Gippsland Climate News

What an amazing first year! The birth of the East Gippsland Climate Action Network (EGCAN) came about in an enthusiastic response to the Bairnsdale presentation of Climate activist and presenter Jane Morton. EGCAN formed in March 2019. This non-profit, apolitical organisation has brought together a diverse group of people who want strong and immediate action on climate change. In a year of a newly elected anti-science, climate-change denying government, the time was ripe for a group to gather and become climate champions.

East Gippsland Climate Action Network (EGCAN) is a forum for local people wanting action on climate change. EGCAN advocates for urgent political and community action to address the climate crisis locally, nationally and globally in order to minimise harm to society and our natural environment.

Members accept the science of human induced climate change and agree to guiding values that include respectful listening and behaviour, inclusiveness, non-violence and kindness. Amidst increasing warnings, lack of progress and very loud bells ringing from the world’s leading climate scientists and the IPPC, the group focuses principally on rising greenhouse gas emissions.

To this end the group has been advocating the concept of a climate emergency where urgent action is taken at all levels of government, business and community. EGCAN actions and activities have centred around information sharing, community talks, media messaging and letter writing. Some members have been more visible in the community via ‘die-ins’, rallies, silent vigils and having a regular presence outside our State and Federal politician’s offices.

The group nervously took on their first major action in the form of a “die-in”. They would have been happy with 10 participants but wonderfully, over 50 people were willing to lie in Bairnsdale’s Nicholson Mall pretending to be dead for 5 minutes, only to emerge as living people to the reading from Greta Thunberg’s inspiring speech ‘Our House is on Fire’. Some members have gone on further to form Bairnsdale XR (Extinction Rebellion) enabling participation and actions that join with the global XR movement.

And then, between Christmas and the 2020 New Year, East Gippsland was ravaged by fires that had been flaring since November. Australia was experiencing ‘unprecedented fires’ and the broader community saw the long predicted impact of increasing global temperatures.

EGCAN members, like all members of our community, were devastatingly impacted, losing homes, property, fearing for their lives and those they love, fleeing, fighting and universally being left with feelings of deep grief and an ongoing sense of loss at the massive destruction for animals, ecosystems and ourselves: Climate Change hit home deeply.

A dedicated group of EGCAN members organised a petition calling on the local shire council to declare a Climate Emergency. The petition, signed by more than 1,600 people succeeded in gaining agreement for shire projects to be viewed through the lens of their potential climate impact. The council stopped short of declaring a Climate Emergency.

Amidst what seems an era of failings and collapse, there are many positive signs emerging. EGCAN members are looking to the future and exploring what it is that will help bring a new world into reality; one which is in tune with nature, which doesn’t exceed our planet’s carrying capacity, which is more just, more equitable and more kind. Vive l’EGCAN.

In 2010 when I was still trying to form a single-issue centrist climate party (the Global Warming Action Party Australia) Malcolm Turnbull, recently deposed as opposition leader by Tony Abbott and the climate denialist faction of the Liberal Party, was contemplating abandoning federal politics altogether. I wrote to him then suggesting that instead of resigning from parliament, he resign only from the Liberal Party and then form a centrist (or even slightly right of centre) climate party*.

Malcolm’s refusal (he actually suggested I abandon my quest and join the Liberals) and change of heart leads us to one of those ‘what if’ moments in history. If, when Prime Minister, Malcolm had faced down the extreme right of his party over climate, causing, at worst, a monumental split in the ranks of the conservatives. After all, on the climate question, the Liberal Party has been, and continues to be, a split waiting to happen.

Now retired, Turnbull’s recent political autobiography explains in part what has been obvious to any serious political analyst for the last 15 years –that the LNP remains hopelessly factionalised and has a powerful rump of climate change deniers in its ranks. In an interview with Turnbull for the Sydney Writers Festival Annabelle Crabbe noted: “He argues that the “crazed ideology” dictating the Liberal Party’s policy on climate could now only be altered by a crushing electoral defeat, or an about-face on the issue from media magnate Rupert Murdoch**.”

“It’s basically just Australia and the United States above all where this issue of climate policy has been turned into an issue of belief,” the nation’s 29th prime minister says in the interview. “And it’s bonkers.” Turnbull is frank about the solution: “To be honest with you, I think the only way out of it — unless you believe the Coalition can have a road-to-Damascus conversion which I think is unlikely — is a devastating electoral defeat. I’m not saying I want that to happen… that is what would shock the Coalition.”

