citP-reports

Gas - our growing greenhouse sector (Feb 2020)

The first Climate in the Pub meeting for 2020 got off to a rowdy start at the Royal Oak in Balmain as a record crowd of 85 people crammed into the very pleasant space.

Gas was the topic for the meeting, and Angela Michaelis opened the discussion with some startling facts about "fugitive emissions" from coal and gas: gasses which escape during mining and the production of LNG for export. Fugitive gas emissions are typically methane, which is 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2.

Angela then introduced the guest speaker, Naomi Hogan from the Lock The Gate Alliance (https://www.lockthegate.org.au/). Naomi explained her organisation's mission to oppose fracking, with special emphasis on the Narrabri Coal Seam Gas Project. This potential environmental disaster will degrade the aquifers in the Great Artesian Basin, deposit pollutants, destroy habitat for endangered species in the Pilliga and release methane into the atmosphere. The Morrison government is touting gas as a "transition fuel", but this deal with Santos will be locked in for 25 years. The Morrison government has promised NSW $20 million for developing renewables - contingent on NSW supplying 70 petajoules of gas per annum, which is exactly the amount Santos is proposing to extract at Narrabri.

The good news is that the deal is an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding), so it is not yet legally binding. This means there is still time to oppose it. Workshops are planned, including the Narrabri Gas Campaign Workshop at Narrabeen Coastal Environment Centre on February 19 at 6 pm. In addition, Naomi urged protesters to demonstrate at the Australian Domestic Gas Outlook conference to be held at the Sheraton Grand Hyde Park in Sydney on Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 March.

A petition was passed around the meeting, and Naomi also gave a number you can call to book a workshop: 0438282409.

Naomi added that Narrabri is not the only current issue: Origin Energy is involved in a big new project in the NT, and customers of Origin were urged to protest.

There were numerous questions, starting with a practical one: what can we use as an alternative to gas? Naomi replied that electricity is much more energy efficient, particularly for low-end usage: e.g. heating a can of baked beans. Induction cooking and reverse-cycle air conditioning are more efficient and therefore less expensive than gas. She pointed out that we should be introducing technologies to reduce the use of gas, just as we did with water.

An Origin Energy customer asked for more details, and was told that there is a petition about this on the Lock The Gate website, and that Origin customers should also email and call the company, and consider switching to another provider. Enova, Powershop, Diamond and Energy Locals were cited as better alternatives.

People also asked about current gas reserves, how we should be negotiating with workers whose jobs are affected and which politicians are on side.

In thanking Naomi, Dominic noted that she referred to "the changing climate", and made a plea for this always to be used instead of the term "climate change", emphasising the fact that this is now an immediate and active situation, not a static and distant threat.

CCBR committee member Meg Wallis then spoke, outlining a campaign to support the climate bill which Warringah MP Zali Steggall intends to bring before parliament on March 23. Meg emphasised that neither she herself - nor indeed CCBR - is aligned with any political party, but Zali Steggall, as an independent MP is the only one who is actually doing anything. You can learn more and support the bill immediately by going to https://www.climateactnow.com.au/. and signing the petition. Meg also urged people to contact their MP directly: contact details for all MPs can be found at https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Members

Beating their Barriers: Solar for houses, units, rentals (October 2019)

 How to solve Inner West's low rooftop solar uptake

If you thought living in an apartment or rental accommodation or owning a small or partly-shaded roof ruled you out for rooftop solar power think again.

Mike Roberts from UNSW's Centre for Energy and Environment Markets and Gavin Gilchrist from Inner West Community Energy have some new ideas which might help the Inner West residents overcome their unenviable title as the nation's laggards in uptake of rooftop solar.

Mike's most recent research project deals with Photovoltaics on Aparment Buildings. He says It is not that Inner West residents don't want solar, they face more difficulties. 

For apartment-owners, regulatory and body corporate nightmares have been at the heart of low solar uptake. Mike Roberts says that does not make solar impossible.

Solar for common-areas only, particularly in apartments with power-hungry lifts, pools or car parks, can bring down strata charges without creating a body corporate meltdown. Solar is also particularly effective in older-style low-rise apartments where roof-space per apartment is large and complications of roof-top air-con, abseiling points for window-washers and countless other obstructions are not an issue.

