Global Climate Change Action

This submission covers:
Australia’s Future Infrastructure Requirements Climate Change Infrastructure Investment and Water Infrastructure Requirements.
http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/submissions.aspx

m...@infrastructureaustralia.gov.au
A.Al...@aph.gov.au

Energy Investing – A sustainable future for Australia
Submission to National Infrastructure Priority List

We are writing to you as one voice from the abundant citizens’ climate change action groups that have formed across Australia. The existence of our many groups is the result of mounting anxiety in the population about the lack of effective action delivered so far on reducing our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Our members are drawn from the spectrum of this country’s people, from urban, rural and regional areas. They include small and large business operators and directors, parents, students, grandparents, farmers, migrants, and public service and other employees. Diverse and often dissimilar, we all share a common wish to see far more effective measures undertaken by our leaders to avert the dangerous climate change that scientists across the globe predict.

Global warming is happening much faster than was previously thought, our government’s policy and initiatives need to be reconciled with the emerging respected science and IPCC recommendations so that we avoid risking catastrophic climate change.

The existence of our many climate action groups across the nation demonstrates a widespread understanding about the need for sweeping, legislated changes to industry and society to tackle climate change effectively.

We are writing to clearly express to you that:

1. We are very much aware that there are substantial numbers of highly credible research papers and reports that demonstrate the viability of currently available, clean, renewable energy sources as being able to deliver the bulk of the energy needs of this country.

2. We are acutely aware of the significant contribution of the coal industry to climate change, both here and overseas, and are not convinced by the clean coal pathway. Exports of Australian coal contribute more to global greenhouse gases than all of Australia's emissions combined. Worldwide, there is no proven, working model for sequestering greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. The technology to provide ‘clean coal’ may never come to fruition, yet time is of the essence. We feel that any government that consents to the expansion of such a dangerous industry in this age is not acting responsibly, or in the public interest. With the above in mind we would like to see taxes invested into clean renewable energy supplies, in particular, heavy investment into Geothermal Power for base load supplies.

3. We remain opposed to the expansion of uranium mining and the nuclear industry for all the risks it continues to pose globally and locally.

4. Legislate a renewable energy target of at least 50% by 2020.

5. Cease the approvals of new or expanded coalmines, coal-fired power stations and coal export infrastructure, and instead use these taxes to support the development of alternative, sustainable industries in coal-mining regions, ie. Geothermal power plants.

6. Adopt a target of zero energy growth by 2010 with annual reductions thereafter, through increased energy efficiency and demand management.

7. Abandon any plans for the expansion of uranium mining and export.

8. No new dams on our rivers. Our rivers are dying. Dams do not create new water, they restrict river flow causing and creating greater problems in the long term - the perfect example is the Murray Darling. Going down a road which is clearly flawed is no way to lead this great nation into a positive future. We urge (a) less wastage, (b) greater investment into providing individual household roof water catchments ie. greater subsidies for water tanks and (c) re-use of treated water, particularly for farmland irrigation purposes.

We have every hope that your government will recognise climate change as a global emergency needing swift and decisive action to immediately curb this country’s escalating emissions, and the emissions that arise from our exports. We see a bright future for Australia and future generations if our leaders invest our taxes wisely.

Anne Goddard
Global Climate Change Action Group.
http://globalclimatechangeaction.org
http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/ClimateChangeAction/

Beautiful video :-)

Giant chunks break off Canadian ice shelf Giant sheets of ice totaling
almost eight square miles broke off an ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic
last week and more could follow later this year, scientists said on
Tuesday.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25917328/from/ET/

Thanks to to Greg, who sent me a similar article ...
"Huge chunk snaps off storied Arctic ice shelf"
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080729.ICE29/TPStory/...

A four-square-kilometre chunk has broken off Ward Hunt Ice Shelf -
the largest remaining ice shelf in the Arctic - threatening the future
of the giant frozen mass that northern explorers have used for years as
the starting point for their treks.
Scientists say the break, the largest on record since 2005, is the
latest indication that climate change is forcing the drastic reshaping
of the Arctic coastline, where 9,000 square kilometres of ice have been
whittled down to less than 1,000 over the past century, and are only
showing signs of decreasing further.
"Once you unleash this process by cracking the ice shelf in multiple
spots, of course we're going to see this continuing," said Derek
Mueller, a leading expert on the North who discovered the ice shelf's
first major crack in 2002.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Continuation from http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/smokedetector

I have snipped a small part of the two page PDF document and pasted as an image here. This information is supplied by ARPANZA. Full document here: http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/files/goddard%20attachment.pdf

The broken smoke detector contains an amount of AM 241 and bears the radiation warning. The label reads "return to supplier or Dpt of Health for disposal."

The attached jpg image snip reads:

"When more than 10 smoke detectors (or more particularly, the Americium 241 sources) are collected together for bulk disposal however, they must be treated as radioactive waste, and the requirements of the National Health and Research Council's code of practice for the Near Surface Disposal of Radioactive Waste in Australia, 1992, (PDF 237kb) must be met. Contact your State or Territory radiation control authority for advice."

Freecall 1800 022 333

(Note PDF File not attached)

World CO2 levels at record high, scientists warn - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/may/12/climatechange.carbonemissions

Martin Parry, co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's working group on impacts, said: "Despite all the talk, the situation is getting worse. Levels of greenhouse gases continue to rise in the atmosphere and the rate of that rise is accelerating. We are already seeing the impacts of climate change and the scale of those impacts will also accelerate, until we decide to do something about it." [Climate Change Action Group]

When will our so called leaders give us clean energy supplies? It is not as if they have not been warned for years and years about pending climate catastrophes. It is not as if PROVEN clean energy supplies do not exist.

