Stronger laws needed to stop biodiversity crash

ACF

The Australian Government’s is failing to respond strongly enough to a major review of Australia’s key environmental laws, according to the Australian Conservation Foundation. It suggests much more needs to be done to ensure that laws are enacted and implemented to effectively reverse the rapid decline of the nation’s unique and irreplaceable biodiversity. “ACF supports reforms that will prevent damage [to ecosystems] in the first place, but it’s also vital the government gives adequate resources to those responsible for enforcing laws,” says the group’s Healthy Ecosystems program manager Dr Paul Sinclair.

posted by seamas on August 29, 2011 at 7:28 am · filed under

Australian solar sector hurting

EcoBlog

Changes in government policies are hurting the Australian solar industry, which is cutting jobs. New South Wales and Western Australia have scrapped solar feed-in tariffs just as China is enacting a new feed-in tariff to support its booming domestic solar sector. Manufacturing advances in China are expected to reduce the cost of solar power globally as solar panels get cheaper.

posted by seamas on August 24, 2011 at 7:16 am · filed under

Solar power costs dip below coal in parts of NSW

The Age

Fairfax is reporting that a surge in solar energy generated in New South Wales has helped solar power costs in parts of the state edge under that of electricity generated from burning coal for the first time. The $1.9 billion solar bonus scheme has added around 300 megawatts of power generation capacity to household roofs, with another 70 megawatts expected to come online. Australian Photovoltaic Association chairwoman Muriel Watt indicated that broader solar power price competitiveness was dependent on the introduction of the carbon price.

posted by seamas on August 18, 2011 at 7:25 am · filed under

TAPPED Film Benefit (Melbourne, Sept 6)

A Big Picture documentary film screening benefiting environmental causes - from the makers of ‘Who Killed the Electric Car’, TAPPED investigates the role of the bottled water industry and its effects on our health, climate change, pollution, and our reliance on oil.

Screening at 6pm on Tuesday the 6th of September at Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne.

posted by seamas on August 18, 2011 at 1:37 am · filed under

Climate Change - Social Change Conference (Melbourne, Sept 30 - Oct 3)

A four day conference in Melbourne on climate and social change is being organized by Green Left Weekly, Resistance and the Socialist Alliance. It will feature talks, panel discussions and more than 20 workshops to discuss solutions to intertwined social and environmental crises.

At the Sydney Myer Asia Centre, Swanston St, University of Melbourne, September 30 - October 3, 2011.

posted by seamas on August 16, 2011 at 1:11 pm · filed under

Clean Energy Future Seminars (Victoria, Aug 16-18)

Eco Shout

The Environment Defenders Office will hold seminars in Warrnambool and Shepparton to explain the Federal Government’s Clean Energy Future policy and what the carbon price will mean to regional Victoria. The seminars also aim to get people involved in the final stages of the policy’s formation.

Free seminars begin at 6pm. For more information, visit Eco Shout.

posted by seamas on August 16, 2011 at 1:00 pm · filed under

Tourist icon under threat from pesticides

ABC News

Pesticides are harming the Great Barrier Reef according to a study of water quality in the area. Dangerous levels of pesticides have been found up to 60 kilometres inside the World Heritage area, and threaten coral and sea grass beds. The WWF has called for limiting the use of pesticides including a ban on using Diuron. The report says that practices can be improved in the horticulture industry, but also in the sugar cane industry.

posted by rochelle on August 14, 2011 at 8:24 am · filed under