CLIMATE ACTION SHOWOCTOBER 7th 2024 Produced by Vivien Langford with Simon Walker in UK"CLIMATE MELTDOWN" Antonio Guterres As England closes its last coal fired power plant,  UK Just Stop Oil keeps up the pressure to stop licensing new oil and gas projects. The jail sentences  for acts of non violent civic action are extreme. UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk described the sentences as "deeply troubling".[14] Michel Forst, the United Nations special rapporteur for environmental defenders, attended two days of the trial and was critical of the proceedings, stating that such severe sentences for non-violent protest are "not acceptable in a democracy"Good News -very late in history for UK and far in the future for Australia.https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-30/last-coal-fired-power-plant-in-uk-officially-closes/104378430 Guests1. From the United Nations:Mia Mottley -Prime Minister of Barbados " Prayers and hopes are not strategies that can tackle the climate crisis"Antionio Guterres- Secretary General of the UN - "We are in a crisis of Climate Meltdown" 2. Courtesy of Democracy Now :Amy Goodman and Nermeen ShaikhWe host a roundtable discussion on the climate crisis and the Democratic Party’s response with Ojibwe lawyer and founder of the Giniw Collective Tara Houska; climate organizer Collin Rees, who was part of the ExxonMobil action at the DNC; and climate scientist Michael Mann. Professor Michael Mann - https://thebulletin.org/2024/08/project-2025-the-right-wing-conspiracy-to-torpedo-global-climate-action/Collin Rees - Oil Change US - https://oilchangeus.org/Tara Houska - https://healingmnstories.wordpress.com/2023/08/17/labor-management-strife-at-mn350/ 3. From Simon Walker in UKDr Kush Naker - https://juststopoil.org/       https://fossilfueltreaty.org/Discuss the Whole Truth Five including Roger Hallam who face 4 years in prison.https://novaramedia.com/2024/07/19/the-whole-truth-five-refused-to-be-silenced-and-theyre-heroes-for-it/ 4. From Sydney Environment Institute - Stories are the ToolkitEpisode 1: Coordinating the BoatsFlood-affected communities do not remain idle when the need is urgent. This vignette covers one way in which community members organised a system of tracking and coordinating boat rescues to save lives and to minimise the substantial risk taken by those on the water.New South Wales communities have faced devastating bushfires and floods, intensified by climate change. In response, communities have mobilised, organising crucial response and recovery efforts that have saved lives, provided support, and built long-term resilience. Storytelling is an invaluable tool in risk reduction planning, serving as a powerful means of conveying complex information, fostering community engagement, and preserving cultural heritage.  These narratives often highlight local knowledges, which are crucial for understanding and addressing unique risks and challenges faced by specific regions.   

CLIMATE ACTION RADIO SHOWSeptember 30th 2024Produced by Vivien Langford David Lindenmayer and Tim Flannery: The Forest Wars David Lindenmayer and Tim Flannery discuss the logging and mismanagement of Australia’s native forests and their impact on climate change. This is a discussion conducted at the State Library of NSW 22.08.24 World-leading forest expert Professor David Lindenmayer’s life has been dedicated to forests and forest management. His new book The Forest Wars: The ugly truth about what’s happening in our tall forests exposes the panoply of myths, lies and misinformation that underpins the management of Australia’s native forests, using robust scientific and economic evidence he has gained over 40 years of research.Professor Lindenmayer will be in conversation with one of Australia’s leading writers on climate change, internationally acclaimed scientist and conservationist Professor Tim Flannery. This illuminating conversation will investigate ongoing deep-seated problems with native forest logging, and discuss ways in which we can preserve our priceless forests. Professor David Lindenmayer AO is a world-leading expert on forest conservation and is ranked among Australia's top 50 scientists. Based at the Australian National University, he has led large-scale environmental research programs in Australia for over four decades. He is the author of 49 books on forests, including, his latest The Great Forest. Tim Flannery was 2007 Australian of the Year. In 2013 he founded, and is chief councillor of the Australian Climate Council, Australia’s largest and most successful crowdfunded organisation. Flannery has taught at Harvard University, and has advised governments both in Australia and Canada. In 2007 he established and co-chaired the Copenhagen Climate Council, and in 2011 was appointed Australia’s first Climate Commissioner.A palaeontologist, Professor Flannery has published over 140 peer-reviewed scientific papers and has named 25 living and 50 fossil mammal species, many from PNG. A well-known commentator and author, his 32 books include The Future Eaters (1994), The Weather Makers (2005) and The Climate Cure (2020). 