With the cost of solar having dropped so much now is the time for apartment-dwellers to start to think again about ambitious projects such as whole-of-building solar. If that sounds daunting there are a growing number of sources of independent advice to turn to.

Inner West Community Energy (IWCE) is one such group. Since the not-for-profit started two years ago it has helped install 43 systems worth more than $350,000. It is starting with the easy projects - for home-owners - but has its finger on the pulse with others in the industry.

IWCE founder Gavin Gilchrist says there are now solutions for many of the issues that have plagued Inner West homeowners earlier attempts to install solar. One example is shading of rooves by chimneys or trees. That might not sound like much of a problem but until recently the output of an array of solar panels was dictated by the output of its poorest performing unit. Now micro-inverters are available for each solar panel meaning one small shadow no longer puts your rooftop generation out of action.

Organisations such as IWCE have expertise in assessing technology, installers and in local conditions.  In its first two years, the group has assisted 43 households with solar rooftop installations. But with fewer than 10% of more than 20,000 private houses (excluding apartment blocks) in the Inner West having solar, Gavin points out there is a long way to go.

Where to now? (June 2019)

If you are feeling despondent after the elections - both state and federal - this month's Climate in the Pub had something of an antidote, with offerings for both fun and action.

The message from Lock the Gate's inimitable Nic Clyde and the NSW Nature Conservation Council's thoughtful Brad Smith is that there is hope and openings for impactful action particularly at the state level.

Brad pointed out that with climate concerns leading to the loss of 2 state seats (Lismore and Coogee) and a slim 2-seat majority, the Coalition is aware of its vulnerability. A promise of zero emissions by 2050 and a faster transition to renewables may not be everything we sought but it is a good starting place to hold the state government to account.  Another option is more focus on finding ways for coal communities to make a just and successful transition to new jobs and supporting them to do so.

Nic Clyde was in furious agreement suggesting people might want start by spending a weekend in the stunningly beautiful Bylong Valley in the Hunter 6-7 July when the community and Lock-the-Gate are hosting a weekend festival - what better place to see the new film 2040, hear Aria-award winning guitarist Sara Storer in concert and get a horses-mouth update on coal developments.

With over 120,000 supporters nationwide - many of whom are on the frontline of drought, fossil fuel-development and loss of valuable agricultural land - Lock the Gate has a unique perspective. Nationally, its top priority is the campaign against a 'carbon bomb on the scale of the Galilee Basin' - the plan for fracking in the Northern Territory. Any kind of support you can give is welcome, he said.

In NSW, Lock the Gate is prioritising stopping five new or expanded coal mines and the Narrabri gas project. Nic said the recent court decision to disallow the Rocky Hill mine is delaying other new approvals, giving the climate movement room to move.

"I don't think we should have all the answers yet. We still need to do some thinking," Brad Smith said of the federal election. Clearly, whatever we do, putting people and heart into our campaigns is important. Nic talked of a moving visit to the Hunter Valley by Applachian coal miners whose jobs and communities were decimated by a rapid, unplanned shutdown of coal.  Thinking and solidarity is needed to bring Australian coal communities into the post-coal world.

Another priority is unblocking electricity network log jams that are holding back the development of renewable energy zones in regional areas rich in sun and wind. Great to see that AEMO is already on to this but more public awareness is needed.

Big thanks also to inspiring locals Jacqui Wagar and Andrea who took part in last week's  Climate Leadership Training sessions in Brisbane, led by former US Vice President Al Gore. Jacqui and Andrea gave us a great insight into the sessions and the energy they generated. Watch this space for their future activities.

Getting to Green - Transport Solutions for Climate Change (Feb 2019)

Greg Bourne outlined his background - going back to a spell in the UK as Margaret Thatcher's advisor on Energy and Transport, and many years with BP in various countries, before moving on to become CEO of the World Wildlife Fund, and more recently Chair of the Australian Renewable Energy Authority.