The Liberal Party remains captive to the fossil fuel lobby – in particular big coal. But it is not too late for Malcolm to put his moral, political and financial support behind a new climate party. There are a number of options available, including party minnows like the Independents for Climate Action Now, but he may choose to start afresh. Such a new party would help bring about the massive defeat of the conservatives that Malcolm suggests is necessary for meaningful climate action to occur. The real climate elections are yet to come.

*a sitting member of parliament can form a political party with only 30 members

** I have blogged on the News Corp climate criminals a number of times (see here and here).

The East Gippsland Climate Action Network* mourns the passing of Dr Deb Foskey, social activist, environmental warrior and tireless campaigner. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and her many friends in the knowledge that she will be deeply missed by all.

Deb’s great passion for the environment and social justice led her to become a Greens MP in the ACT parliament. Her base though has been in East Gippsland, from her beloved Warm Corners and across East Gippsland. Deb fought right up to her death for a better place in our region and beyond.

In the most recent Federal Election** Deb stood as the Greens candidate for Gippsland. While this was an un-winnable fight, Deb treated the election campaign as though there was a chance. She lent the campaign her intelligent and confidant energy and earned the respect of candidates and opponents who appreciated her determination and decency.

Debs passion for a sustainable future led her to live much of her life in remote country where she maintained strong community connections coupled with effective environment campaigns that led to many environmental wins.

True to her convictions Deb joined the East Gippsland Climate Action Network and was a participant at our most recent protest – a march and vigil at Darren Chester’s office in Sale (image above). Her contribution was enormous and she will be missed by all her knew her.

Thank you Deb for making difference.

*republished from EGCAN facebook page For a more detailed account of Deb’s life see here.

** Deb was also a candidate in the last State Election. See her media release here.

A major symbolic step forward in our local area was the presentation to East Gippsland Shire (EGSC) of a Climate Emergency Declaration petition by members of East Gippsland Climate Action Network (EG CAN)*. The petition was signed by more than 1,600 people.

The goal of the petition was to request the shire join more than 1,400 jurisdictions around the world who have already declared a Climate Emergency. Neighbouring shires Bega and Bass Coast have already signed on, joining 95 other shires Australia wide. ‘Unfortunately the East Gippsland Shire councillors unanimously voted against declaring a Climate Emergency,’ EGCAN spokesperson Angela Crunden said when expressing profound disappointment at the decision.

‘We are facing a Climate Emergency. This might not be as obvious as COVID 19, but is in fact, far more serious and devastating. Declaration of a Climate Emergency signals collective co-operation and willingness to work meaningfully towards net zero carbon emissions,’ Ms Crunden said. ‘East Gippsland Shire’s adoption of the Victorian state initiative Take2 pledge in 2017, and their various projects over the past decade are commendable but these efforts are simply not enough, not in extent, nor urgency,’ she continued.

‘Climate change has been identified as a major factor in the fires only recently, finally extinguished in East Gippsland. Fire, flood, storm and drought are all predicted to be much more severe and frequent without urgent effective action. Our council has ignored community concerns on this issue and passed up an opportunity,’ Ms Crunden said. Seventeen letters in support of the 1600+ petition signatories were read out at the council meeting and five of the seven councillors present discussed the importance of Climate Change impacts and implications for our Shire.

General Manager Assets and Environment, Ms Weigall presented a report drafted from councillors’ reasoning and recommendations. Councillors expressed concern that terminology, using the word ‘emergency’ was sensationalist and would divide rather than unite people in our conservative region. Councillor Reeves expressed his support for effective action by the council on climate change. He said ‘…everything asked for in this petition we have put in place… we’ll hold the CEO and officers to account to put them in place.’

‘Council’s willingness to adopt other parts of the petition has given EGCAN members some cause for optimism, and Council’s aim to bring all of East Gippsland along in efforts to address climate issues is pleasing. Assurance that actions council takes to address climate impacts will be done with “renewed vim and vigour,” is also reassuring. All decisions made by council will now be with a view to mitigating climate impact which is certainly an essential and very welcome step forward,’ she said.

