contact them and ask them to respond.
(more…)May 10, 2022 at 5:00 pm morelandclimategroup Leave a comment
Comparing Party policies on climate against Consistency with Paris Agreement 1.5C Goal in #Willsvotes and Victorian Senate
Climate Action Moreland has done an assessment of the published climate, environment and energy policies of the Political parties and candidates standing in the Wills electorate for 2022 and whether they are consistent with the science of climate change and the speed of transition required, and meeting the targets of the Paris Agreement.
We acknowledge climate policy is only one lens to view these Political Parties, but given it is a climate emergency we think it is a pretty important lens. About three quarters of Wills voters think climate action is a high priority. We also organised with Coburg Uniting Church and Neighbours United for Climate Action a Meet the candidates forum on 26 April, with a live recording. Climate risk is already affecting properties and insurance premiums around Australia, including in Moreland.
Our analysis on ranking the parties has been supported by the assessment of Climate Analytics, a leading international climate science and policy analysis NGO..
General Summary ranking of Party Policies against Paris Agreement 1.5C Goal for Wills
| Consistency with Paris Agreement 1.5C Goal | ……….Party………… |
|---|---|
| Ambitous. Consistent with Paris Agreement 1.5C Goal. Specific range of policies. 75% 2030 target, 100% by 2035. Greens will Phase out thermal coal export by 2030. AJP commit to Global Methane pledge, developed climate, agriculture and animals policy highlighting necessity for methane emissions reduction. | The Greens Animal Justice Party |
| Ambituous. May be consistent with PA goal but policies and targets tend to be general. AJP has a developed climate, agriculture and animals policy highlighting necessity for methane emissions reduction. | Victorian Socialists, Socialist Alliance |
| Some Ambition & some good well developed policies especially on Renewables, rewiring the grid, employment, EV adoption, but insufficient to meet PA goal. 43% 2030 target. Supports Gas expansion. Qualified support for new coal. Supports CCS. No commitment to sign Global methane Pledge. | Australian Labor Party |
| Limited targets and policies, but highly insufficient to meet PA goal. 26-28% 2030 target. Supports gas and coal expansion, CCS. Rejected signing Global Methane Pledge | Liberal Party |
| No Ambition, no action, likely to worsen climate crisis | United Australia Party Australian Federation Party |
| Denies and questions climate science. Step on the pedal for fossil fuels | Pauline Hanson One Nation |
Peter Khalil asks about tech fairy dust in Net Zero Plan
Peter Khalil, MP for Wills, was part of the Labor questioning of the Prime Minister in Question time in the House of Representatives today. It follows Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s launch of a Net zero by 2050 Plan, that was widely criticised (including by Climate Action Moreland many climate advocacy organisations) (See Blog: Morrison Net Zero 2050 Plan a fraud, with plans to double coal exports, new gas expansion)
It is clear the Government’s plan relies on substantial fairy dust to get to Net Zero by 2050. It is also highly reliant on the problematic Technology Investment Roadmap which places much emphasis and hope on developing at commercial scale a substantial Carbon Capture and Storage industry to process Blue Hydrogen (to market as clean hydrogen) from fossil gas and coal. Carbon Capture and storage is expensive’ and energy intensive without guaranteeing 100 per cent sequestration. There is only one operating commercial plant using CCS technology globally. Australia has already poured over $4 billion into Carbon Capture and Storage with little technology to show for it.
(more…)Zero is good, but Morrison fails Australia with no new 2030 target for COP26
Climate advocacy Community groups and organisations have welcomed the announcement today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Net Zero, but have strongly criticised not increasing Australia’s low 2030 target that was set by Prime Minister Abbott in 2015.
Climate Action Moreland put out a Joint statement of 40 climate advocacy organisations in response to the Federal Government’s net zero emissions announcement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor.
“Australia is taking a technology not taxes meet and cheat projection to Glasgow, which is another way of climate delay and denial while expanding fossil fuel production,” said Climate Action Moreland Convenor, John Englart.
Morrison said in his press conference “You will be supported by our data projection that will see us exceed our 2030 target with emissions reduction of up to 35% by 2030. We will keep our commitment, though, when it comes to our pledge that we made, and took to the last election of 26 to 28%, but we will meet it, and we will beat it. And we’ll beat it with emissions reductions we believe about the 35%.” said Morrison.
But the work of all the states will see Australia achieve 37-42% emissions reduction, according to scientific modelling and projections by Climateworks Australia associated with Monash University. The Federal Government is doing little effective climate action according to modelling on 2030 climate targets.
“This is the right plan for Australia – to summarise the outcome from it, which we’ll see in the plan, Australians $2,000 better off on average in 2050 compared with no Australian action.” says Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor at the press conference.
“Acting fast with renewables with strong 2030 targets showed citizens would be $5000 better off according to Business Council of Australia report.” said John Englart.
(more…)Prime Minister urged to increase climate action
Climate Action Moreland joined over 100 other organisations in August in a Declaration calling for a Better Future and increased climate action. This includes City of Moreland. An open letter dated 21 August was sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
The Declaration was associated with the Better Futures online conference that was conducted over three days – 17-19 August 2021.
(more…)New Victorian interim climate targets welcome but underwhelming
Today the Victorian Government announced the interim emissions reduction climate targets for 2025 and 2030. This announcement has been delayed for over a year due to the pandemic.
The targets announced are to reduce emissions by 28-33 per cent by 2025 and 45-50 per cent by 2030.
Awesome you say? 50 percent reduction by 2030, similar to what President Biden announced at the Biden Climate Summit on April 22. Not so fast.
The Independent Expert Panel recommended Victoria set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets of:
- 32-39% below 2005 levels in 2025 and
- 45-60% below 2005 levels in 2030.
Even this was not consistent with keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees, and the numerous risks enumerated in the IPCC Special Report on Global warming of 1.5C1.
The Combet Review identified emission cuts of at least 43% by 2025 and 67% by 2030 to have any chance of limiting warming to 1. 5°C, yet justified lower targets, even though there is scientific research3 that indicates there are several dangerous tipping points that should require substantial risk minimisation in setting ambitious targets. Read our submission from July 2019.
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Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change 