His presentation outlined the recent report on transport that he co-authored for the Climate Council. He explained that the transport sector contributes 14% of total global greenhouse gas pollution annually, and Australia's transport related greenhouse gas pollution levels increased 3.4% in the year to December 2017. Nearly 9 out of 10 Australians travel to work, school or university by car for at least part of their journey. Congestion in Australia costs the economy more than $16 billion per year.

Australia is one of just a handful of OECD countries without greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles, and lacks credible national policy to tackle transport emissions.

The Climate Council's report recommends establishing mode shift targets for public transport, cycling and walking, and ensuring that at least 50% of all Federal, State and Territory Government transport infrastructure spending is directed to public and active (e.g. walking and cycling) transport.

Federal, State and Territory governments should introduce targets to drive uptake of electric buses, trucks, cars and bicycles powered by renewables. Electric vehicle targets should be established for specific sectors and government operations. Federal, State and Territory governments to encourage the rollout of 100% renewable powered electric vehicle charging, particularly in regional areas and interstate routes.

Waiting for the Green Light - Transport Solutions to Climate Change.

Super at risk - your money and climate change. (October 2018)

We heard first the global financial picture from Tim Buckley: he gave us quite a bit of good news: many major coal-using countries are already well on the way to turning against coal and towards absolutely huge investments in solar and wind.

That's not the story the coal industry, the federal and NSW governments and the Murdoch press want you to hear.

Tim has 25 years experience in investment management and has spent the last ten years studying energy markets.

He told us that in China, 85% of previously proposed coal generation has been terminated.

That's because large-scale solar and wind are now cheaper than new coal plants.

In the United States, he said there was 500,000 megawatts (Liddell power station in the Hunter Valley is a bit over 2000MW) of new electricity generation capacity on the drawing boards. As at the end of last year, of the billions of dollars staked for investment in energy, none of it was for coal. "Not one dollar of investment is going into the coal industry," he said.

And in India, the price of new large-scale solar plants has dropped 50% in the past two years, and it's now 15% cheaper to build solar than new coal-fired generation.

He said in the past five months, nine Indian coal-fired power stations had been closed down, and the 10th closed last Saturday.

Tim is the Director Energy & Finance Australasia for The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). There's a lot more detail on their website.

Following on, our second speaker Kirstin Hunter, MD of Future Super, joined the dots leading to one of the world's largest agglomeration of funds: Australian superannuation investment, which totals 2.7 trillion dollars. Yes that's trillions.

A small percentage of this, directed towards renewable energy projects, wuld be enough to fund Australia's transition to 100% renewable energy. But most super companies - even those with so-called ethical funds - have at least some investment in fossil fuels. Kirsten noted that non-fossil fuel investments were now providing consistently higher returns than those exposed to coal and oil: an unsurprising result given the view provided by Tim Buckley.

A quick visit to Market Forces' SuperSwitch website (where you can check out your own superannuation fund) will confirm that Future Super has 0% funds in fossil fuels.

Can we sue? Climate change and the law (June 2018)

Around the world, communities, governments and corporations are facing each other in a growing number of court actions: demanding more action on climate change, seeking redress for the costs of climate change, alleging deceit or negligence, or conversely, seeking to overturn climate change legislation.

Speakers: Rosemary Lyster is the Professor of Climate and Environmental Law in the University of Sydney Law School. Her published work includes Climate Justice and Disaster Law. Tim Stephens is Professor of International Law and Australian Research Council Future Fellow at the University of Sydney. He is President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law.

Here's what they told us:

Since 2009, research has moved to climate disaster law fall into four main areas:

1.     Action by citizens against governments (failure to set targets)

2.     Against government agencies - (failure to regulate for climate change; consent to fossil fuels  - projects like coal mines)

3.     Actions in tort (NYC) - (in public nuisance against fossil fuel companies)

4.     Action against corporations - (litigation and stakeholder resolutions)

Two examples of Citizens against Governments re Emissions Targets & Policies:

1: US Constitutional case: Juliana v US (2015)

Brought by 21 young plaintiffs - lead plaintiff Kelsey Juliana, a climate activist from Oregon.

Argues that the US Government has failed to curb emissions despite knowing the dangers involved from at least the 1980s. Based on US constitutional law doctrines, including the doctrine of public trust - the US Govt as trustee of national public resources including the atmosphere, seas, coastlines, water and wildlife. US Govt has accepted this role (Deepwater Horizon litigation).