CLIMATE ACTION RADIO SHOWProduced by Vivien LangfordSeptember 23rd 2024 TAKING CLIMATE TO THE WORLD'S HIGHEST COURT -  THE TALBOT ORATION "Will it take losing all our islands before the world listens to our stories? Still today slowly the once beautiful island that some of my relatives and family call home is being eaten away day by day by the sea"Cynthia Houniuhi, President of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC)To find out more and lend support : https://www.pisfcc.org/icjao Internationally renowned Pacific climate champion, Cynthia Houniuhi, tells her story of fighting for change in the world's highest court.Following her address, Cynthia was joined by a panel of fellow climate campaigners, including ABC presenter and popular television personality, Craig Reucassel, and International Director at the Smart Energy Council, Richie Merzian, in a discussion hosted by 10 News First presenter Narelda Jacobs OAM. As President of Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC), Cynthia led a team of activists to agitate for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to define the responsibilities of nations to combat climate change, and the legal consequences of failing to do so. Born and raised in the Solomon Islands, Cynthia is witnessing first-hand the devastating impacts of climate change in the Pacific and is committed to ensuring nations around the world understand their obligations to take positive climate action. Cynthia and PISFCC are powerful examples of how the work of youth activists is safeguarding the world for generations to come. 

CLIMATE ACTION RADIO SHOWSEPTEMBER 16TH 2024PRODUCED BY VIVIEN LANGFORD   SLICK by Royce Kurmelovs and PEAK OIL by Peter Sainsbury "Slick" suggests the oil slick spilling out of broken tankers and covering sea birds but Royce Kurmelovs takes us to the Industry conferences and the Climate Conferences where the slick operators of the oil industry are delaying the transition to  a zero emissions world. He also takes us into the thinking behind direct actions like Disrupt Burrup Hub ( Woodside) and Blockade Australia who want whole system change plus more fire fighting helicopters. Peter Sainsbury explores what will happen if we reach peak oil in 2025. Will the graph look like Mt Everest with a sharp descent or more like the Blue Mountains with a leisurely platueau to cross? https://johnmenadue.com/environment-peak-oil-is-close-but-the-descent-will-be-slow/  

We hear journalists Keerti Gopal, a New York City-based reporter covering activism and grassroots mobilisation in the climate movement, and author educator and environmentalist Bill McKibben discussing coverage of climate activism.  These recordings are from a webinar ‘Talking Shop - How to Cover Climate Activism’ moderated by Kyle Pope from Covering Climate Now. 

