ACF welcomes sustainable population policy

Australian Conservation Foundation

The Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s announcement that ecological sustainability rather than growth will be the focus of a national population policy. ACF Director of Strategic Ideas, Chuck Berger, believes a reduction in overall migration can be reconciled with Australia playing a stronger role in assisting more refugees.

posted by seamas on June 28, 2010 at 7:06 am · filed under

Climate Adaptation Futures Conference (Gold Coast, Jun 29 - Jul 1)

Co-hosted by Australia’s National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility and the CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship, this conference will focus solely on climate impacts and adaptation. It will bring together scientists and decision makers from developed and developing countries to share research approaches, methods and results; as well as explore ways forward in a world where impacts are increasingly observable and adaptation actions are increasingly required.

From June 29 - July 1, 2010 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

posted by seamas on June 27, 2010 at 11:15 pm · filed under

New PM Gillard supports carbon tax

ABC News

New Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, says she will work to build a real “community consensus” for a tax on carbon emissions as part of Australia’s response to climate change.

posted by seamas on June 27, 2010 at 3:00 pm · filed under

Australia could be 100 per cent renewable

ABC News

The Melbourne University Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan has stated that all of Australia’s energy could come from renewable sources by 2020, as opposed to the Federal Government’s target of 20 per cent.

University of Melbourne Energy Institute professor Mike Sandiford said that “the important point of the plan is that costs are not a real impediment. The total costs of our business as usual comes down to about a cup of coffee per person per day.”

posted by ruby on June 23, 2010 at 10:05 am · filed under

Abandoning ETS costs Labor votes

The Courier Mail

A World Wildlife Fund poll conducted in Brisbane has shown that Labor’s decision to shelve its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will cost Labor votes.  52 per cent of those polled disapproved of the move, and also wanted a carbon price to be introduced.

posted by ruby on June 23, 2010 at 10:01 am · filed under

Conservation groups demand better marine safeguards in wake of disastrous US spill

Australian Conservation Foundation

Following the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which has become one of the world’s worst environmental disasters, community concern about a lack of safeguards against the risk of large scale oil spills in Australia has grown. An unprecedented alliance of 32 environment groups including the Australian Conservation Foundation, WWF Australia and Pew Environment Group have called on all political parties to commit to creating a network of large marine sanctuaries ahead of the approaching federal election to provide better safeguards for Australia’s unique marine life.

posted by seamas on June 22, 2010 at 7:17 am · filed under

Whaling talks suspended as stand-off continues

ABC News

With some countries pushing to overturn a 24-year ban on commercial whaling, the International Whaling Commission’s annual meeting in Morocco was suspended less than an hour after it opened. The Commission’s deputy chair has advocated private talks between sides at loggerheads over the ban before the meeting resumes. More than 80 nations are represented at the meeting, with Japan leading the charge to overturn the ban.

posted by seamas on June 21, 2010 at 10:32 pm · filed under