The Constitution (5th amendment) recognizes and preserves the fundamental right of citizens to be free from government actions that harm life, liberty and property. The nation's climate system, including the atmosphere and oceans, is critical to the plaintiffs' right to life, liberty and property. The plaintiffs seek various forms of relief, including:

An order for the defendants to prepare and implement an enforceable national remedial plan to phase out fossil fuel emissions; and draw down excess atmospheric CO2 to stabilise the climate system and protect the vital resources on which plaintiffs, now and in the future, will depend.

Goes to trial in October 2018, after failed interlocutory attempts to dismiss.

2:     Dutch Constitutional Case: Urgenda v Dutch Government (2015)

Brought by 900 Dutch citizens (Urgenda is a Netherlands foundation seeking to accelerate transition from fossil fuels).

The Dutch Constitution (Article 21) provides: "it shall be the concern of the authorities to keep the country habitable and to protect and improve the environment."

June 2015: District Court of the Hague ruled in favour of Urgenda. Parties agree on severity and scope of the climate problem.  

Urgenda argued the Dutch emissions target of 17% reduction by 2020 is well below 25% - 40% required to keep global average temperatures below the 2C increase.

Held: The state is responsible for effectively controlling Dutch emission levels. Moreover, the cost of measures ordered by the Court are not unacceptably high. Therefore the state should not hide behind the argument that the solution to the global climate does not depend solely on Dutch efforts. Reduction measures must be taken to prevent hazardous climate change.

 ** In December 2019, the Dutch Supreme Court upheld the ruling in favour of Urgenda.

3:  An example of Claims in Tort - Citizens v Fossil Fuel Interests

January 2018: New York v BP, Chevron, Conoco Phillips, Exxon and Shell (17 claims filed). Based on torts of public nuisance, private nuisance and trespass.

"This lawsuit is based on the fundamental principle that a corporation that makes a product causing severe harm when used exactly as intended should shoulder the costs of abating that harm."

NYC alleged the defendants "produced, marketed and sold massive quantities of fossil fuels" despite knowing for many years that the use of fossil fuels caused greenhouse emissions that would accumulate and remain in in the atmosphere for centuries, causing "grave harm". Further, that the five defendants were responsible "for over 11% of all the carbon and methane pollution from industrial sources that has accumulated in the atmosphere since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution" and that the defendants were also responsible "for leading the public relations strategy for the entire fossil fuel industry, downplaying the risk of climate change and promoting fossil fuel use despite the risks." The defendants' actions "constituted an unlawful public and private nuisance and an illegal trespass on City property." NYC seeks an order for damages and granting an injunction to abate the public nuisance and trespass, should the defendants fail to pay damages for past and permanent injuries.

4: Litigation in Australia

Australia inherited its legal system from the UK. It is a common law country, with few, if any, environmental common law rights. Further, the Commonwealth Constitution contains no protections for the environment, nor does the Federal Government have a specific head of power to regulate the environment.

The federal government relies mainly on the corporations and external affairs powers to legislate in respect of the environment.

Barriers to successful litigated climate change outcomes include:

·    In tort law, establishing the causal link ("but for…" test) between the emissions of a single emitter and the impacts of climate change; and

·    In consumer law, while an individual or corporation may be sued for false or misleading environmental claims, compensation is only awarded to consumers, with no remedial benefit to the environment;

·    In administrative review actions, the best outcome for a litigant challenging a decision, is that the decision is held to be invalid but is sent back to the decision-maker to be

made again, this time properly;

·    no constitutionally enshrined human or environmental rights exist at either a state or federal level.

In Australia, success in climate change litigation has largely been limited to challenging executive decision-making, primarily in administrative law proceedings by way of judicial review. In such proceedings it is generally not for the Court to evaluate the merits of the proposed action, nor can the Court substitute its own opinion of what should be the outcome. 

The Fight against Fracking (Feb 2018)

A double header in February, with the screening of The Bentley Blockade - the story of successful opposition to coal seam gas in the Northern Rivers area - followed up in the 3 Weeds a few days later. Speakers from Lock the Gate (Nic Clyde) and 350.org (Glen Klatovsky) brought us up to date.