CLIMATE ACTION RADIO SHOWProduced by Vivien LangfordAugust 5th 2024ENERGY, ARCHITECTURE +BRAVERY AT RISING TIDE GuestsDr Peter Sainsbury - Climate&Environment writer at Pearls and IrritationsSimon Knott and Deb Adams - B_K_K ArchitectsDavid Rovics - Song "Humanitarian Pause"Polly Hemming - Director of the Australia Institute's Climate and Energy Programme at the launch ofThe People’s Blockade Tues Nov 19 — Thurs Nov 28Protestival: Fri 22 - Sun 24Everyone invited . To register :https://www.risingtide.org.au/blockade-updates#:~:text=The%20People's%20Blockade%202024%20will,Muloobinba%20(Newcastle)%20on%20Awabakal%20andAs Polly Hemming says if it is lack of bravery which got us into the dire climate situation we are in, it is BRAVERY which will get us out. She was talking to a committed group preparing for the big blockade of Newcastle Coal  Port in November. Please consider coming up to Newcastle.Polly Hemming on Gas v Green Manufacturing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aInmJ7SkqVg Peter Sainsbury talks about the shift away from the right in French  and British elections. The importance of a forward looking climate policy in USA and India and the rise of China in renwable energy.https://johnmenadue.com/author/peter-sainsbury/ Simon Knott and Deb Adams talk about trend in architecture to retrofit buildings to save on energy including the gold standard of the Passive House. The photo above is of a Sydney building called Quay Quarter Tower which  retains over 65% of the original structure (beams, columns, and slabs) and 95% of the original core, resulting in an embodied carbon saving of 12,000 tonnes (the equivalent of 35,000 flights between Sydney and Melbourne). https://3xn.com/project/quay-quarter-tower-2 “Mid and late 20th century towers are reaching the end of their usable lifespans. We know that we can no longer demolish and build the way we have in the past – that we must instead extend the life and potential of the buildings we already have. This is the most essential definition of sustainability in architecture – and the driving force behind Quay Quarter Tower."Kim Herforth Nielsen, Founder and Creative Director at 3XN Architects  

CLIMATE  ACTION  SHOW (Rpt)July 29th 2024Produced by Vivien Langford ROSS GARNAUT -  SUPERPOWER  TRANSFORMATIONKAY WENNAGEL  - ELECTRIC VEHICLE BULK BUY Guests ROSS GARNAUT -  Professor Emeritus in  Economics at Melbourne University. His recent book isThe Superpower Transformation  - Making Australia's Zero Carbon Future.https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/superpower-transformation(link is external)Ross sees two disruptive events in 2022. The election of the ALP in Australia and the disruption of oil and gas exports to Europe after Russia invaded Ukraine. He says "Europe hesitated then COMMITTED decisively to the new economy" Will Australia make the same committment?We talked about :Regional transformations, such as making agricultural UREA with green hydrogen instead of importing 92% from countries where it is produced using coal  or gas as feedstock. Industrial Transformations, such  as helping China lower its costs of decarbonisation by producing GREEN STEEL here with local iron ore. Methane Transformations by stopping subsidies to new coal and gas projects and mandating the strict prevention of FUGITIVE METHANE EMISSIONS from leaky pipes and mines. A more thorny problem for us, if we want to manufacture zero carbon goods with our superpower resources of wind and solar energy,  is how to extract the TRANSITION MINERALS  here and abroad without riding rough shod over precious ecosystems and sacred places? Ross argues that they are essential for  zero carbon modern medicine and modern life but as a quarry nation we have a huge responsibiliy NOT to continue extracting here and overseas in a damaging way. We did not discuss the alternatives of a post extractivist, steady state economics but we welcome any contributions next year to discuss this VITAL matter. Ross talks about the recent savaging of training for geophysics and mettalurgy specialists. Australia  once had a proud reputation in this field but more money now  goes to moon research  than to manage the use of the transition minerals so much in demand! He says the jobs summit made some headway but a lot more needs to be done to protect the environment and  insists that engaging  indigenous people at the forefront of these transformations is essential.https://www.neweconomy.org.au/nena-hubs/sector/post-extractivism/https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/inline-files/Jobs-and-Skills...    