MEDIA RELEASE: 23 April 2021

Communities look to Vic govt for climate leadership as Morrison fails to hit reset button at Biden Climate Summit

Friends of the Earth say that communities are looking to the Victorian government to show greater leadership on climate after Prime Minister Scott Morrison failed to hit the reset button at President Joe Biden's World Leaders Climate Summit. 

The high-powered summit—which saw the United States announce an increased target to reduce emissions by 50-52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030—was seen as an opportunity for the Morrison government to make a course correction on climate and energy policy. 

"Prime Minister Scott Morrison had a chance to leave behind the Coalition's ideological opposition to tackling the climate crisis, but he failed to show leadership when it mattered," said Leigh Ewbank, Friends of the Earth climate spokesperson. 

"The increased ambition we're seeing from the United States and other counties shows that momentum is building to take the climate crisis seriously."

"While a heavier lift is needed to align current Emissions Reduction Targets with climate science, these announcements are a welcome step forward and give communities hope." 

Great for staying up-to-date with Act on Climate leading up to the state election, episode 2 of the miniseries is now live. This is great for sharing with friends and family to get them informed about what's at stake in this election, and what Act on Climate is doing to create a safe future. In this episode we get an update from Leigh, and an excerpt of an interview with Kate, all in under ten minutes!

By Peter Gardner, a community climate champion from East Gippsland. Article originally published at Peter's blog.  

A perceptive and important article on the climate emergency in the Age by Paul Gilding appeared recently. Gilding compared the current situation with the unprecedented emergency caused by World War II. The similarities between then and now are clear.

On the historical analogy he stated:

“The evidence of the threat posed by Hitler was overwhelming and the case for action crystal clear. However, many were still deeply resistant to acting. Only when the threat became overwhelming – until it was accepted as an imminent crisis – was Britain triggered into action. When it was, Winston Churchill led the critical shift in thinking, arguing that no matter how uncomfortable, expensive or challenging to the status quo, sometimes you just have to do what is necessary. Not your best, or what you can afford, or what’s “realistic” – but what is necessary.

The following media release is from the CSIRO (February 2017) and notes that Australia’s average wheat yields did not increase from 1990 to 2015. In fact, Australia’s wheat yield potential declined by 27 per cent over the past quarter of a century and that this decline was 'consistent with the higher end of future climate change projections for the wheat zone over the coming 26 years.'

"As the emergency management sector, we must acknowledge and prepare for the impact of climate change, on all aspects of emergency preparedness, response and recovery," said Commissioner Lapsley. 

"Responding to the impacts of climate change, and helping communities be better prepared for the risks and affects, is at the heart of our shared responsibility and is essential to building resilience." 

New analysis released by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) over night has found record global warming in 2016 as the Matthew Guy opposition block the Andrews government's moves to strengthen the Victorian Climate Change Act. 

The NASA/NOAA analysis once again confirms the longterm warming trend and found "Earth’s 2016 surface temperatures were the warmest since modern record keeping began in 1880."  

Friends of the Earth has welcomed the Andrews government's plans to modernise and strengthen the Victorian Environmental Protection Authority in response to an extensive review of the body - the first since 1971. 

"We welcome the Andrews government’s moves to strengthen the EPA," said Leigh Ewbank, Friends of the Earth campaign coordinator. 

"These reforms will help bring the EPA into the 21st Century and equip it to protect communities and environment from emerging issues such as decommissioning coal mines and power plants."

It is expected that the majority owners of the Hazelwood power station will make an announcement about the future of the plant later this week. Reports in the media have suggested it could be closed as soon as April next year.

As you know, after a five year campaign we were on the cusp of stopping unconventional gas drilling in Victoria permanently. The final decision from government was expected in early June. An unexpected Cabinet shuffle threw that timeline out the window.

Victoria is the major growing area of apples and pears in Australia. In 2008, Victoria produced 39% of Australia’s apples and 89% of the nation’s pears.