Where were we on Thursday 6 June when the advice given to the Andrews government  on emissions cuts was tabled in Parliament? In Inverloch were they’ve lost 40m of beach from rising seas and intensifying storm surges!

The release of the independent panel's advice kicks off the next phase of our push for bold and ambitions Emissions Reduction Targets in Victoria. 

We're still digging through the 100-page 'Combet Report' and will have a more to say about it soon. But in a nutshell: We have A LOT or work to do to ensure the Andrews government ramps up its ambition. 

The panel recommended cuts of 32-39 percent below 2005 levels in 2025 and 45-60 below 2005 levels in 2030. Yet these targets fall short of what's needed to meet the 1.5°C challenge. You can read our initial response to the media here. 

With the Federal Coalition refusing to act on climate, we need to see Victoria show greater leadership. And for that to happen we must start taking action today... Here are a few things you can to do to help! 

Andrews govt emissions cuts must limit warming to 1.5°C to protect Victorian communities from climate impacts

Friends of the Earth says emissions cuts to limit global warming to 1.5°C will be needed from the Andrews government in order to protect communities from dangerous climate impacts.

The group’s call comes as Independent Expert Panel advice on Victoria’s first interim Emissions Reduction Targets is tabled in the Parliament.

The panel, led by former Federal climate minister Greg Combet, recommends the Andrews government reduce emissions by 32-39 percent below 2005 levels in 2025 and 45-60 below 2005 levels in 2030.  

Friends of the Earth say greater ambition is needed from the state government when it comes to cutting emissions.

The countdown to climate action continues.

The Victorian government has until March 31 next year to set the state's first interim Emissions Reduction Targets.

With the shock re-election of Scott Morrison our campaign to secure science-based targets in Victoria is more important than ever.

While a Federal Coalition government will seek to apply the handbrake to climate action, it's worth noting that we've been here before. And we know how to fight under these conditions.

Not long after Tony Abbott was elected in 2013, the Federal government mounted a sustained attack on renewable energy that saw investment drop by 90 percent and thousands of job losses.

In January 2014 we launched our push for a Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) to make the state a safe haven for the sector. Despite the odds, we never gave up. We built a powerful coalition that included communities; unions; renewable energy companies; and environment groups, and we won!

In 2017, the Andrews government enshrined the Victorian Renewable Energy Target in law and ran the country’s largest-ever reverse auction for new solar and wind projects. The scheme will treble the state’s renewable energy capacity, create 10,000 jobs, and cut emissions in the electricity sector by 16 percent.  

We’ve made Victoria a safe haven for renewable energy. Now we must make it a safe haven for climate action.

Here's a quick update on our efforts over the last month...

Victorian Minister for Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio has visited Inverloch—an emerging frontline of the crisis—to survey dramatic coastal erosion from intensifying storm surges and rising sea levels. 

Act on Climate can confirm the Minister’s fact-finding trip occurred on Friday May 3 with Jordan Crugnale MP, just days after an ABC News report on Inverloch’s plight featuring the work of local citizen scientist Aileen Vening.

"It’s a relief that what I’ve been recording and talking about for several years is now finding a wider audience," said Vening.

The Victorian Greens have written to Treasurer Tim Pallas to call on the upcoming state budget to deliver for climate and environment. 

After a confronting summer in which we have seen record-breaking heatwaves, damaging bushfires, continuing drought, and dramatic coastal erosion in Apollo Bay and Inverloch, the need for governments to ramp up investment in climate action has never been greater. 

The countdown to climate action has begun.

The Victorian government has until March 31 next year to set the state's first short- and mid- term Emissions Reduction Targets and we're not wasting any time.

Friends of the Earth's Act on Climate collective is fighting for science-based targets that will get us to zero emissions as soon as possible. 

With Australia's emissions increasing on the Federal Coalition's watch, we need the Victorian Labor government to show greater leadership on the climate crisis to help put the country back on track and avoid runaway climate change. 

Here's a quick update on our efforts over the last month...

On Wednesday 10 April, Victoria’s Minister for Agriculture, Regional Development, and Resources Jaclyn Symes gave her inaugural address to the Rural Press Club.

Friends of the Earth’s Act on Climate collective was there to see how climate change would feature in the minister’s address. As it turns out, it was high on the agenda.

"We know that while there are parts of rural and regional Victoria doing well, there are other areas who are doing it tough," said Minister Symes.  

"This is most prevalent in those areas dealing with drought and dry conditions… And that’s why climate change and drought are driving a lot of my thinking."

"It’s these factors that require me to not only think about my role over the next four years but helping our farmers and their communities set themselves up for the next forty years."

Elaborating on the impacts of climate change in Victoria, Minister Symes noted farming communities had seen drought, fire, flood, storm damage and frost in recent years and said she was “truly shocked” to see the impacts of drought in East Gippsland.

After a confronting summer in which we have seen record-breaking heatwaves across the continent and damaging bushfires in Victoria, community members are looking for governments to show leadership to tackle the climate crisis.

The Andrews Labor government has announced a $1 million Community Climate Change Adaptation Grants program for regional Victoria, yet Friends of the Earth says the allocation "falls short of community demand."

"Every dollar the state government spends to help communities respond to climate change is a wise investment," said Leigh Ewbank, Friends of the Earth climate spokesperson.

"Yet Victorian communities will need much more then $1 million to cope with the impacts of climate change."

The Federal Coalition government's failure on climate change has seen the country's emissions increase for three consecutive years. This failure leaves Victorian communities exposed to  intensifying droughts, heatwaves, bushfires, rising seas, and extreme weather.

Regional Victoria is already experiencing climate impacts. For example, Cape Conran saw a winter bushfire last year and community members have sounded the alarm over the impact of rising sea levels in Apollo Bay and Inverloch.

"With the Federal Coalition failing to act on climate change, we need to see greater leadership from Premier Daniel Andrews and the Labor government."

Matthew Guy and the Victorian Coalition announced their intention to build a new ‘baseload’ 500 MW power station if elected at the November state election.

Friends of the Earth say the Liberal party's decision to release an energy policy open to new gas and coal power fails the climate change test when renewable energy is the best option to cut emissions and deliver cheaper power for Victorians.

“We are pleased that the Coalition has finally released its full energy policy. But they have let the Victorian people down by proposing a policy which could have come from the 1950s,” said Cam Walker of Friends of the Earth.

“The energy of the future is renewable. It is extraordinary that the Coalition still intends to overturn the VRET – the state renewable energy target which is driving the uptake of renewables while creating thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of investment.

On Saturday 10 November, around 100 community members have formed a human sign in the shape of the Liberal Party logo on St Kilda Beach to mock Matthew Guy and the opposition’s head-in-the-sand approach to climate change by doing just that: putting their heads in the sand.

Community members concerned about climate change are deeply frustrated that the opposition has failed to deliver a climate policy, with Victoria less then two weeks away from a state election.

"Despite having had four years to come up with a comprehensive policy, Matthew Guy and the Liberal opposition have no plan to rein in emissions and protect Victorian communities from climate impacts if elected on November 24," said Act on Climate spokesperson Anna Langford.