‘EGCAN is pleased for the opportunity to hold council to account in this respect and will revisit the idea of a Climate Emergency declaration. In the meantime, if all levels of government work as though our ‘houses are on fire’ we may still be able to keep global warming under 1.5ºC,’ Ms Crunden concluded.

* Press Release from East Gippsland Climate Action Network

 

The plans for a large solar farm and batteries at Perry Bridge have recently come to my notice. The company website states the following: “The Perry Bridge Solar Farm concept was conceived because of the desperate need for additional electricity supply and increased reliability within the region east of the Latrobe Valley.”

“The design of the project, subject to sign off by the design engineers, will be a single axis array system of around 110,000 high voltage mono-facial output solar panels with the possible addition of some bi-facial modules. Bi-facial modules as the name suggests produce solar power from both sides of the solar panel and can improve energy generation by up to 8%.” 

“The battery storage is an essential part of the project as it assists in ensuring consistent energy supply to the electricity grid during times of low solar energy output. The solar farm is to be connected to the AusNet Services 66kV network in the proximity of Stratford-Bengworden Road at Perry Bridge. The connection process has commenced with final approval expected by October 2020.”

The proposal is to have 44MW of panels and 40-50MW of battery storage on 232 acres of relatively low productive land. The battery is about half the size of the big battery at Hornsdale in South Australia. Of importance is the location adjacent to/ near the existing mains transmission lines where no added infrastructure is required.

This blog has been advocating for some time that projects of this sort be fast forwarded as quickly as is possible. Projects on the drawing board that could be assisted by special government attention include the offshore wind project Star of the South, and the Delburn wind farm and the Sea Electric electric vehicle factory both in the Valley.

To these admirable projects can be added the Perry Bridge Solar Farm which is situated close enough to Bairnsdale and East Gippsland to provide employment for a local economy first ravaged by the bushfires and now by the coronavirus lockdown making it an ideal project for a depressed East Gippsland economy.

 

Good friend and long-time acquaintance Barrie Pittock emailed recently (23.4.20): “At age 81 it is beyond me to do much re [the climate emergency], but as a long retired CSIRO climate scientist with many rewards for my work including a Public Service Medal, a share in the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for my work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), etc., I want you and others to act on the message that after the Covid-19 emergency, global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions will be a far more pressing global emergency, with dire consequences for the human race, with large sea-level rises, more extreme weather events, more bushfires, etc., etc. Can you spread the message and act on it?”

Barrie’s list of his achievements is modest in the extreme. He was a participant in the 1975 “Australasian Conference on Climate and Climate Change” conference at Monash University, wrote the overview of the conference and was one of the editors of the subsequent publication Climate Change and Variability: a southern perspective (Cambridge UP 1978). Twelve years later there was another climate conference at Monash in which Barrie, along with many others from CSIRO atmospheric physics division, presented a paper. These papers were published in a large volume Greenhouse: planning for climate change (CSIRO, 1988) edited by GI Pearman.

In 2005 Barrie’s Climate Change: turning up the heat (CSIRO Publ. 2005) was published with an exhaustive, detailed analysis of the climate science to that date. In his introduction he wrote: “Hope lies not in science but going beyond the science to examine the policy questions and moral imperatives that the scientific projections throw into stark relief…making direct links between the science and the consequences… If this encourages you to address the issues, to make your own assessment of the risk, and to act accordingly, this book will have achieved its purpose.”

The politicians have been caught out with the coronavirus – having to act on the science for the pandemic and yet still ignoring the science on climate. The real heroes of Australia are the climate scientists once found in the CSIRO’s division of Atmospheric Research. As well as Barrie and Pearman they include Roger Francey, Tom Beer and Ian Enting amongst many others.

Each day that our representatives continue to deny or ignore the science of climate change must make us more determined to remove them from the portals of power or make them change their minds. Above all let us heed Barrie’s warning that the global warming emergency is far more serious than the coronavirus pandemic and “spread the message and act on it”.

Republished from Just Community

It may be hard to think beyond Corona at this moment. However, climate change has not gone away and, recently, we heard some critical news on the climate front that will impact our area. In March, the Victorian state government, under pressure from the federal government, removed the moratorium on onshore conventional gas drilling in Victoria. Unconventional gas extraction, that is, fracking in shale or coal seams, is still banned.