KAY WENNAGEL - interviewed by Michael Staindl.https://smartenergy.org.au/industry-directory/the-good-car-company/The Good Car Company is a social enterprise dedicated to decarbonising transport and has been working with community groups and local councils across Australia to accelerate the take-up of affordable electric cars through community bulk buys. Australia wide+61 361214624www.goodcar.co  MUSIC - The coal owner and the Pittman's wife sung by Robert Farmer This ballad is believed to date from the Durham strike of 1844 and to have been written by William Hornsby, a collier of Shotton Moor, Durham. The ballad was discovered among a collection of papers relating to the strike by a studious Lancashire miner, J.S. Bell. The tune was supplied by J. Dennison, of Walker and, together with the text, can be found in A.L. Lloyd’s Come All Ye Bold Miners(link is external).A challenge to listeners to send us the ballads of Green Extractivism - the songs of the species. Contact us at Radio 3CR - (03 ) 94198377

CLIMATE ACTION SHOWJuly 22nd 2024 PRODUCED BY VIVIEN LANGFORDS A V I N G   F O R E S T S   I S   C L I M A T E   A C T I O N (rpt)Immediate protection of Australia’s native forests is one of the most effective ways to tackle climate and biodiversity crises. Our Federal government could do it. NZ has banned Native forest logging since 2002. Why are we logging the Great Koala National Park? Video 11mins with Mark Graham, Gumbaynggir man Uncle MIcklo Jarrett and Environmentalist Meredith Stantonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQu-8Y05bWkUpdate : https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-10/nsw-forestry-court-decision-logging-nefa/103300986  Guests:Mark Graham -  Meet the team: Mark Graham, ecologist — The White Bluff Project(link is external) Dorothee Babeck - Bob Brown Foundation Campaigner NSW End Native Forest Logging Now - Bob Brown Foundation  Sue Higginson - MLC NSW Parliament. Former CEO of Environment Defenders OfficeSaving Forests is Climate Action - Sue Higginson MLC(link is external)“I have been on the frontline of forest defence myself and I have represented countless other forest defenders through the courts as they seek to protect the environment from senseless destruction.NSW has the highest rates of extinction in the country and the Forestry Corporation is directly driving these extinctions through destruction of habitat in forests that are either struggling to recover from the 2019/20 bushfires or are the last remaining unburnt areas in the landscape." Dr Kim Loo - Doctors for the Environment ABC: Scientists say WA government’s prescribed burns targets have no scientific basis - DEAChats for Change Episode One: Can Trees Save Us? | WWF-Australia | Chats for Change Episode One: Can Trees Save Us? | WWF Australia Senator Dr.Mehreen Faruqui - Green Party Federal Government- Animal Welfare PortfolioEnvironmental activists rally in Sydney to end native forest logging (cityhub.com.au)(link is external)“We know that it is reckless regional forestry agreements, and weak and broken federal environmental laws that have allowed native forest logging to go on indiscriminately, which has put our wildlife at the brink of extinction,”  An Environmental Activist Has Been Killed Every Other Day for the Past Decade (globalcitizen.org)(link is external)At least 1,733 environmental activists and land defenders have been killed for their work over the past decade, according to a new report from the nonprofit Global Witness. That means that a person defending the environment is killed every other day, a harrowing statistic especially in the context of the worsening climate and biodiversity crisis. To take climate action with a focus on human rights AI might be the group for you : Environmental Crisis - Amnesty International Australia. You can receive  urgent action requests which give you all you need to write in defence of environmental activist round the world. GROUPS YOU CAN SUPPORT TO BAN NATIVE FOREST LOGGING1. LEAN -  A_National_Forest_Protection_and_Workforce_Plan_for_Australia_LEAN.pdf (nationbuilder.com)2. NORTH EAST FOREST ALLIANCE -Time to stop Logging Koalas to Extinction - North East Forest Alliance (nefa.org.au)3.  SOUTH EAST REGION CONSERVATION ALLIANCE INC. – A record of the endeavours to save the native forests of south east NSW from logging. (serca.org.au)4. Wilderness Society | DeforestationLet us know of other groups you recommend : [email protected](link sends e-mail)Remember : SAVING FORESTS IS CLIMATE ACTION 

