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Climate Summit decides 2009 objectives
The latest from Elsa Evers at the Climate Summit in Canberra, day 2: After yesterday’s uplifting opener, today has been exhausting and emotional for many of us at Australia’s Climate Action Summit. I spent a lot of time in the policy and politics sessions, looking first at Rudd’s carbon pollution reduction scheme (CPRS) with Richard…
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Why Climate Summit was short on hippies
Latest from Elsa Evers at the Climate Summit: At the close of the final day of Australia’s Climate Action Summit, I understand what has made this summit so special. I’ll try to paint the picture: An elderly man sits next to me, deliberately scribbling notes. Two kids run down the aisle next to me, stepping…
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Climate Summit kicks off
This just in from Elsa Evers at the Climate Action Summit in Canberra: As the bus from Sydney circled the first roundabout into Canberra this morning, I had a sudden feeling of dread: ‘What if nobody turns up to Climate Action Summit?’ Of course, Australia’s climate action leaders are not the types to cancel at…
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Rudd, Obama And Green Stimulus Package
Kevin and Barack had their first conversation yesterday. As well as discussing the G.F.C. they also discussed closer cooperation on the climate crisis and agreed both countries should work closely together in preparation for the next United Nations meeting on the post-Kyoto framework in Copenhagen later this year. There was no mention of them discussing…
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Update: Climate Summit agenda
Momentum is building for the biggest gathering of climate action groups ever seen in Australia. At the Climate Action Summit in Canberra, grassroots climate groups will decide national campaigns and policy asks that will set the agenda for 2009 and help change our climate future. It’s history in the making, so come and be counted.…
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Can this film change the climate?
Some years ago, I interviewed Franny Armstrong about her inspiring, amazing docomentary film, McLibel. For the interview, Franny was in the UK and I was crouched in the narrow, dark hallway of my Sydney rental (the only phone line in the house). The line was crackly, Franny was talking 10 to the dozen and I…
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Whaling vessel limps into port
Whaling in Antarctic waters not only threatens whale populations – it also poses a huge risk to this particularly fragile, wild environment. Japanese whaling vessels have been known to refuel slap bang in the middle of these Antarctic waters: watch the footage. Recently, Japanese whaling vessel, the Yushin Maru 2, was damaged in Antarctic waters…
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Movie sneak preview: End of the Line
End of the Line, the world’s first major documentary about the devastating effect of overfishing, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival yesterday. The doco examines the imminent extinction of bluefin tuna, brought on by increasing western demand for sushi; the impact on marine life, resulting in the huge overpopulation of jellyfish; and the profound implications…
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It’s your Climate Summit: join the live info session
When Kevin Rudd announced the 5% carbon emissions target in December, climate action groups organised creative protests with lightening speed. In Adelaide, they pelted ‘5% Kevin’ with shoes (a la the George Bush shoe pelt of 15 December). In Melbourne, activists sandbagged Martin Ferguson’s office against climate impacts. In Newcastle, they occupied the local member’s…
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From Barack Obama's inauguration to Fossil Fools Day 2009
What will be the most enduring legacies from the inauguration of Barack Obama? There is no way it could be community action on climate change, is it? For weeks now, the real Obama administration – his website – has been spruiking to millions of ‘Barackers’, asking them to commit a day of community service as…