Nevertheless, this is bad news, as conventional extraction is still very damaging to the environment. It releases high levels of methane during extraction, production and transportation, and is also a risk to our water. That’s why so many people across the state, particularly in Southern Gippsland, fought hard to protect our region from gas extraction.

The argument put forward by the gas industry is that this will lower gas prices. But this is misleading, for in order for gas prices to drop, the federal government would need to implement a gas reserve policy, which it is unwilling to do. Furthermore, new gas projects offer short-term jobs, but threaten our established industries such as agriculture and tourism. Compare this with renewable projects, such as the Star of the South, which would be a long-term employer of well-paid jobs.

Although not directly impacting our area, other governments also seem to be using the cover of the COVID-19 pandemic to open up new gas and coal drilling sites, and to avoid action on climate. For those who missed it, the Great Barrier Reef has experienced another destructive bleaching event. The NSW government is about to allow coal mining in water catchments and has ramped up the clear-felling of hardwood forests, including the Bimblebox Nature Reserve, a critical habitat for endangered wildlife.

This is the time to demand that our representatives take action. Please write to Dan Andrews to let him know what you think about the risks of gas extraction to our area. And don’t forget our federal rep, Russell Broadbent… Mr Broadbent has continued to refuse to sign Zali Stegall’s climate action bill, even though it goes no further than what business is already asking for.

What the pandemic has shown us is that governments can act and they can act with great speed when they want to. Like the COVID-19 crisis, the climate crisis also threatens our loved ones, our livelihoods, our health, and way of life. In the aftermath of the pandemic, let’s re-build and protect our environment, creating a healthier and more sustainable South Gippsland for all humans and creatures that call it home.

The Author is from Fish Creek

East Gippsland Climate Action Network (EG   CAN)* is delighted to hear that the Star of the South Wind Farm planned for the Gippsland coast has entered its next stage. Negotiations are underway with land-owners for contracts to put underground power transmission lines through their properties. This is an exciting project and hopefully one of many local renewable energy developments in the next decade.

EG CAN spokesperson Tony Peck said ‘While we are currently focused on the tragic outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergency response to this, we need to keep in mind that there will most likely be a vaccine next year. Climate change on the other hand is an ongoing emergency, with no ‘one shot’ vaccine solution. A timely response implemented with the urgency of the COVID-19 actions will be both more effective and much cheaper in the end’.

Peck commented: ‘It is disappointing to read a recent Bairnsdale Advertiser editorial perpetuating fallacies about wind farms and their sustainability. Wind turbines have a planned life span of 25 years. The steel and aluminium used in their structure is easily recycled using current technology. Fibreglass blades are more challenging, but effective recycling processes are being developed as blades near the end of their life.’

‘All forms of power production require energy inputs for construction. Research has shown that wind turbines have a very short payback time: 6 months to 2 years depending on location.

‘By contrast,’ Mr Peck said, ‘coal fired power stations emit gases causing global warming and every day that power is produced, more CO2 is pumped into the atmosphere. This happens for the entire life of coal fired power stations.’ Coal has fuelled the industrial age but the gains have come at great cost. The natural environment has been driven to a crisis point; air pollution from coal fired power stations affects both industry workers and the wider community with associated costs estimated at $2.8 billion a year,’ he said.

‘Coal is not the future. The best future for Gippsland will require planning for a transition to renewable energy in the shortest time possible,’ Mr Peck said. As coal has been a significant contributor to the regional economy, we need to ensure that new employment opportunities are a top priority in planning and local businesses can have a constructive role in this transition. We all need to accept the science of climate change and the types of action required to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. Renewable energy, including wind farms, will play a big role in this transition.’

* Media Release EG CAN. An edited version published in the Bairnsdale Advertiser 16.4

The recommendation of the ‘Shire Council Officer’ (the CEO?) to the East Gippsland Shire councillors to not declare a climate emergency in many ways was to be expected.* For bureaucracy at all levels of government is still staffed with individuals primarily concerned with business as usual, with accommodating future threats with some action but lacking imagination to see the threats that global warming really involves.