Conventional gas mining, explained Nic, is tapping an enormous reservoir (such as that under Bass Strait) with a few holes. Unconventional gas mining (in NSW, coal seam gas, or CSG) uses a lot of holes and a huge amount of water to free up gas trapped in rock. In the Pilliga Forest, near Narrabri in northwestern NSW, 850 wells are planned.

These wells, which would be the largest development ever proposed under modern planning, would produce 430,000 tonnes of salt as a result of the extraction process - a mountain of salt one kilometre long.

So, land and water pollution … but what of the greenhouse gas effects? Isn't gas better than dirty coal? Depends how much "fugitive emissions" leak in the extraction process. If the figure tops 3% (and the estimates are between 2 and 17%) the methane emissions mean CSG as an electricity source can be worse than coal.

Glen confirmed that new wind and solar are much cheaper than generation powered by new coal or gas plants. He also stressed that Santos's Narrabri project would be some of the most expensive gas in the country. He spoke of the record number of submissions - 23,000, 98% opposed - received by the Planning Assessment Commission last year. And the opposition by locals, like the 400 who passed the Coonamble Declaration in December.

Heaven and Earth: Religious responses to climate change (Oct 2017)

 A special treat opened the evening, with several songs from Ecopella- including a sung acknowledgment of country, and the Denial Tango.

Then Thea Ormerod, President of Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC) led off the discussion. She asserted that there is great concern in all faiths and traditions for people suffering from climate change, particularly those in third world countries.

In the past 10 years the group has intensified its position, going from citizen informer to action group; from campaigning to community organising (eg divestment action); and is using much stronger language, critical of government policy shortcomings. They want to form a bridge between environment groups and faith groups.

Gillian Refell, of the Sydney Buddhist Centre, and Sydney co-ordinator of 350.org has a background in environmental town planning. She explained that the basic aspiration of Buddhism is to see things as they really are. This shows clearly that climate change has the potential to kill all mankind in the future.

We need to show compassion for people who don't have a voice, for animals who don't have hope and for future generations. But she said the ethical mindset must be to not get too angry. Meditation provides a focus and perspective of the reality of now.

Maria Tiimon Chi-Fang, Outreach Co-ordinator of Pacific Calling Partnership, Edmund Rice Centre, showed some pictures of her homeland, Kiribati. It is a nation of about 110,000 people living on several atolls spread across a huge expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Most of the country is only 2-3 metres above sea level, and is reliant upon fresh water from wells. These are already being affected by sea level surges. The young generation are genuinely afraid of the consequences of climate change and sea level rise. Their whole way of life and culture is facing grave consequences in the immediate future. One image showed a group of schoolchildren preparing a message to Australia. It said "please be our speaker to the bigger nations to help to save our country. It is all we have got."

In general discussion Thea noted that Pope Francis has made great moves on the matters of 'creation care'. The idea that "in the end God will take care of us all" is really just a way of doing nothing.

God did not create climate change so we humans must do something about it - and fast.

Film screening: Guarding the Galilee (June 2017)

We led off the evening by screening our own 7-minute video of CCBR supporters visiting Anthony Albanese's office to hand over 660 letters about the Adani mine.

Then director Nell Schofield introduced her film Guarding the Galilee.

Narrated by Queensland born actor Michael Caton, Guarding the Galilee is a 30 minute documentary on the battle to stop the biggest coal mine in Australian history, Adani's Carmichael project. Filled with stories from the front lines of the proposed Adani coal mine, the film captures the raw beauty of the Queensland outback, where Adani's mine threatens essential water resources, and so much more.

After the film, Nell led a discussion about the StopAdani campaign stressing that the fight was continuing - and the critical factor was the upcoming NAIF decision whether to support the rail link with a $900m infrastructure loan.

Climate for Murder (Feb 2017)

Kate Smolski from NCC and Greg Miller of Sensible Films Productions were the presenters at our first Climate in the Pub for 2017 .

