Australia suffered through a terrible summer. The 2019–20 bushfires have been described as 'the worst bushfires in our history’. Australia wide, approximately 19.4 million hectares have burnt since 1 July 2019 and at least 33 people dead. It has been estimated that a billion animals died. More than 2,500 homes were destroyed, with more than 300 in Victoria.

In Victoria, more than 1.2 million hectares have been burnt—making it the largest bushfire since 1939.

Now the Victorian government is holding an independent investigation into the 2019–20 fire season. It is being led by the Inspector-General for Emergency Management, and is looking at Victoria's ‘preparedness for, and response to, the current fire season, as well as review Victoria's recovery effort’. Submissions to this process are open until the end of April and preliminary recommendations are due on 31 July 2020.

In response to the economic impacts of the outbreak of the Coronavirus/ Covid-19, state and federal governments are now announcing rolling, large-scale stimulus packages to keep the economy afloat. These already total billions of dollars and are likely to be ongoing. 

This is both a threat and an opportunity for the future of the economy, the climate and ecosystems at a time of overlapping crises.

Will we see the Morrison government attempt to force through subsidies for new coal mines and fossil fuel generators, bailouts of large corporations and guarantees for executive pay while regular people struggle to pay rent and emissions continue to rise?

Or will we take this opportunity to transform the economic system to get the climate crisis under control, and ensure the safety and health of people? We cannot return to business as usual.

Community members in Victoria's south west have collected over 1000 signatures on a petition calling for an extension of a ban on onshore gas exploration.

Community opposition to drilling remains strong across regional Victoria with over 70 communities declaring themselves 'gasfield free' as part of the campaign that also banned fracking.

The announcement to scrap the temporary ban on onshore gas drilling has come just as community members from local group Protect the West in the south west of the state prepared to submit over 1,000 signatures in opposition to a lifting of the ban to the Premier’s office.

There's only weeks left before the Andrews government makes its final decision on Victoria's first Emissions Reduction Targets.

With the Morrison government refusing to tackle the climate crisis, we need Victoria to show greater leadership.

When it comes to tackling the climate crisis, the global goal is to keep warming below 1.5°C. We need this to be Victoria's goal too. We need science-based Emissions Reduction Targets.

We're calling on all our supporters, community climate champions, allies in the movement and elsewhere to join us in a Week of Action for Victorian Climate Leadership. March 14 - 24.

Want to kick off 2020 with a powerful message for climate action that can't be ignored? 

Bushfires and climate change

As we know, catastrophic bushfires around Southeast Australia are affecting us all. The burning of coal, oil and gas has increased global temperatures. This climatic change has led to drier and hotter weather, and frequent droughts have led to extreme fire conditions. In particular, Southeast Australia has had a 25% decline in average rainfall this year. The dry environment has made vegetation more flammable, increasing the severity of the bushfires.

Friends of the Earth podcast history series made in collaboration with 3CR 855 AM community radio show Acting Up! This show looks at the history of climate action, and how it moved to a a climate justice frame.

With fires devastating communities and landscapes in East Gippsland, north east Victoria, south west Victoria, southern NSW and across many other parts of the country, it has been a sombre start to the year.

All those affected by the bushfire—the firefighters, first responders, community members, and wildlife — are front of mind for us.  

Here is an initial list of ideas about how you can help affected communities.

MEDIA RELEASE: 28 Nov 2019

Victoria's emissions on downward trajectory, but heavy lift needed to avoid dangerous climate impacts

Victoria's annual greenhouse emissions performance data has been released today, as the Andrews government enters a critical decision-making period on state Emissions Reduction Targets. 

The Victorian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2019 shows the state's emissions are on a downward trajectory, though Friends of the Earth says a heavier lift is needed to avoid dangerous climate impacts such as intensifying heatwaves, droughts, bushfires, and sea level rise:

"Community members are looking to the Andrews government to show greater leadership while the Morrison government refuses to tackle the climate crisis," said Leigh Ewbank, Friends of the Earth's climate spokesperson.

"Victoria's emissions are on a downward trajectory, but a heavier lift is needed to protect communities from dangerous climate impacts."

Waste to Energy looks like a green solution to our waste crisis, and a neat way to solve energy prices at the same time. But Friends of the Earth Melbourne is concerned that the strong interest both the ALP and the Coalition are showing in Waste to Energy fails to take into account serious problems, such as health issues and future impacts on our recycling.

Craig is highly dubious of Waste to Energy as a solution for Australia- he found that most “recycled” soft plastics in Sweden actually ended up incinerated!  See 26 minute doco here.