Friends of the Earth, Australia news

Friends of the Earth, Australia is a federation of independent local groups. You can join FoE by contacting your local group. For further details, see: <www.foe.org.au>. There is a monthly email newsletter which includes details on our campaigns here and around the world. You can subscribe via the FoEA website.

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Holly Creenaune wins human rights award

Holly Creenaune from FoE Sydney has been awarded a University of Technology Human Rights Award. The Award, presented by High Court Justice Michael Kirby, cited her "tireless commitment to a range of social justice and human rights organisations and activities including Indigenous rights, climate change and environmental justice".

Holly is active with FoE Sydney, the Australian Student Environment Network and the Sydney Nuclear Free Coalition among other causes and organisations. Congratulations Holly!

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On the frontline of climate change: Carteret Islanders national speaking tour

After months of organising, FoE recently hosted a speaking tour featuring Ursula Rakova and Bernard Tunim from the Carteret Islands. We held public forums in Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne and 'roundtables' in most of these cities, bringing together aid and development organisations, churches, environmental groups and academics to hear the Carteret story of dislocation and relocation.

We had a successful two-day lobby trip in Canberra, where we visited Coalition, ALP, Democrat and Green politicians and staffers as well as having high-level meetings with AusAID and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Oxfam Australia joined us as partners for the tour. This was our first major collaboration with Oxfam since the 2004 carbon equity tour. Local partners and supporters included Aid/watch, Mineral Policy Institute, Greens senator Kerry Nettle, Australian Ethical Investment, City of Yarra, Sisters of Mercy and Rising Tide in Newcastle.

We are currently deciding what level of work we can do in future with the NGO Tulele Peisa ('Sailing the waves'), which has been set up to support the relocation from the Carterets to Bougainville.

Recordings of some of the public forums and photos from the tour can be found at <www.foe.org.au/climate-justice>.

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Your Carbon Accountability

Thinking of trying to offset your greenhouse emissions? Carbon offset schemes have a number of problems that make them ineffective at best, and potentially dangerous at worst.

FoE has just launched a new program to raise awareness about the flaws in offset schemes. Your Carbon Accountability argues that:
* affluent people in rich nations need to be making the biggest lifestyle changes and reducing their contribution to global warming;
* we need to minimise the impact of greenhouse emissions now — we can't afford to think that the greenhouse emissions from a plane journey can be 'neutralised' over fifty years; and
* we need systemic change so that it becomes easier to not fly, not drive and not hyper-consume — this requires concerted political action at all levels and some fundamental changes in our political economy.

Your Carbon Accountability recognises that air travel is sometimes unavoidable. FoE Australia suggests that if you must fly, donate a meaningful amount to the FoE climate justice campaign rather than a trivial amount trying to offset your carbon. Your financial support will help to address the political and economic factors driving climate change.

Read more at <www.foe.org.au>.

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Australian Nuclear Free Alliance

The Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (formerly the Alliance Against Uranium) is celebrating its tenth year of bringing together Indigenous people and environmentalists to stand strong in opposition to uranium mining and the nuclear fuel chain.

In August, around 100 people participated in an Alliance meeting held in Werre Therre country, near Alice Springs. The site is directly across the road from one of the Coalition government's proposed nuclear waste dump sites.

The Alliance was formed in response to the threat that as many as 26 new uranium mines might be developed under the Howard government.  The fact that only one new mine has begun operation in the past decade is a testament to the strength and perseverance of Traditional Owners and the anti-nuclear movement.

FoE Australia acts as the secretariat of the Alliance.

Many thanks to Jayne Alexander, Nat Wasley, Michaela Stubbs, Sophie Green and everyone else who worked to make the 2007 meeting a success.

More information: <www.foe.org.au/anti-nuclear/issues/alliance>.

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Traditional Owners speak out: No nuclear waste dump in the NT

In June, Traditional Owners and community members from areas proposed for the Coalition government's nuclear waste dump undertook an east-coast speaking tour. Speakers shared their stories and experiences and raised concerns related to contamination of the country that sustains their communities, livelihoods and culture.

Speakers included Mt Everard Traditional Owner Audrey McCormack; Harts Range community members Priscilla Williams and Mitch; Muckaty Traditional Owner Dianne Stokes; and Donna Jackson, a Larrakia/Wulna woman and coordinator of the Top End Aboriginal Conservation Alliance.

The tour also featured an exhibition of artworks from affected communities, photos of the proposed dump sites and a short film.

The tour was supported by The Poola Foundation (Tom Kantor Fund), Northern Territory government, Australian Conservation Foundation, Friends of the Earth, The Wilderness Society, Medical Association for Prevention of War, Australian Student Environment Network, Arid Lands Environment Centre, Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre, and Nuclear Free Australia.

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George Monbiot: what Australia should do to stop the planet burning

George Monbiot is an internationally renowned journalist, acclaimed author, academic and environmental and political activist in the UK who writes a weekly column for The Guardian newspaper. In his most recent book, Heat, he presents compelling arguments about what we need to do to prevent catastrophic climate change.

In July, George delivered a presentation via an interactive video conference where attendees at the Melbourne University venue were able to ask questions after his presentation. He focussed his talk on what we need to do internationally and in Australia to work towards a liveable future for our children.

George's presentation can be downloaded from: <www.foe.org.au/resources/audio-centre>. His website is: <www.monbiot.com>.