CLIMATE ACTION SHOWJuly 15th 2024 (repeat)PRODUCED BY Vivien LangfordTAMBORAN AGM - "DON'T FRACK THE NT"andPACIFIC CLIMATE WARRIORS TOUR GOMEROI COUNTRYGUESTS:Aunty Rhonda Dixon-Madden - Welcome to countryTamika Sadler and Larissa Baldwin-Roberts - Get UpMilima May -Larrakia  and Bradley Farrar- Alawa   from Beetaloo  who travelled from NT to this AGM of TamboranDr Emma Skowronski - Doctors for the EnvironmentThanks to organisers from 350.org, AYCC and Get Up!Pacific Climate Warriors Gabriel Veigaunavinaka in FijiJacybnta Fa'Amau in Australia In early November, Gomeroi and Gamilaraay traditional owners, Pacific Climate Warriors and activists, school strikers, local farmers, Move Beyond Coal community members and more came together on Gomeroi country in north-west NSW. Together, we shared stories of resistance and resilience, built deeper relationships and stood in solidarity with Gomeroi & Gamilaraay custodians - whose land is being exploited by fossil fuel companies such as Whitehaven Coal and Santos.This is a recount of what happened over the course of that special weekend - the stories that were told, the fights that were shared, and the solidarity built between communities. (Thanks to Move Beyond Coal)When country expands beyond what your eyes can comprehend, melting into the horizon, it’s beyond beautiful, and quite indescribable. This is what I experienced as I watched the landscapes change towards our destination, the colours of the trees and land changing every so often. I knew from this point, that the trip to Narrabri on Gomeroi country, where devastating coal and gas extraction projects are widespread, would be one to remember. On arrival, we were welcomed by Gomeroi custodian Karra Kinchela and her family, by the Namoi river, as the wind rustled through the trees and soon after, embraced the young dancers and Karra’s cousin, Clinton Lamb, who led the welcome to country. The stars eventually dressed the night sky as the night crept in, whilst the Pacific Climate Warriors thanked those who welcomed us with their own traditional fijian kava ceremony. Joy and laughter filled the campsite of our initial meeting place, which would reflect the real essence of the people who were fighting for Gomeroi country in Narrabri.Our second day on Gomeroi country, Karra showed us around, first at a site in the Pilliga Forest where water is filtered through to the underground water and finds its way to sea. She talked about how even on country that is considered freshwater, it is still connected to saltwater, and that whatever happens on her country is inherently connected to all countries. This lit up the fire in many people and for some, only added wood to the fire. There were direct connections being made between the effects coal and gas companies like Whitehaven Coal and Santos had on Narrabri and those close by, but also to the ocean and the Pacific Islands.Karra continued the tour by taking us to the front gates of Santos’ Lee Wood gas facility.. She described how mining companies enjoy interacting with communities in order to claim, through social licensing, that those communities support their plans. Karra explained that continuing to participate in rallies and actions for Gomeroi country is one of the best ways to combat these false claims of support. She went on to explain how Whitehaven Coal, with numerous coal mines in the area with plans to expand, has eaten a lot of their country. Whitehaven promises all of these jobs and benefits to the community and Indigenous peoples, but these promises are only fallacies, with only a select few hired; their attempt to divert everyone's attention away from the reality that they are not only destroying country, but endangering the lives of those who live in the towns where they mine.We then headed to Maules Creek for lunch, where we were joined by one of the local Gamilaraay elders, Uncle Neville Sampson, who alongside a few other locals who have been fighting fossil fuel projects in their community for decades  explained the history of their fights. Uncle Neville talked about his resilience, and the resilience of those who continue to ensure a future for his people.After lunch, there was an opportunity to visit one of the local farms, and I put my hand up straight away. Being from a small village myself, from a remote island, I wanted to explore what life looked like right next to a coal mine. I remember most of my childhood in my village of Bauz, on Mer Island, in what is colonially known as the Torres Strait. Being from somewhere so remote, with a close knit community, I wondered if I could see a reflection of home amongst the tour, whether in the landscapes or the people. On the tour, we stopped every so often, learning what it takes to farm in Narrabri, about pink slugs and the houses and lands that were sold due to people getting extremely sick from not just the dust in the air from the mines but the gas released from the explosions. One of the farms belonged to a elderly woman, who was constantly sick due to the fumes, and had eventually sold her land and house, which now remains empty. Mining giants seem to have