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Presidents Report on the National Climate Emergency Summit - Melbourne 14th, 15th Feb 2020

21/2/2020

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National Climate Emergency Summit - Melbourne 14th, 15th Feb 2020

The Melbourne Town Hall was filled to capacity last Friday and Saturday, as 2000 people, representing all age groups, all walks of life, most States of Australia, and across the political spectrum, attended both plenary and workshop sessions, over the two days. Delegates included representatives from Benalla Rural City Council and Benalla Sustainable Future Group

They were addressed by over 100 speakers - climate and other scientists, business leaders, social justice advocates, health professionals, lawyers, engineers, journalists, economists, indigenous leaders, student climate  leaders, and politicians - both past and present, Liberal, ALP, Greens and Independents.

The key messages that came through to all delegates at the Summit, were that the World, and in particular developed countries, and most essentially Australia, must urgently tackle the existential threat of climate change, with a government of national unity, and a Cabinet of experts who can utilise all the resources of knowledge and materials that we have to defeat this "enemy of climate change", rather like the free world did to mobilize itself in the world wars.

Why? Because, as the science has been showing us for decades, the Earth has been warming at an increasing rate, principally due to human activity, and it is rapidly approaching critical climate "tipping points", from which it will be impossible to prevent a human and ecological catastrophe.

All speakers were extremely critical of Australia's weak emission reduction target of 26-28% by 2050, describing this as just "kicking the can down the road" for future generations to deal with the problem. The reality is that Australia contributes over 5% of the Earth's greenhouse emissions through its own domestic activities, and its exports of coal and gas overseas - not just the 1.3% claimed by the government. This makes Australia the fourth highest polluting country in the world, with just 25 million of the 7.5 billion people who live on Earth!

Setting targets of zero net emissions by 2050 were also described as hopelessly inadequate - climate scientists warned a few years ago that we have until 2030 at the latest to reach that target.
If the world continues on its present path of burning fossil fuels and releasing even more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, it will not meet the Paris Climate Agreement objective of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, but will instead heat up by 3 to 4 degrees by mid to late this century, making life impossible for billions of people through drought and famine, diseases, rising sea levels, and resulting in the mass extinctions of much of the Earth's flora and fauna.

This is not the future that the 2000 delegates want to see inflicted on our planet. The urgency of the crisis has been demonstrated quite clearly to Australians this summer and in recent years through prolonged drought, catastrophic bushfires, severe hailstorms and flooding rain events - and all of these have been exacerbated by just one degree of warming!

So what solutions did the Summit propose?

Of primary importance, Australia must be a world leader in rapidly restructuring its economy, away from its reliance on fossil fuels, as it is blessed with the natural resources of sun, wind and waves to power its entire economy, and export surplus power to Asia. Communities that currently rely on fossil fuel industries must be financially and socially assisted in this transition. The electricity network grid in Australia requires enormous upgrades to cope with the influx of renewable energy, and part of this upgrade is the installation of large-scale battery storage facilities. The transport sector must be redeveloped with electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles. Agriculture must play its part too, as there are serious ramifications for the Earth if vegetation clearing continues unabated, and soil degradation leads to decreasing food production.

The Summit was told that not only do we need to stop emitting more greenhouse gases into our atmosphere, but we need to draw down carbon dioxide which we have already sent there. Various speakers from science and engineering fields detailed the techniques that are already available, or that could be utilised in the future, in order to do this draw-down, so that the Earth could cool again.

At the final plenary session on Saturday evening, delegates were addressed by 3 speakers. The first was 14 year old schoolboy, Zel Whiting from Adelaide, reporting on the student workshop that had been held during the Summit, at which it was determined to continue fighting for action and justice on behalf of future generations. One could not help but be moved by the clarity of thought, and the desperation of the message that these young people bring to the world. The second speaker was Cr. Trent McCarthy from Darebin City Council in Melbourne, the first Council in the world to declare a Climate Emergency in 2016. Over 100 delegates representing 77 local government jurisdictions in Australia met on Saturday morning, and resolved to "commit to work together as a partisan group" to find solutions to the climate emergency.

The final speaker was Ian Dunlop, former chair of the Australian Coal Association and CEO of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Mr Dunlop, along with Dr John Hewson (former leader of the Liberal Party), Carmen Lawrence (former WA Premier), Dr Kerryn Phelps (former head of AMA and Independent MHR for Wentworth), and Tim Costello (former CEO of World Vision Australia), co-authored a Declaration of Climate Emergency to the Parliament of Australia, calling for a government of National Unity to tackle the climate crisis, and outlining a course of action that will be required if we are going to save the world from a looming humanitarian and ecological disaster. It is a rallying call to all Australians to confront and overcome the enemy that is climate change.

