Victorian Coal Fired Power stations
Victorian coal-fired power stations burn brown coal to produce electricity. All coal produces carbon dioxide when burned and brown coal is the worst-polluting type of coal (in greenhouse terms). Victoria and Australia desperately need to move away from burning coal and on to renewable ways of generating electricity. This was the focus of the mass community action “Switch off Hazelwood” which was held at the Hazelwood Power Station on 13 September 2009 (see http://www.switchoffhazelwood.org)
Climate Bill for Victoria (letter from Friends of the Earth)
dear friends
I am writing to you in the hope you can take a few minutes to send a letter to the Premier and Cabinet. The state ALP has committed to developing a Climate Bill for Victoria. The draft structure will be released before the state election in November. This is our last chance to have influence over the structure of the Bill. Given the failure of the federal government to act decisively to reduce greenhouse gases, it is now imperative that the Bill be as strong as possible. Please write immediately to the Premier and members of Cabinet. Feel free to add your own thoughts and ideas to the letter – but if you want to see a meaningful Climate Bill enacted by the state government – PLEASE ACT NOW. Suggested letter and email addresses below.
Please circulate to your networks.
With thanks
regards, Cam Walker
Friends of the Earth
—
To The Hon John Brumby, Premier of Victoria
Mr Tony Lupton, MP, Cabinet Secretary
Mr Gavin Jennings, Minister for Environment and Climate Change
Members of Cabinet
By email.
Dear Premier Brumby and members of Cabinet
I welcome the fact that your government has committed to delivering a Climate Change Bill for Victoria. With the collapse of federal government initiatives on climate change, the need for a strong, whole of government Bill for Victoria has never been more necessary. Along with a commitment to replace Hazelwood with renewable energy and massively increased support for the roll out of renewable energy here in Victoria, the Climate Bill is of great significance to me as we approach the November election. I urge you to produce a Bill sufficient to the problems confronting us, which will ensure that Victoria contributes at least a fair share to the global effort which is clearly required, commits us to living within a fair share of global emissions, and which is flexible enough in regards to targets to respond as the climate science continues to evolve. It must ensure Victoria contributes to the restoration of safe climate by:
1. making deep emissions reductions so Victoria moves rapidly to a low emissions, then zero emissions society; and
2. putting in place mechanisms for large scale drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
You will be aware that Scotland has recently signed into effect a whole of government Climate Change Bill that enshrines a 42% emissions reduction by 2020 target. I believe that a key element in showing serious intent to act on climate change would involve delivery of a strong, whole of government Climate Change Bill for Victoria. A strong Bill is the best way to set Victoria onto the path for a low emissions future, and green groups will be judging it as such. We urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that this Bill is benchmarked on the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 as an absolute minimum. You can find details on the Bill here:
The Victorian Bill should outline provisions that:
· obligate the development of strategies to meet emission reductions and drawdown targets;
· establish a Climate Change Commission that will provide independent advice to Parliament on the development of strategies to meet emissions reductions and drawdown targets, and undertake monitoring, evaluation and reporting on those strategies;
· establish a reference group of climate scientists to provide advice to the Climate Change Commission and Parliament on the existing targets, and to undertake regular reviews of the targets;
· establish an obligation for annual reporting to Parliament on progress to meet emissions reductions and drawdown targets;
· assign responsibility for climate policy to the Premier and a climate committee involving the entire Cabinet to enshrine whole of government responses to climate change;
· ensure that climate change risk assessments based on the latest climate science are carried out regularly and made publicly available;
· ensure the development of strategies to respond to climate change risk assessments; and for progress on those strategies to be reported to Parliament.
Targets
The legislation should:
* set emissions reductions targets of at least 50% by 2020, and 95% by 2050 against 1990 levels.
* commit Victoria to mandated progressive annual reductions to achieve this. Annual targets will depend on an independent analysis of where savings can be made. High initial annual cuts should be included so as to maximise savings from the ‘low hanging fruit’ of energy efficiency and commitment to increased funding of public transport, with lower annual reductions in later years.
