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.
Friends of the Earth has long argued for the need for a national Just Transition Authority
Now, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has issued a call for the Albanese government to establish an independent and properly resourced national Energy Transition Authority to manage an orderly and fair transition process for affected workers – including support for redeployment, skills and training, and secure job opportunities.
Land & water
Changing Beautifully: Transforming Carbon
"What would happen if we talked of caring for carbon?", asks Aviva Reed, a transdisciplinary visual ecologist, for Chain Reaction #143. Perhaps always thinking of carbon as the "enemy" of the climate erases the place it has in the ecology of life? This beautiful image-essay shares two of Aviva's visual artworks, and radical ecological philosophy about the importance of interrogating our relationship with carbon.
Economics for Earth
Possible Mindsets for Post-Extractive Futures
To become post-extractivist, we need to ask some deep, searching, questions about what the extent to which we're willing to change our mindsets and ways of living, writes Aia Newport for Chain Reaction #143. "How do we face the western addiction to convenience and consumption and admit there is no space for private luxuries in a post-extractivist world? How do we overcome our fears and learn to share and co-operate?"
Land & water
Australia’s Mining Rush for Green Energy
Australia is leading a mining boom to provide resources for the ‘green energy transition’ - a transformation in energy and infrastructure which the Paris Agreement (2015) stipulates must occur to avoid perilous levels of global heating. Within Australia and globally, this mining expansion is affecting already stressed environments and communities, with impacts likely to dramatically increase as mining projects are pushed through to meet industry demands.
Indigenous Land & Rights
Citizens Declare Protection of Whale Songline Country
This year on World Environment Day, Gunditjmara Whale Dreaming Custodians and Local Gunditj community of the Warrnambool area invited the general community to come together and share in ceremony and the story of Koontapool, the Southern Right Whale, in celebration of their annual return to Gunditjmara Sea Country. This was a special, profound, and unique event for the Warrnambool community.
Economics for Earth
What is Extractivism?
The extractivist development model has been in place and perpetuated since colonial times. But what do we actually mean when we say something is "extractivist" or "post-extractivist"? Natalie Lowrey and Anisa Rogers provide an overview of the terms for Chain Reaction #143.
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.
Land & water
Protecting our Native Forests for Climate and Public Health
Forests can help us mitigate climate impacts - yet Victoria's native forests are being logged and burned, writes Alana Mountain 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.
Land & water
COVID was just a practice run
The Lismore floods show that radical action needs to be taken now, writes Zianna Faud for Chain Reaction #142 - "...although I have trust in spontaneous and unpredictable social transformation, the truth is, there is no such thing as ‘normal’ anymore."