Peter Holmes
President

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Climate Change Science - Now and What's the Future.  Public meeting BPACC Thursday March 19 2020.

12/2/2020

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Note: This event has been postponed after the banning of non-essential meetings from Monday 16 March 2020 to contain the coronavirus . Details.

Benalla Sustainable Future Group, invite you to attend a public presentation at BPACC on Thursday 19th March, 6.45pm for a 7pm start, on the subject of Climate Science – what the current data is telling us, and what the trends are predicting for the future.

Our guest speakers are Dr Leanne Webb from the CSIRO Climate Research Institute in Aspendale, and Dr Lynette Bettio from the Bureau of Meteorology in Melbourne.

Dr Webb has been a Climate Scientist for over 15 years, since completing her PhD at Melbourne University, and has worked for much of her career with Professor David Karoly, recognised as one of the world’s foremost Climate Scientists. She currently works as a Climate Change Knowledge Broker at CSIRO, and has extensively researched the impacts of climate change on the agricultural industry, and in particular the wine industry. Leanne was part of the team that prepared the most recent climate projections for Australia, released in 2016, and funded by the Commonwealth Government’s Planning for Climate Change Fund.

Dr Bettio is a Senior Climatologist with the BOM, has a PhD in Climate Science, and is a former resident of Benalla, and student at FCJ College. She examines and communicates on changes to Australia’s climate including long-term trends in rainfall and temperature and the interaction with extreme events.

Rarely do we have the opportunity to hear about Climate Science first hand, from scientists at the forefront of climate research, together with an opportunity to ask them questions.

After the Q & A a light supper will conclude the evening.

This is a free event and seating is unreserved.

Benalla residents will also be able to sign our Petition calling on Benalla Council to Declare a Climate Emergency,

Download the event flyer.

Peter Maddock
0418 135 330

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Update on BSFG Climate Emergency Declaration Petition to Council

8/2/2020

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Since the week commencing Monday January 27th 2020 BSFG has been collecting signatures from Benalla Residents requesting our Councillors Declare a Climate Emergency.

The wording on the petition is;

CLIMATE EMERGENCY DECLARATION PETITION

We, the undersigned residents of Benalla Rural City, request our Councillors to:
  • Acknowledge that human actions have contributed substantially to the increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the warming of the planet, and leading to an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events
  • Declare that the Earth is facing a Climate Emergency.

The main location to sign the petition is outside the Bendigo Bank in Bridge Street Benalla and this was done during the following two weeks.  There may be other opportunities to sign the petition here.  The petition is also available to sign at North East Artisans in Bridge Street Benalla.


Additional times and locations to sign the petition. Bendigo Bank from 13th until 27th February 9.30pm until 4.00pm, the Food Co-op, Swanpool Cinema, the Lakeside Market on 22nd February, and at the Public Meeting “Climate - Present Facts and Future Predictions”at BPACC on March 19th (see below and more details to follow).

Download our climate change flyer.

See https://climateemergencydeclaration.org/.

Presentation of Petition to Council Wednesday March 25 2020.
BSFG will present the Climate Emergency Declaration Petition to Benalla Rural City Councillors at the Council Meeting on Wednesday March 25th 2020 from 6:00pm at the Council Meeting Room, Mair Street Benalla.

Public Meeting “Climate - Present Facts and Future Predictions” Thursday March 19 2020.
Prior to the presentation to council BSFG is hosting a public meeting titled “Climate-Present Facts and Future Predictions” from 7.00pm until 10.00pm on Thursday March 19th 2020 at the Benalla Performing Arts and Convention Centre.

Our guest speakers are Dr Leanne Webb from CSIRO Climate Research Institute in Aspendale, and Dr Lynette Bettio from the Bureau of Meteorology in Melbourne.  This is a rare opportunity to hear about Climate Science first hand, from scientists at the forefront of climate research, together with an opportunity to ask them questions.

State and Federal Members of Parliament (Steph Ryan, Jaclyn Symes and Dr Helen Haines) have also been invited to attend.  There will also be a brief talk by the Mayor of Indigo Shire, Jenny O’Connor, related to her Shire’s declaration of a Climate Emergency, and their proposed actions related to that declaration.

We will be publicising more details about this most important event through the BSFG website and newsletter, social media, the Benalla Ensign, Benalla P-12 College, Benalla FCJ College, and elsewhere.

Peter Maddock
Secretary
0418 135 330

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