Act on Climate is a team of citizens who are concerned about climate change and want to take action on it at a grassroots level.
We are a diverse bunch from all walks of life; from the inner city to rural areas, young and old, and from many professions, who see the impacts of climate change in our lives already in different ways.
The owner of Australia's dirtiest power plant, EnergyAustralia, has taken to the Murdoch press to sook about state climate and energy policy.
The company is claiming that its power plant in Yallourn might close prematurely due to Emissions Reduction Targets and Victorian Renewable Energy Target.
In reality though, EnergyAustralia's Victorian coal power plant will close from old age and its inability to compete with new technology entering the grid.
As research from The Australia Institute demonstrates, Victoria's brown coal power plants are the most unreliable generators in the country.
“Victoria’s coal power plants are responsible for the highest number of breakdowns in the country, putting the state’s electricity supply at serious risk,” the Australia Institute's Richie Merzian told RenewEconomy in June.
“It’s worrying that Victoria’s heavy-polluting coal plants already struggle to consistently supply the state and climate change will only increase the difficulty with more days of extreme heat and higher demand.”
“Across the national grid," Merzian added, "Victoria’s aging coal-fired power stations are the most likely to fail and Victorian’s felt this first-hand in January this year when many were forced into blackout.”
Read more
Calling all Australian university students who are disheartened and disgusted by our nation’s unforgivably sluggish response to the climate crisis!
Get yourselves down to the Uni Walkout for Climate Action in Melbourne on Friday August 9, organised by the National Union of Students and Uni Students for Climate Justice.
As a national campaign, the walkout aims to unite a broad coalition of students around four demands:
Read more
The countdown to climate action continues. The Andrews government has less than eight months to set the state’s first interim Emissions Reduction Targets.
With climate deniers in the Federal Coalition and Murdoch media stalling climate action at the national level, now more than ever we need to see greater leadership in Victoria.
Friends of the Earth’s Act on Climate collective is leading the community campaign for science-based targets that keep global warming below 1.5°C.
If we can get Premier Dan Andrews and the Labor government to commit to bold and ambitious targets, then we can lock in the rollout of renewable energy and set the scene for iconic projects like Star of the South—the offshore wind farm proposed for Gippsland.
Here's a quick update on our efforts over the last month...
The Victorian Parliament’s Environment & Planning Committee has announced an inquiry into community climate action. It will investigate what urban, regional, and rural communities are doing to tackle the climate crisis and how the state government can support them.
The inquiry comes as the Andrews government resumes its decision-making on Victoria’s first interim Emissions Reduction Targets and will set the scene for the forthcoming state Climate Strategy.
Friends of the Earth welcome the Environment & Planning Committee’s inquiry and say it will allow Members of Parliament to grasp the full scope of the community’s efforts.
“Communities across Victoria are leading when it comes to tackling the climate crisis,” said Act on Climate coordinator, Leigh Ewbank.
“Communities from Portland to Mallacoota and from Yackandandah to the Bass Coast are showing incredible commitment to cut emissions and cope with the impacts of a changing climate.”
“It’s time for Victorian Parliamentarians to catch up with the community and put their shoulder to the wheel.”
The countdown to climate action continues. The Andrews government has less than nine months to set an Emissions Reduction Target for 2025.
The Federal Coalition has finally caught on to the process occurring in Victoria and they're starting to throw their weight around. Minister for Energy and Emissions Reductions, Angus Taylor, launched a media offensive in late June—branding Victoria’s targets 'crazy.'
Taylor's attack came with revelations EnergyAustralia might close the Yallourn coal power plant years ahead of schedule based on climate and energy policy.
Angus Taylor, the Federal Coalition, EnergyAustralia, and the Australian Industry Group are shaping up as the main Climate Blockers to ambitious climate action in Victoria.
Here's a quick update on our efforts over the last month...
The Andrews government has kicked off decision making on Victoria's Emissions Reduction Target for 2025 and we have until 22 July to demonstrate strong community support for it to be bold and ambitious.
Will you send a submission to call for a science-based target that meets the 1.5°C challenge?
Australia's emissions are rising due to the Federal Coalition's failure to act on climate. And this failure leaves Victorian communities exposed to intensifying impacts such as heatwaves, droughts, bushfires, extreme weather, and rising sea levels.
Victoria has an opportunity to put the country back on track. So now's the time to take action!
The Australian Industry Group has revealed its true colours on climate, raising serious doubts about whether it has a genuine interest in cutting emissions in Victoria—or any other jurisdiction for that matter.
In a press statement released on Thursday 13 June, the Australian Industry Group gloats about Queensland's approval of a groundwater licence for the controversial Adani coal mine. At no time have the Wangan and Jagalingou peoples given their free, prior, and informed consent for the project.
Sanity prevails with #Adani approval: https://t.co/nOdCztCTTt #ausbiz #auspol
— Ai Group (@The_AiGroup) June 13, 2019
According to the AiG's Shane Rodgers, "...sanity has finally prevailed in the decision-making process on the Adani mine."
It is a well known fact that the Adani coal mine represents a "carbon bomb" that would accelerate climate change and leave Australian communities exposed to intensifying impacts.
Read more
The findings of the ‘Combet report’—the independent advice to the Andrews government on emissions cuts—have been tabled in Parliament. The report has kicked off the decision-making process about Victoria's first interim Emissions Reduction Targets.
Victoria has a legislated target of zero-net emissions by 2050. The government has until 31 March 2020 to set targets for the years 2025 and 2030.
While the Combet Report recommends ‘flexible’ targets of 32-39 percent below 2005 levels by 2025 and 45-60 percent below 2005 levels in 2030, the real test is whether the government will commit to targets that meet the 1.5°C challenge.
We are 10 reasons why we should fight for science-based targets that are both bold and ambitious...
Where were we on Thursday 6 June when the advice given to the Andrews government on emissions cuts was tabled in Parliament? In Inverloch were they’ve lost 40m of beach from rising seas and intensifying storm surges!
The release of the independent panel's advice kicks off the next phase of our push for bold and ambitions Emissions Reduction Targets in Victoria.
We're still digging through the 100-page 'Combet Report' and will have a more to say about it soon. But in a nutshell: We have A LOT or work to do to ensure the Andrews government ramps up its ambition.
The panel recommended cuts of 32-39 percent below 2005 levels in 2025 and 45-60 below 2005 levels in 2030. Yet these targets fall short of what's needed to meet the 1.5°C challenge. You can read our initial response to the media here.
With the Federal Coalition refusing to act on climate, we need to see Victoria show greater leadership. And for that to happen we must start taking action today... Here are a few things you can to do to help!
Read more
Andrews govt emissions cuts must limit warming to 1.5°C to protect Victorian communities from climate impacts
Friends of the Earth says emissions cuts to limit global warming to 1.5°C will be needed from the Andrews government in order to protect communities from dangerous climate impacts.
The group’s call comes as Independent Expert Panel advice on Victoria’s first interim Emissions Reduction Targets is tabled in the Parliament.
The panel, led by former Federal climate minister Greg Combet, recommends the Andrews government reduce emissions by 32-39 percent below 2005 levels in 2025 and 45-60 below 2005 levels in 2030.
Friends of the Earth say greater ambition is needed from the state government when it comes to cutting emissions.