Strategies for emissions reductions
Emission reduction strategies should include:
· establishment of a price on carbon to make clean renewable energy cost competitive with energy from fossil fuels
· significant investments in renewable energy technology development and deployment
· much higher renewable energy targets
· development of higher energy efficiency targets, especially around existing housing stock
· development of higher standards for vehicle emissions
· bans on further fossil fuel-based electricity generation in Victoria
· EPA regulation of large point sources of greenhouse gas emissions
· a ban on logging of remaining high conservation value native forests
Strategies and accompanying action plans should be developed across each sector/department, and annual reports provided to the Climate Change Commission.
Strategies for drawdown
To include:
· significant reafforestation programs in appropriate areas to create carbon sinks
· changes to land use to increase biosequestration and increase soil carbon
Making the Bill effective and equitable
Ongoing funding for mitigation and adaptation must be given priority in state budgets.
The Bill must be flexible enough to respond to changes in climate science, and must consider the social equity dimensions of climate change, and make provision to minimise the impact on low income and affected communities of all measures proposed in the legislation. Your government has produced significant work aimed at driving the creation of green jobs. I strongly support this approach to dealing with the climate crisis, and I urge you to build on this by developing the framework that will allow a transformation of the state’s energy, transport and land use. I urge you to take the next step and produce a Safe Climate Bill which is sufficient to task. It can be done – other states and governments are already taking this type of action: In May 2009, the government of Wales announced that it would work to “radically reduce by 80-90% our use of carbon-based energy, resulting in a similar reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions”. It intends to go to 100% renewables in energy by 2025. Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, established a Green Energy and Economy Act in May 2009. The legislation outlines an ambitious and globally significant strategy to improve conservation, increase renewable energy generation, and create green jobs. Polls show 87% support for the Act. In Scotland, which has a similar population to Victoria, the government has made a commitment to reduce emissions by 42% in its Climate Bill.
Climate science clearly tells us that the longer we delay, the more action on climate change will cost. Paying for the consequences will be more expensive than preventing it. I hope that your government will be the one that takes decisive action at the scale required to transform our economy to the job rich, low carbon future we require.
[Please add your name and address]
And send to:
[email protected]
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Please cc us a copy: [email protected]
Liberal Government (no) wind farm policy
[From Environment Victoria, 13/5/10]
Hi All,
The Victorian Liberals have today announced a policy attacking wind farms, and even going so far as to ban them in certain communities. Letters to the editor and calls to talkback radio this afternoon and tomorrow morning would be really useful!..particularly regional and rural folk where this debate is going to be hottest. Their release states:
Key features of the Coalition’s wind farm policy include:
the placement of turbines no less than two kilometres from the nearest home unless a contract between the resident and wind farm developer is agreed;
the reinstatement of local government as the planning authority for wind farm applications;
the establishment of a shared payment system for landowners whose properties are within one kilometre of the nearest turbine, as a compensation mechanism for adjacent landholders;
the establishment of ‘no-go’ zones for wind farms at places such as Wilson’s Promontory, the Mornington and Bellarine Peninsulas, Surf Coast and Great Ocean Road regions, McHarg and Macedon Ranges, Dandenong and Yarra Ranges and sections of the Bass Coast;
the exclusion of wind farms in or near National and State Parks, designated tourist areas and designated regional population growth corridors; and
the public availability of all data on the energy output of wind farms.
It’s very disappointing given this is the first we’ve heard of the Vic Liberal’s policies on climate change and energy.
Wind energy companies attack Baillieu proposal
ADAM MORTON
May 25, 2010
CLEAN energy companies have launched an advertising campaign attacking state Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu over his proposed wind farm policy, warning it could send thousands of jobs and more than $4 billion of investment interstate.
An advertisement in today’s Age by six wind companies – Pacific Hydro, Acciona, AGL, Suzlon, Keppel Prince and REpower – says: ”Mr Baillieu, please don’t send clean energy jobs and investment interstate!” It comes ahead of a meeting and expected joint press conference today between representatives from the companies and Premier John Brumby. Under Mr Baillieu’s policy announced earlier this month, wind farms would be banned in national parks, tourist areas and growth corridors.