every right to not only harm the environment, but even the people who live within the environment it wants to destroy. After visiting the farm, and patting horses whilst learning about how climate change has even affected what farmers choose to grow now, we returned to Maules Creek renewed and even more passionate about stopping Whitehaven Coal.On our last day, we held an action at  sunrise - in front of Whitehaven Coal’s Tarrawonga coal mine. When we arrived at the mine, what was in front of me was not only confronting, but made me feel both physically and spiritually ill. How could anyone devour a land and make it so baron, how could anyone harm country in such a vicious and heartless way, knowing that this land is so inherently connected to Gomeroi people? The trauma that the land experiences translates into real trauma for those who descend from these lands. When you kill or harm a land, you kill or harm it’s people. Comprehending this tragedy, one that is paid for, that seeks the destruction of this country to gain profit, was difficult, but it was a reality that had to be acknowledged. It is our reality, and thus our responsibility to ensure that Karra, her family, her people, are able to live, not just survive, on their country, safe and sound. We shared stories, songs and dances in front of the mine, whilst mining security guards watched us as they patrolled the parameters. I couldn’t help but mourn for country, but I could also feel the strength of everyone in this space, especially the Gomeroi mob who were so kind and gracious in inviting us to their country to see the truth of this place with our own eyes. Together, in times of crisis, when politicians let us down, we must rally together, allowing our communities to speak for themselves. We can see hope in the First Nations communities fighting to protect the country from new coal and gas projects. We see it in the global demands from Pacific leaders for no new coal and gas, phase out plans and renewables expansion. I remember some of my last words with Uncle Neville, he told me to keep fighting, but to also remember, that I am stronger, and that no matter what, Gomeroi country is who he is, and he will always know and be a part of its land, water and sky. In solidarity, we can protect this country.With Kindness and Au Esuau,Meleika on behalf of Move Beyond CoalP.S. Now more than ever, we need to all stand together and show our politicians that we are building a movement that will outmatch the power of coal and gas corporations like Whitehaven Coal and Santos, who are destroying Gomeroi sacred country and willingly contributing to devastating climate impacts in the Pacific and more.Join Move Beyond Coal teams and grassroots climate groups across the country for a Week of Action from 4-12 December(link is external), to take action in our communities to Turn Up the Heat on Labor.Move Beyond Coalhttps://www.movebeyondcoal.com/

CLIMATE ACTION SHOWJULY 8TH 2024PRODUCED BY VIVIEN  LANGFORD D O N ' T    L O O K   A W A Y.FROM PLUMES OF SMOKE IN THE FOREST, FROM FUGITIVE METHANE NEAR GAS WELLS AND FROM STARVATION IN PALESTINEGuests: Dr Philip Zylstra - Curtin University and UNSW -Expert at nipping bushfires in the bud.https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/prescribed-burning-could-be-making-...(link is external) Piper Rollins Climate Campaigner from Australian Conservation Foundation https://www.acf.org.au/australia-dramatically-underreporting-gas-and-coa... David Rovics with his new album Notes from a Holocaust https://davidrovics.bandcamp.com/album/notes-from-a-holocaust(link is external) Don't look away from Palestine - Rovics Concerts this week in MelbourneNorthcote July 12th - 7pmhttps://www.songkick.com/concerts/41688463-david-rovics-at-black-spark-cultural-centreBallarat July 14th  2024 -2pmhttps://www.songkick.com/concerts/41688466-david-rovics-at-ballarat-trades-hall Don't look away from actual Bushfire BehaviourAssociate Professor Philip Zylstra, from Curtin University, said: “If they’re too tall to catch fire, plants calm bushfires by slowing the wind beneath them. If disturbance kills those taller plants, replacements regrow from the ground and add to the fuel. Prescribed burns are a fire mitigation tool used with the aim of reducing fuel load to minimise the intensity and severity of fires.  However, while prescribed burns can sometimes decrease flammability in the short term, the way they disrupt forest ecosystems can create longer periods of additional flammability.  “Very frequent burning close to homes or control lines could create defendable spaces, but large, remote and infrequent burns maintain the landscape at maximum fire risk because they undermine the natural controls that forests place on fire," Associate Professor Zylstra said. The remote areas that burn have often been extensively logged eg Eden NSWRECENT MESSAGE FROM BOB BROWN FOUNDATION JULY1STAn end to native forest logging should have happened more than a decade ago but this list is another killing plan to feed export woodchippers, Malaysian timber company Ta Ann, and Victorian sawmills that have no social licence,” Jenny Weber, Bob Brown Foundation’s Campaigns Manager said.“Kilometres of new wilderness-destroying roads will be slashed into ancient forests that have never seen a chainsaw, including taxpayer-funded roads into untouched Takayna rainforests and 6km into the Wentworth Hills near Lake St Clair. Clearfell operations in areas essential to the critically- endangered migratory Swift Parrot have been drafted despite the threat that poses to the species,” said Erik Hayward, Bob Brown Foundation Campaigner. “Lines on maps have been drawn that carve up some of the most remarkable natural landscapes this globe has to offer. For the defence of our natural world we will remain committed and defiant in the face of this complete abandon,” said Erik Hayward.“Over the last six weeks, hundreds of Australians joined the largest protest against native forest logging in Tasmania in the last decade, in Takayna. Prime Minister Albanese needs to immediately put an end to such native forest logging in Australia, which is requested by more than 75% of Labor’s voters,” said Jenny Weber. Don't look away from methane :  An investigation by ACF and the global non-profit Clean Air Task Force last year detected methane escaping from more than 100 sources at 35 industrial sites in Queensland and NSW.  “When it comes to rapidly reducing Australia’s most potent climate heating pollution, cutting methane emissions from the coal and gas industry is low hanging fruit.”Methane emissions are believed to account for about 30% of the global temperature rise(link is external) since the industrial revolution.  David Rovics' new album of songs was composed between October and December 2023He says "  I wrote them to bear witness to the genocide of the Palestinian people that continues by the hour as I publish this album."Hear the drones above your headWhat were the last words that she saidBefore she joined the thousands deadAs the bombs rain down

CLIMATE ACTION SHOWPRODUCED  by Vivien Langford and Rosie GaninoJuly 1st 2024 BLASTED SEA    and   DESERT JUNGLE Guests:Tomothy Erik Strom -  Editor of Arena on linehttps://arena.org.au/blasted-sea/ Professor Laurie Laurenson - Clean Ocean Foundation OCEAN activists care of We are Explorers- Act Local https://weareexplorers.co/act-local/Jeannie Baker - Author of Desert JungleDavid Rovics singing "Land and Freedom"Jono Row - Uniting Church Advocacy :This is a disappointing distraction from the urgent need to transition our country to clean and affordable renewable energy- Rev. Mata Havea Hiliau  The Moderator of the Uniting Church Synod of NSW/ACT, Rev. Mata Havea Hiliau, is calling for urgent, real and meaningful action on climate change in the wake of the Federal Opposition’s reckless nuclear energy proposal yesterday.“This is a disappointing distraction from the urgent need to transition our country to clean and affordable renewable energy,” Rev. Mata Havea Hiliau said. “The proposal announced yesterday, which appears very light on detail, will only further delay the transition to renewables and lock us in too many more years of reliance on harmful fossil fuels, that are already proving devastating to our planet.“If this proposal actually eventuates – in a decade or two, and longer – our communities will be suffering from ever more dangerous extreme weather events and islands in the Pacific will be inundated by rising sea levels.“As a faith leader, and a daughter of the Pacific, I know what’s at stake if we don’t address this climate crisis urgently.“We are seeing in real time, the unfolding impacts of the climate crisis, not only for our communities here in Australia but for the people of the Pacific, whose livelihoods, homes and culture are under immediate threat.“Realistically, today’s proposal would mean another 20 years of climate inaction which will prove absolutely devastating for our climate and those on the frontlines of this climate crisis – First Nations and Pasifika communities.“These are the communities that contribute the least to this issue, but will be harmed first, hardest and longest by climate change and today’s proposal will lock them into this fate.“Climate change remains one of the most important social and moral challenges in human history and we have lost too much time on pointless political debate,” Rev. Mata Havea Hiliau said.Uniting NSW.ACT’s Head of Media and Advocacy Alice Salomon said: “We strongly support moves for COP 31 in 2026 to take place in Australia and the Pacific. And the world will be watching us.