Climate Change Australia

Hastings Branch in New South Wales - Campaigning for a Safe Climate and Energy Security for all.

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News November 2017

New CCA Committee:
 
A new CCA Committee was elected at our recent AGM.  For full names & positions, see the column to the left.  Here's a snap of most of us (Angela & Lauren are missing.)
 
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Coming Events:
 
CCA End-of-Year Party - 6.30pm Friday 8th December 2017
 
Who: all Members, Supporters, Friends & Family welcome!
Where: Rotary Community Centre, 198 Hastings River Drive, PMQ, (just before the airport turn off)
Cost: $15pp including welcome glass of wine & Buffet dinner
BYO all drinks
RSVP to Leah, by 6th Dec 2017 please: 0419 125 725 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  
(RSVPs are required so we know how many we're catering for.)
Payment details: you can make payment directly in to our account at the Holiday Coast Credit Union: BSB 802-214, account number 117114.  Please put your name as the reference for the deposit/transfer; or if you can't pay in advance you can pay at the door on the night
 
 
CCA Film night: Chasing Coral - Wednesday 29th November 2017
 
Who: all Members, Supporters, Friends & Family welcome! 
Location: Majestic Cinemas, Horton St Port Macquarie
Time: 6.30pm
Cost: $15
Tickets: only available from www.eventbrite.com.au/e/chasing-coral-movie-screening-tickets-39172642428  Please note - tickets must be purchased in advance - no door sales on the night.
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Harry’s Musings:    
                                                                
Since stepping down as president at the AGM, I have been acting president while our new president Kerri-ann has been away.  In early November I attended the AGM of engineering and mining services company Downer on your behalf, to ask questions about their relationship with Adani.  This was organised by Galilee Blockade, and is another type of campaigning.  We made them realise there is articulate opposition to their plans which won’t end with tea and sandwiches after the meeting!
 
A year ago, CCA members Stuart Watson, Lauren Edwards and I set up a new consultative group with Council called the Sustainability Working Group.  Our finest hour came with Council’s vote to approve a new energy strategy which calls for an increase in energy efficiency and aims to achieve 100% of Council’s electricity from renewables by 2027.  This will require a mid-scale solar farm to be built.  Watch out for our article in the next Focus Magazine which talks about the clean energy revolution coming to our region.
 
Globally, the growth of renewable energy has been exponential.  China is leading the surge but other countries are impressive - in Germany recently there was so much wind power that customers got free electricity! With the tipping point to long-term climate hell just years away, it’s predicted that seven megatrends could beat global warming.  The tide may indeed be turning, thanks to innovations ranging from the extraordinary growth of renewable energy to lab-grown plant-based meat and electric cars and airplanes.  For our country and our planet, it’s time to plan it - reach out, join in, speak up and never lose hope!
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CCA at the Seaside Scavenge:
 
We had a stall at last week-end's Town Beach event.  Here are CCA members Drusi, Leoni & Frank talking with visitors:
 
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Stop Adani campaign:
 
Human Sign
 
Early in October, 300 people assembled on Town Beach in Port Macquarie to create a Stop Adani human sign as part of a nation-wide action run by the Stop Adani alliance (350.org, GetUp, Galilee Blockade and Frontline Action on Coal - FLAC).  On the front lines, some people from Coffs Coast and the Northern Rivers are planning a week-long camping trip to the Bowen area later this month.
 
 
Billionaire Adani doesn't need Townsville Ratepayers’ Gift
 
Townsville City Council recently voted to gift Adani Enterprises $18.5M to build a remote airstrip to support that company’s proposed Carmichael coal mine.  This decision was made in secret, and the community was never told by the Mayor of her intention to push this gift through without asking the public about it.  You can read more and sign the petition here:  http://chn.ge/2hiKNcB
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CommBank is ditching coal:
   
People power can move giants.  At this week’s Annual General Meeting, Commbank Chair Catherine Livingston announced that the bank would reduce its exposure to coal. That means they’re ruling out future investments in coal. This is a major blow to the coal industry. Australia’s largest bank will no longer be funding their risky business.  You can read more here at the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/16/commonwealth-bank-says-its-lending-for-coal-will-continue-to-decline
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State your target:
 
In October, Victoria became the first Australian state to have a Renewable Energy Target written into law.  The RET is set at 25% by 2020 and 40% by 2025, and will cut household power bills and create thousands of new jobs. It displays real leadership and shows what NSW will miss if we don’t set realistic targets to clean up our energy supply.  You can take one small action now by signing the Nature Conservation Council petition to ‘Repower NSW’ here: https://www.nature.org.au/our-campaigns/climate-and-clean-energy/
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The NEG could be a “terrible outcome” for renewables:
 
Australian energy market experts have delivered a scathing appraisal of the Turnbull government’s National Energy Guarantee, describing it variously as a “pea and thimble trick”, a potentially “terrible outcome” for the renewable energy industry, and as a further extension of the Coalition’s faction-driven energy policy farce. Read more at RenewEconomy: http://reneweconomy.com.au/why-the-neg-could-be-a-terrible-outcome-for-renewables-81399/ 
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The end of coal?
  
Coal production appears to have peaked in 2013.  The speed of its demise has stunned analysts.  In 2013, the IEA expected coal-burning to grow 40% by 2040 – today it anticipates just 1%.  We are seeing the last stages of greed by coal, gas and oil companies, squeezing governments and consumers for subsidies and high prices while they can.  The new Global Coal Exit List includes 770 companies involved in the thermal coal chain, including over 70 Australian companies.  These are companies whose business plans are set to drive the world beyond 2°C of warming.  The GCEL identifies 225 companies that are planning to expand coal mining, and 282 companies planning new coal-fired power stations.  You can read more here: https://coalexit.org/
The site has a catchy little video which can be watched on YouTube:
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Turn on the hydro pump:
 
Latest research on possible sites for pumped hydro is explained in this video from ARENA – you can watch here 
 
 
 As this photo from Comboyne shows, our region has many potential pumped hydro sites.
 

 

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