No new turbines could be built within two kilometres of homes without the consent of the owners, and local councils would be given full control of the wind farm approval process. The policy was supported by the Victorian Landscape Guardians, and criticised by the clean energy industry and the Municipal Association of Victoria. Pacific Hydro executive manager Andrew Richards said the opposition policy would create a 13-square-kilometre exclusion zone around all homes. He said the exclusion zone would not apply to other infrastructure, including coal-fired power stations. ”Why is the wind industry singled out on this? We feel as though we need to make a strong public statement on this so people are under no illusion about what it means,” he said. Ken McAlpine, policy director with Vestas Australian Wind Technology, said the industry was forced to react after the opposition devised its policy without consulting wind farm companies. ”We’re very concerned about the opposition policy and its potential impact on Victoria’s wind industry,” he said.
”Our industry has a track record of operating in a safe and environmentally responsible way, and this is the sort of thing that should be encouraged rather than blocked.” Mr Baillieu has rejected suggestions his policy would kill the wind farm industry. He declined to comment yesterday. Meanwhile, the opposition is considering suggesting amendments to proposed changes to Australia’s 20 per cent renewable energy target, which could stop households generating renewable energy over and above the 20 per cent target. The government is seeking to divide the renewable energy target – which ensures 20 per cent of Australia’s energy comes from renewable sources by 2020 – between large and small-scale projects. While the large-scale side of the target would be capped, the government has left energy generated from household solar panels uncapped, meaning Australia’s renewable generation could exceed the 20 per cent target in 2020.
Opposition energy spokesman Ian Macfarlane and Nationals senator Ron Boswell have both previously expressed concerns about the divide, citing industry complaints that uncapped household renewable generation could cause higher electricity price rises than first thought. It is understood the opposition will defer its final position on the changes to the renewable energy target until after a Senate inquiry reports on June 10, but possible amendments were discussed at shadow cabinet yesterday. Parliamentary debate on the changes is expected to begin tomorrow. With TOM ARUP
Exporting brown coal – a win for our campaign
Subject: MEDIA RELEASE: Coal decision a reprieve for the climate
MEDIA RELEASE
Environment Victoria, Thursday 10 December, 2009, Coal decision a reprieve for the climate
Environment Victoria today welcomed Minister Batchelor’s announcement that coal company Exergen would not receive an immediate allocation of brown coal for export, but called on the Brumby Government to rule out allocating any more of the Latrobe Valley ‘s brown coal in the future. The call is supported by a confidential government report released today by Environment Victoria which advises against further coal handouts. The report, Near Zero Emissions from Latrobe Valley brown coal, was written by consultants Firecone for the Department of Primary Industries and was obtained by Environment Victoria through a freedom of information request to the government.
The decision by the state government on Exergen follows a strong community campaign opposing the establishment of an export coal industry in Victoria. Environment Victoria ‘s Cam paigns Director Mark Wakeham said allocating more brown coal in a time of climate change was not in the public interest, and called on the Brumby Government to rule out a further coal allocation. “We welcome the Government’s decision to shelve the Exergen proposal, however there is no case for any future coal allocation whether it was through a tender process or not,” he said. “The Firecone report advises that there is no case for the Brumby Government to make new allocations of coal. “It finds that the state government has already allocated 25 billion tonnes of coal under exploration or mining licences to companies that have not developed the projects for which they were given coal. For example, in 2002 three companies were given billions of tonnes of coal on the promise of developing so-called ‘clean coal’ projects. But none of these projects have materialised. “This shows that ‘clean coal’ projects aren’t going ahead, not because of a lack of access to coal, but because the technology to develop these projects is decades away from commercialisation.” The Firecone report states that carbon capture and storage is unlikely to be viable for decades and that it should not be supported by ongoing subsidies.
“Given the inability of the coal industry to clean up its act, and that last year 94 per cent of Victoria’s electricity came from burning coal, the state government needs to give up its obsession with developing the state’s coal resources and put its immediate efforts into supporting genuine clean and renewable energy alternatives,” Mr Wakeham said. For further comments contact: Mark Wakeham on 0439 700 501.