Zali Steggall has proposed a Climate Change Act
The bill includes a proposal for a net zero emissions target by 2050, a carbon emissions budget, and assessments every five years of national climate change risk. Zali has called on the major parties to bring the bill to the floor and allow a conscience vote.
This will be a crucial and challenging year for climate action as we begin the decade which will determine whether or not we are able to keep global warming to within 2°C. In October 2018, the IPCC reported that emissions would need to fall by about 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching 'net zero' around 2050.
Thus to reach zero emissions by 2050 we will need to build a pathway with shorter targets—2025, then 2030 and so on. As a community organisation committed to zero emissions, BREAZE plans each year's activities to hopefully inspire and motivate our members to share and to maintain whatever actions they are taking to contribute to this transition to continue the fight against climate change.
This year we have just begun planning for another collaboration with Ballarat Environment Network (BEN)—a Biodiversity Climate Adaptation Forum, which will run later in the year. Stay tuned for updates. The terrible loss of wildlife habitat in this season’s bushfires has heightened awareness of the need for radical action to conserve and protect our native species – flora and fauna — and loss of biodiversity will have dire impacts for pollinators, agriculture and food security as well.
The Bio-diversity Forum follows the New Bushfire Reality Climate Adaptation Forum which we ran in collaboration with BEN, DELWP, RSAB and Federation University in November last year. The Report for the New Bushfire Reality Forum has since been released and circulated amongst key stakeholders including the Ballarat Emergency Management Planning Committee—and will be available on the BREAZE website shortly.
For many of us the eerie image of families huddled on the beach under an orange sky at Mallacoota, sheltering from the fires, will remain the indelible memory that ushered in 2020. Despite Canberra’s shenanigans and climate policy vacuum, as Australia’s biggest bushfire crisis continues to unfold, the public response, both locally and internationally, has been remarkable with fund raising efforts for bushfire relief breaking records. Not that there is any silver lining to be found here. The forecast effects of climate change are happening as climate scientists have predicted for several decades, and the costs, recounted daily in the media, have been devastating: for the natural environment, for our unique and diverse native wildlife, for those whose homes and livelihoods have been lost, for public health, food security and water security, and for the families of those 28 individuals who have died in the fires. As many international media reports have noted, Australia is now at the forefront of climate change – but tragically not at the forefront of fighting it. A testing time for people power.
BREAZE will be assisting the organisers of the Smart Building and Living Expo.
The expo will have a focus on all things 'E' - E-waste Recycling and preventing waste, E-cars and bikes, sustainable design and build, and includes our Can Do communities, and as always we need more volunteers.
We need 2 - 3 hours or so on Sunday 23rd Feb2020 your help will be gratefully appreciated.
Mary Debrett, Opinion page - The Ballarat Courier
With catastrophic bushfires continuing to rage across NSW, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia, recent statements by politicians implying it's offensive to talk about climate change in the face of bushfire victims' suffering, have prompted considerable backlash-from the nation's former fire chiefs, from the general public, and from bushfire victims themselves.
For politicians who have failed to develop policies to effectively mitigate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions driving anthropogenic climate change, the current drought and wild fires are obviously embarrassing, since they reflect what climate scientists have been warning for over three decades.
In Australia the climate has now warmed by 1.4C. It is predicted that globally, unless more radical action is taken, we are on a path to reach 4-5C warming by the end of the century-a scenario leading to a hostile, severely diminished environment. With the COP25 meeting in Madrid concluding, we know that those talks have failed to secure commitment to cut emissions to the requisite level.
Its Christmas time at BREAZE. To help us celebrate the year and plan next year, we have organised our events with a celebratory theme.
At GREEN drinks, we will be providing nibbles and pizzas. We are inviting people from a range of environmental groups around Ballarat. So come and celebrate and socialise with people with a like mind. You can also let us know what topics you are interested in 2020.
Our SLB talk this month will be a two short films. We will also let you know what BREAZE has done this year. We are also interested in knowing what we (with your help) should doing next year. So come along to help us finish off the year.
https://breaze.org.au/slb/smart-living-event/slb-dec
If you don't know what to give as a present this year, think about $1 for 1 Watt. This tax deductible gift will not only help the environment but also help our socially disadvantaged. https://breaze.org.au/xmasgiveawatt
For your new years resolution think about climate change. What are you going to do in 2020? What can you do personally, in your local community and on the larger scale.
We are still looking for more board members and volunteers. At the next meeting it is likely that Mary Debrett will be confirmed as the new President. The secretarial role will be shared among the current board. If you can help in any way give Paul a call on 0432 390492.
BREAZE wishes all its volunteers, members and friends a happy and fulfilling time for the holiday season, and wishes you all the best in 2020.
Presidents Report November 2019
The new BREAZE board - Mary Debrett - President (to be confirmed), Peter Reid - Treasurer, Ordinary Members- Paul Duggan, Joe Natoli, Emily Lee, Pat Hockey, Therese Footner, Simon Reid
Not in picture, Barry Sullivan, Barbara Whitfield, Jeremy Hunt.
Positions vacant- Secretary, Vice President