Kate Smolski, CEO of Nature Conservation Council NSW said that Climate action is a whole lot more than just burning coal. Community action will change the current situation and bring about renewables and stop land clearing.

 To fight the relaxing of the Natural Vegetation Act.WWF, National Parks Assoc., NCC,WIRES, Humane Society), together formed Stand up for Nature.

Land clearing is a threat to biodiversity: koalas are set to become extinct in our lifetime if native vegetation laws are not maintained. Further, land clearing is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

The Natural Vegetation Act 2003 was bringing about a decline in land clearing. There was a budget to compensate farmers who were negatively affected.

But recently the Coalition government has brought in new legislation that:

•      Removed requirement to improve or maintain biodiversity.

•      Shifted control from Environment Ministry towards Primary Industries Ministry.

Key concerns:

•      Nothing considered too precious to destroy.

•      Self-regulation.

•      Does not address climate change issue.

What is next?

•      If ALP is elected at next election they will change laws back to previous regime.

•      Take action!

•      Spread the word. Call your MP.

•      Leave a message for the premier.

•      Make a submission to the government.

 Greg Miller, director of Cultivating Murder started by screening the film's trailer. The film tells the story of the murder of Glen Turner, a compliance officer with the Office of Environment & Heritage. Greg explained that the film is firstly about people on the front line. Why are we clearing more land? 95% of all land west of the divide has been cleared.

Although many small farmers were probably happy with the 2003 Natural Vegetation Act as it was, recognising that flattening the land and clearing everything will do no good in the long term, changes to the act were being pushed by the National Party and large agricultural businesses.

Glen Turner's job was to investigate illegal land clearing. The Turnbull family of Moree knew they were illegally clearing land. They had been advised that they were not allowed to clear a particular area of land before they had even bought it. This set the scene for a terrible confrontation. The film tries to answer the question "why murder? why are passions so strong?". It is due for completion in April.

 To help fund completion of the film you can make a tax deductible donation through the Documentary Australia Foundation.

Money's not for burning! Aligning our Finances with our Values (Oct 2016)

Excellent crowd at Climate in the Pub this month (11 October) to hear Daniel Gocher of Market Forces speak on aligning our finances with our values.

In the past 2 years, "divestment" growth has been phenomenal. Moving money from dirty fossil fuels to sustainable investments including renewables has increased 70 fold! Yes, from $50 billion to $3.5 trillion - Norway alone pulled $700 billion out of coal.

The campaign might not close down fossil fuel companies - but it will attack their social licence, just as tobacco companies have fallen out of favour.

Here in Australia, local government and several universities have divested. As individuals we can help by pressuring the Big 4 banks (and Macquarie Bank), which, since 2008, have loaned $70 billion to fossil-fuel projects. ANZ and Westpac have lent ten times as much to fossil fuel companies as they have to renewables. NAB has only increased renewables lending above fossil fuels this year.

After the talk, there was discussion about the role of insurance companies. In Australia there seems to be little concern about stranded assets (companies losing value when their product becomes unsaleable), and rather than becoming activists, insurers prefer to increase premiums.

Market Forces can show you how to switch banks and make it count. You can also email your super fund and ask it to use its shareholder votes on remuneration packages in large companies. These currently reward executives for driving more fossil fuel exploration in a world that cannot afford to burn what it has already mined.

Let's be straight - climate change is a political problem (June 2016)

 The speaker was Andrew Bradley, Australian chairman of 350.org, and MD of Holdfast Communications, which consults on climate change and renewable energy.

Andrew argued "Let's be straight - climate change is a political problem". Here are his main points . . . .

1.   We are running out of time. 97% of Great Barrier Reef has bleached.

2.   2016 is already breaking temperature records.

3.   Reading of 400ppm CO2 taken recently at Cape Grim.

4.   More floods: ice caps etc. melting all over the world. The science is clear about all this. Even more intense and severe weather is occurring than previously predicted.

5.   Cost of inaction is greater than cost of action now.

6.   Climate change has become a purely political problem.

7.   Coal industry has reigned supreme for past two centuries- so it is a question of politics and power.

8.   Clarity of responsibility is essential. Must have a study of whom and what is boiling the planet.

9.   Continuance of subsidies to the fossil fuel industry is utter madness. The performance of the fossil fuel industry is no different to asbestos industry or firearms industry.