Had they not been sitting on their hands for this long and handing over OUR taxes to multi-national corporations, and continuing to feed the flames of our demise, perhaps the Burma tragedy would not have happened.
How many more natural disasters will humanity face before our taxes are used to support and provide the best for those who work hard to pay them? Who will be held responsible for this injustice? The taxpayers?

I had hoped that a new government in Australia would finally make a difference, but business chuggs along as usual... i am tired and deflated, and sad for humanity. I mourn deeply for those lost, and for those who will die.

The injustice of it all makes my soul ache.

Anne

more links:
1. CENSORSHIP IN CHINA ► China currently has the largest recorded number of imprisoned journalists and cyber-dissidents in the world. Learn more at http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/china
► ► Blog about censorship in China and ask readers to sign the action asking Yahoo not to violate human rights in China: http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPC...

2. ILLEGAL DETENTIONS AT GUANTANAMO BAY ► The U.S. detention facility at Guantánamo has become a global symbol of U.S. human rights violations, including illegal detention, denial of fundamental legal rights, and torture. Learn more at http://www.tearitdown.org.

► ► Blog about Guantanamo Bay and ask readers to sign the tearitdown.org pledge.

3. CRISIS IN DARFUR ► The conflict in Darfur, Sudan, has led to some of the worst human rights abuses imaginable, including murder, rape, abduction and displacement. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed and over 2.5 million civilians have been displaced. Learn more about the crisis at http://www.amnestyusa.org/darfur

► ► Blog about the crisis in Darfur and ask readers to take action: http://www.amnestyusa.org/darfur/action/page.do?id=YCA0052148000E&n1=3&n...

One day a year is not enough, let's start a movement..

Every month on the first of the month.
******

Our household's power will be turned off between 8-9 pm on the first of the month, every month.

My son and a few friends of ours will meet under the coconut palms outside the surf life saving club at Picnic Bay.
Where we will share an hour of peace together.
Everyone is invited, hope to see you there.
:-)

Nuclear power belongs in the past - It is now the 22 anniversary of Chernobyl explosion, the largest civil nuclear disaster ever. Serious contamination spread over 150 000 square kilometres in Byelorussia, Ukraine and Russia. Radioactive clouds deposited radiation thousands of kilometres away. Hundreds of thousands people had to be evacuated, and millions more were left to live in areas that were dangerous to their health and lives. read more at Greenpeace International News

A little history on the nuclear industry...

Nuclear Industry "Strategic Plan" for Australia...

>





Greenpeace USA E-Waste Report
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/

At Greenpeace USA:
Blog:
http://members.greenpeace.org/gpblog/
Forum:
http://members.greenpeace.org/phpBB2/
(free registration and validation required)

Collection posted to my blog from GCCA:

Join the nuclear industry dots
http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/AusUSA_NSP

Nuclear Waste Dump on Magnetic Island
http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/smokedetector

to Climate Change Skeptics
http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/2CCS

see Picnic Bay here:
http://www.magnetic-island.com.au/picnic-bay.html

Latest:
http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/sd2

Ministerial reply attached in PDF file

Cc Edi...@magnetictimes.com

Hon Stephen Robertson, MP
Member for Stretton
Minister for Health
Level 19, 147-149 Charlotte Street, BRISBANE QLD 4000
GPO Box 48, BRISBANE QLD 4001
Tel: (07) 3234 1191
Fax: (07) 3229 4731
E-mail: hea...@ministerial.qld.gov.au

Dear Mr Robertson

Did you know it takes 90 years to grow a box of Kleenex?

Teach Kimberly Clark a Real Lesson: Special Invitation to Parents, Teachers and Students

Every time you blow your nose with Kleenex tissue, you're blowing away an ancient forest. And every time you buy Scott or Cottonelle at the store, you're flushing old growth trees down the toilet.

Most of the pulp Kimberly-Clark uses for its disposable tissue products comes from unsustainable sources. This includes wood from ancient forests like the Canadian Boreal Forest.

One hour... let's join together and give our planet a bit of a breather for one hour.

On Saturday the 29th of March at 8pm where-ever you are ... turn off everything, show you care.

Look at the stars, imagine a world at peace.

Join me and millions of others across the planet at 8pm on March the 29th (Saturday night in Australia).

Join the event at Facebook and invite your friends:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=8240986531
(626,828 attending)

Excellent u-Tube which explains, very clearly, why our global leaders should be taking immediate action to mitigate the worst effects of climate change.
Worthy of the wait even on dial up.

"most terrifying video you will ever see"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDsIFspVzfI&eurl

Views: 1,698,076 @ Nov 5 2007

Lib/Nat coalition won't support 'Take nukes off hair trigger' motion - [Greens-Media] Sat, 3 Nov 2007
Australia's disarmament reputation in tatters after UN nuclear vote
Hobart,
Saturday 3 November 2007

The New Zealand-sponsored motion to bring the world back from the brink of nuclear war passed the UN General Assembly with 124 votes in favour and only three against - the USA, UK and France.
Australia was one of 35 countries to abstain from the vote.
read more... [Climate Change Action Group]

from "The Big Switch Off"
This Saturday, 8pm, 6th October, 2007

From: Craig Hodges, Campaign Manager
-----------------------
I am a campaign manager with The Big Switch Off and would like to ask for
your assistance to pass on the message about our national switch off event
taking place this weekend from 8pm Saturday 6th October 2007.

http://www.thebigswitchoff.org

TBSO Community Service Announcement
http://www.plugintv.net/media/PTV007_web.mov

TBSO CSA - ABC TV version
http://www.plugintv.net/media/PTV007A_web.mov

The Age Article - 28th Sept 07