As emergency workers assist South Australians with the fallout from a historic storm that knocked down multiple power lines, causing a blackout across the state, national environment organisation Friends of the Earth say the storm is a wake up call to act on climate change and disaster preparedness. “Playing politics while South Australians deal with an unprecedented natural disaster is dangerous and the community expects better. The facts are that climate change is set to increase the number of extreme weather events, yet ideologues have wasted no time in blaming renewables for the state-wide blackout" said Cam Walker, Friends of the Earth's campaigns coordinator.

Join us on Tuesday September 13 to find out how you can get involved. The fossil fuel sector has mounted an aggressive attack South Australia’s renewable energy leadership in recent weeks. These interests are trying to undermine renewable energy’s reputation and intimidate states who are taking leadership, such as the ACT, Victoria, and South Australia.  The fossil fuel lobby will do anything to stop our transition to 100% renewables. They're prepared to sacrifice South Australian jobs, investment in regional communities, and our climate to protect their own interests. FoE's Yes 2 Renewables is ready to defend renewables... But we can't do it alone. 

National Convention Centre Canberra on Friday 19 August [Check here for our response to the COAG meeting]. The fossil fuel sector has mounted an aggressive attack on South Australia’s renewable energy leadership in recent weeks.These interests are trying to undermine renewable energy’s reputation and destabilise states who are taking leadership, such as the ACT, SA, and Victoria.The coordinated attack on renewable energy is an attempt to pressure state and federal energy ministers into a pro-gas agenda at the upcoming COAG Energy Council meeting in Canberra on Friday August 19.What's the antidote to the smear campaign of fossil fuel backers?... THE COMMUNITY!

The fossil fuel sector has mounted an aggressive attack on South Australia’s renewable energy leadership in recent weeks.These interests are trying to undermine renewable energy’s reputation and destabilise states who are taking leadership, such as the ACT, SA, and Victoria.The coordinated attack on renewable energy is an attempt to pressure state and federal energy ministers into a pro-gas agenda at the upcoming COAG Energy Council meeting in Canberra on Friday August 19.What's the antidote to the smear campaign of fossil fuel backers?... THE COMMUNITY!

The announcement by the Queensland Government's Minister for the Environment Stephen Miles to make the Fitzroy Delta a declared fish habitat marks the end to the Balaclava Island Coal Export Terminal proposed by then Xstrata (Glencore). At the height of Australia's coal boom, the pristine waters of the Fitzroy Delta and Balaclava Island's wetland were proposed for development to support coal exports. Friends of the Earth welcomes the decision by Minister Stephen Miles to protect the Fitzroy Delta, and the waters of Keppel Bay, which are home to the Snubfin Dolphin, and looks forward to the finalisation of the regions planning to protect the area from future development.

New federal energy and environment minister Josh Frydenberg has indicated a significant shift in energy policy for the Coalition. Minister Frydenberg has said that more renewable energy will be required with the decline of coal. The minister has also called for more gas supplies and suppliers and for gas moratoria to be removed. Friends of the Earth are encouraged by the positive rhetoric on renewable energy but urge the new minister to support bans on risky onshore gasfield development. “Mr Frydenberg correctly notes that renewables are not to blame for recent high electricity prices in South Australia” said Cam Walker of Friends of the Earth Australia.

A new report by Friends of the Earth International demonstrates how Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) and Coal Chemical technologies threaten to destabilise the earth’s climate and irreversibly damage local environments. The report, launched today, comes in the wake of UCG being banned in Queensland, Australia. There is interest in and development of UCG in Europe, Russia, Canada, the US, China and India. It is currently under moratorium in Scotland.

VICTORIA, 15 JUNE 2016: A renewable energy boom is on the horizon for Victoria as the Andrews government today announces state Renewable Energy Targets (VRET). The long-awaited announcement comes after a two-and-a-half year community campaign to grow renewables. "The Andrews government's announcement of Victorian Renewable Energy Targets is a big win for communities who want a pathway to 100 percent," said Leigh Ewbank, Friends of the Earth spokesperson. "These targets will make Victoria the national leader when it comes to renewable energy, which is good newsfor manufacturing, regional communities, and our climate."

In the lead-up to the Bendigo in a Warming Future forum, which will be held in Bendigo on June 15, a fieldtrip hosted by local ecologists highlighted the impacts of climate change which are already being felt in northern Victoria. Warning on local climate       Climate change is already taking its toll locally. During a field trip to Bell Swamp and Mount Alexander on Friday, local ecologists pointed out examples of the impact on the region’s ecology. Examining a large group of dead Grey Box at Bell Swamp, located to the north west of Maldon, Damien Cook, ecologist with Rakali Consulting said, “trees die all the time and it's a natural occurrence, but so many dying at once indicates environmental change. These trees were aged between 300 and 500 years and had lived through countless floods and droughts. They’ve died as a consequence of recent extreme weather events – the millennium drought followed by the massive flood of 2011”.

APRIL 18, 2016: Responding to the breaking news that the State Government of Queensland in Australia has just implemented an immediate ban on all underground coal gasification in that State, Chloe Aldenhoven, Coal and Gas Spokesperson for Friends of the Earth (FoE) Australia said: "These kind of radical and dangerous mining techniques show the desperation of a fossil fuel industry going into decline. “We need an international moratorium on this madman technology before it inflicts any more damage on people and the environment." “As they anticipate the inevitable transition to renewable energy, mining companies are inflicting increasingly reckless and environmentally damaging mining techniques on communities.