Any reasonable definition of ‘emergency’ implies urgent, immediate and continuous action to combat, minimize or cope with the threat. By this definition east Gippsland has been confronted with three emergencies this year – the bushfires, the coronavirus pandemic and global warming – the first two have been clearly recognised but the last yet to be perceived or understood by the general populace or our politicians.

The bushfires in East Gippsland consumed a massive part of the shire area and prompted the State government to declare an emergency and order an evacuation for virtually the whole of the shire (see map above). Somewhat ironically this did not include Mallacoota where naval evacuations were yet to come. Nor was the influence of climate change on the drought, dry thunderstorms or subsequent fires recognised in the media, in politics or locally. An influence that is yet to be established but at least making these events three or four times more likely and severe.

The calls by local media and politicians to spend big in east Gippsland were succeeded almost immediately by the global coronavirus pandemic. Rightly, accepting the best scientific advice, our governments have mostly acted on this medical emergency (aside from the occasional cock-up) no doubt horrified by the possible fatalities likely to be experienced by delay, or no action. Governments that have ignored the science, or delayed their actions, are those that are experiencing horrific mortality rates with a world-wide total of about 150,000 deaths at the time of writing.

So far there has only been one confirmed case of coronavirus in East Gippsland but the economy of much of the region is devastated. Though financial conservatism and balanced budgets have been jettisoned the recovery from this will be painfully slow and may well extend into our next fire season. The advice of science to “go early and go hard” has been followed here with the coronavirus but ignored with climate. And as with the coronavirus many of the climate change effects are exponential.

Our treatment of climate change has been the opposite of the pandemic. We have ignored warnings for 30 years, including those by the CSIRO on the likelihood and severity of bushfires. Anti-intellectualism – that is the denial or distortion of basic facts – has meant that powerful vested interests and media personalities have used their power to politicise with propaganda sowing doubt and denial, dominating the political agenda. From this delay they have no doubt reaped enormous financial benefits.

Whilst the shire has taken the State government’s Take 2 initative and “is committed to tackling climate change” it has yet to realise that many of its actions** are business as usual. The three emergencies make the council plan to make east Gippsland “a liveable region” is probably now unobtainable. Their “strategy [to] identify three 10-year [climate] objectives” is far too late. The urgency and priority of the climate emergency is clearly not understood.

*In response to EG CAN petition for the shire to declare a climate emergency

**I have written positively on many of these actions (see here and here) and also on a number of occasions offered advice on possible emergency actions (see here).

I’m not sure what to call the pump-priming payout of $750 to old age pensioners such as I have just received. The reason for this ‘bonus’ is correct (but a bit tardy) as it is a small part of the government’s response to the coronavirus emergency shutdown of our economy. The problem is what we are going to spend it on, with most commercial enterprises, and all our op shops, shut down.

Due to the fact that for most of my life I have lived off ‘the smell of an oily rag’ the old age pension is more than sufficient for my needs. Also in the space of a few short weeks we have gone from being urged to spend big locally to help revive our bushfire damaged economy to the place being mostly in lockdown – not quite complete as a number of non-essential stores and businesses (like the loggers and DELWP) continue to function.

Consequently I have decided to divide my ‘bonus’ between three organisations active on the ‘climate change’ front. The Friends of the Earth Act on Climate team are super-active, local, and clearly advocating a just transition – something that is vital for a smooth changeover from the old carbon based economy to the new renewables one. In particular they have continuously promoted the wind farm options of Star of the South and Delburn. These projects are essential for Gippsland which is still heavily dependent on the old carbon economy.

Environment Victoria is also vocal in the need for climate action including the unsuccessful ‘climate election’ push of last year and their clear recognition that the logging industry is also part of the climate problem and should be closed down as soon as possible. The Climate Council continues in its role of projecting and publicising the current science whilst remaining politically neutral. There are many other deserving organisations working hard on the ‘Climate Emergency’ including Greenpeace and the Australian Conservation Foundation.

Outspoken barrister Julian Burnside is frequently quoted on his claim that “If we don’t fix climate change nothing else matters.” Whilst the immediacy of the coronavirus pandemic dominates the media and our lives it is worth remembering that extreme weather events associated with global warming like our recent bushfires and drought are already bad and will progressively get worse. If you are in receipt of a bonus and it is not essential to your finances please consider donating it to an organisation active in the climate emergency.