10.When subsidies are taken away from the coal/gas/oil industries the majority of companies become insolvent. (e.g. Peabody Coal)

11.Projects such as Adani and deep sea oil are all uneconomic. They all need subsidies if they are to survive.

12.Paris was better than anything than could have been hoped for by the climate change believers.

13.We now have 190 countries that can be beaten with a stick. It is a good start, but will not solve the problem.

14.To beat the arguments put forward by the fossil fuel industries new voices are being raised - for example John Hewson.

15.Must look at what suits OUR cause. Good example is ex-military top brass who are now talking about the threats to security issues from climate change.

16.Imperative we upskill and empower.

17.Focus must be on dealing with and removing the problem. Not arguing the issues with the powers that be.

Andrew Bradley is the current Chair of 350.org Australia, and a specialist in climate and energy communications. His Australian and international perspective includes an insider's view of last year's Paris conference, the European Climate Foundation, and the International Panel on Climate Change and G20 talks. Andrew is a resident of Annandale.

Community Renewable Energy (Feb 2016)

Tues 9th Feb 7pm: Three Weeds, Evans Street, Rozelle

Tom Nockolds of the Community Power Agency, spoke of the aims, challenges and prospects for community based renewable energy projects, especially the importance of delivering the energy transition in a way that is socially equitable.

He described the economic 'death spiral' process of the existing grid, the threat it poses to the poorest families, and how community renewables might play a part in the solution.

Louise Fitzgerald, a volunteer with Pingala, outlined the group's current projects, including rooftop solar at young Henry's brewery in Newtown and in a remote Indigenous community.

Oscar McLaren of Sydney Renewable Power Company explained his group's progress with providing solar PV for the new Sydney Convention Centre at Darling Harbour.  They hope to start taking investments later this year.

How to Win Friends and Influence Policy (Oct 2015)

Numbers continue to grow for our meetings, and this was a record turn-out. The panel comprised

•      Ella Weisbrot, Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) 

•      Phil Bradley, Climate Action Working Group, Greens NSW

•      Erin Watt, Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN)

 and from their various contributions, and discussion afterwards, we learnt that a successful community group needed to:

○     Focus on solutions

○     In our case, focus on renewables

○     Be a grass roots organisation

○     Talk to people, one-on-one, and do it again and again

○     At eco festivals, have models for people to play with so you can engage them in unthreatening conversations

○     work hard and just keep going

○     Form alliances with others

○     Run specific campaigns - project focused work really attracts people.

Solar Citizens(June 2015)

At our first Climate in the Pub meeting, we welcomed about 29 people, and introduced Jason Lyddieth and Alex Soderlund from the Solar Citizens organisation.

Jason and Alex talked about their organisation and campaign Solar Citizens - an opportunity for those with solar, or who want to install solar, to join together to ensure that the rights of solar owners are protected from attack either by governments or by the established fossil fuel energy companies. They mentioned several instances of how the united voice of many thousands of solar owners had pushed state governments on particular points.

While Australia's large-scale solar capacity is very low in international terms, it has quite a high domestic rooftop solar profile, and it is still growing fast, despite the federal government efforts to wind back renewable energy.

They talked about their efforts in promoting solar on private residences. We were told the take-up on private residences, whilst slowing, is still growing. In particular, Solar Citizens had argued strongly for the domestic part of the Renewable Energy Target (S-RET) to be preserved at full strength, which the Federal Government has agreed to.

They invited attendees to visit their website standupforsolar.org.au and sign the pledge as a Solar Citizen, or to go a stage further and become a Solar Neighbour (signing up friends and family) or a Solar Champion (contacting or meeting the local MP).

Jason also spoke of Solar Citizens' next big activity - a nationwide series of "Solar Shindigs", to take place in neighbourhoods in the 2nd last week of July). There will be more information about organising an event or joining one, on the Solar Citizens website very soon.

There was general discussion around the issues of solar panel financial viability (getting better all the time) and installing batteries (will be extremely viable within a year).

Other sources of information mentioned were the Alternative Technology Association and Our Solar Future.