“I urge our communities not to get distracted – we need climate action now and the solutions to a safe climate future are within our grasp.“We have readily available, reliable and cost-saving renewable energy solutions.“We have the blueprint and the tools to help safeguard a positive and hopeful future for all – right now, today “We must transition without delay to clean, cheap renewable energy in Australia – we don’t have a day to wait,” Alice said. Letter  by OCEAN to MP Catherine KingYou can let let Minister King know that we need an end to seismic blasting by writing something along these lines. Even a postcard will show her that we cannot let this go on.A Special Prospecting Authority (SPA) is a specific type of permit that allows companies to buy access to large areas of our oceans to use seismic blasting to search for oil and gas, and Carbon Capture and Storage locations below the ocean floor.Seismic blasts are how the oil and gas industry surveys the ocean floor. Seismic vessels tow an array of airguns and audio receivers (hydrophones) behind them in the water. These powerful airguns fire loud blasts of compressed air every 10 to 15 seconds, 24 hours a day. The sound waves produced penetrate deep into the seabed and bounce back to the audio receivers. From the sound patterns detected, companies can work out the most likely place to find oil and gas reserves under the ocean floor. The next step is exploratory drilling.These blasts are among the loudest human-made sounds in the ocean, just short of those caused by explosive devices, and have a devastating effect on marine life.Seismic blasting has been connected to temporary and permanent hearing loss, habitat abandonment, mating and feeding disruption and possible death in marine mammals like whales.The blasts lead to scallop deaths by compromising their immune systems and have been found to irreversibly damage the organs of lobsters.Tasmanian research found seismic blasting also triggers extensive death in plankton, including krill, which are crucial foundations of marine food webs, from more than a kilometre away. There is a proposal for seismic blasting over 45,000 sq km of ocean between Victoria and Tasmania by joint venture TGS/SLB-Schlumberger, which would see seismic blasting over commonwealth marine parks and endangered blue whale feeding areas. If approved, it will be the world’s largest 3D seismic blasting project on record.Companies’ applications for plans to conduct seismic blasting go to the regulator NOPSEMA for approval, and then to the administrator NOPTA to be granted an SPA permit.They are both government bodies answerable to the Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King.Minister King is responsible for overseeing the administrator NOPTA, which gives approval to companies seeking SPA permits to conduct seismic blasting. The Minister can refuse a permit.Minister King can act to abolish SPAs to clean up the industry and keep some of the largest and most damaging seismic blasting projects out of Australian waters.This gives Minister King authority on behalf of the Australian Government to shape the industry’s practices and safeguard our marine environments.We need the Australian Government to take action to abolish these quick, cheap and harmful seismic blasting permits. By abolishing SPA permits, we are helping to turn the tide on the harm caused by seismic blasting, removing this permit that fails to assess companies’ fitness and proper standing to operate, and keeping some of the largest and most damaging seismic blasting projects out of Australian waters.This action is about safeguarding critical marine habitats, preserving biodiversity, and protecting the livelihoods of communities that depend on healthy oceans.Add your name to send an email to Minister King. https://www.marineconservation.org.au/what-is-a-special-prospecting-authority-spa-everything-you-need-to-know/As they did in the community consultation, we refer to TGS through this document as shorthand for its Otway Basin 3D Multiclient Marine Seismic Survey Environment Plan.  We attended the TGS community consultation in Warrnambool and recognised that LGAs, NGOs and community organisations need independent scientific advice about information given by the company.  At ConocoPhillips’ consultation in Warrnambool, the company’s speaker objected to the use of the term ‘seismic blast.’ Nevertheless, we use that term for anything above 120dB. We confirm that the Clean Ocean Foundation is recognised by NOPSEMA as a relevant person. Professor James DunbarAssociate Professor Laurie LaurensonDr Michael Coates