Climate & Energy Justice
Methane Gas Emissions Wildly Underestimated
A slew of unmeasured methane leaks from platforms and pipelines off Australia’s coast have released large amounts of the dangerous greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, but we will never know exactly how much, and it will certainly not be included in Australia’s emissions calculations.
Climate & Energy Justice
COP27 outcome: Loss and damage fund established in historic first step, but other outcomes perilously weak
A historic breakthrough in deadlocked COP27 talks means a loss and damage fund to compensate developing countries for the irreversible impacts of climate change has been established, despite consistent efforts by the US and other developed countries to derail it. This fund was one of the key demands of developing countries, and it is a welcome first step that had seemed elusive. However, there is still plenty of scope for developed countries to wriggle out of their responsibilities, and other COP27 outcomes were extremely weak.
Climate & Energy Justice
Thousands of fossil gas and oil rigs that could be recycled
Sitting off Australia's coast are scores of rusting fossil gas and oil rigs, hundreds of wells and thousands of kilometres of pipeline, all of which need to be retired over coming years.
In addition, 2600 platforms, amounting to 7.5 million tonnes of steel, will need to be decommissioned across the Indo-Pacific region over the next decade.
Climate & Energy Justice
Justice and equity must accompany every decision at COP27
Friday 4 November 2022, Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt) - To stem runaway climate change, COP27 must steer away from seductive-sounding ‘nature-based solutions’ and geoengineering fixes, and instead focus on cutting fossil fuel emissions at source, say Friends of the Earth International on the eve of the UN climate talks.
Climate & Energy Justice
Volunteer to do immediate disaster relief
We know that climate change is already impacting people and the environment around the world. Locally, the influence of human driven climate change is clear in many recent natural disasters like floods, fires and droughts. We also know that we are locked in to future climate change which will continue to make these disasters worse.
Climate & Energy Justice
Time for a National Just Transition Authority
Australia has traditionally relied on coal fired power stations to meet its energy needs. This is now rapidly changing, as renewable energy and storage becomes cheaper and older coal fired power stations become ever more expensive to run and less reliable.
Climate & Energy Justice
The Workers on the Frontline of Climate Impacts
The Climate Impacts at Work report details that workers are already heavily impacted by climate change - from poorly ventilated kitchens, to accessible housing in heated-surburbia. Anna Langford writes for Chain Reaction #142.
Climate & Energy Justice
Climate Change and Natural Disasters
We know that climate change is already making natural disasters worse. And, we know that action now means less pain later. Cam Walker presents some of the impacts climate change is currently having on natural disasters, in Chain Reaction #142.
Climate & Energy Justice
Climate bill passed in House of Representatives, sent to Senate
August 4, 2022. The House of Representatives has passed the Climate Change 2022 bill. After nine years of delay and denial by the Coalition government, Friends of the Earth Australia welcomes the rapid action by the Albanese government to enact it’s signature climate commitment.
The Labor government, the Greens, community independents and Liberal MP Bridget Archer all voted to support the bill. Sadly, the Coalition opted to remain on the wrong side of both the science and history and voted against the bill.
Climate & Energy Justice
Federal Climate & Environment Policy Platform 2022
Friends of the Earth Australia welcomes the rapid movement of the new federal government on key election commitments, including those covering environment, climate and energy.
We note that the government has already acted to update Australia’s emission reduction targets from the 26-28% target of the Coalition to a new commitment of 43% reduction by 2030.
The federal ALP has a resounding mandate to meet and then exceed its commitments on climate, energy and environment. There has never been a more supportive federal parliament, with strong representation from the Greens and climate independents, who will back more ambitious action. We believe that continued rapid implementation of the existing platform will create many opportunities for deeper emissions cuts and deeper reform of environmental laws.