Penny Wong speech at Climate Adaptation Futures Conference

While many may say the Labor Government hasn't acted strongly enough on climate change with strong criticism and calls for abandonment of the CPRS, I think it is important we hear directly from Penny Wong. Have Criticisms? Add them as comments. Follow the Climate Adaption conference on twitter from user nccarf or #iadapt.

Keynote address transcript (provided by Minister Penny Wong's office) - 2010 Climate Adaptation Futures Conference By Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water delivered at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, 29 June 2010

INTRODUCTION

It is a pleasure to be here at the opening of this Climate Change Adaptation Futures Conference. A conference that comes at a challenging point in the debate on climate change.

It is timely for us to remind ourselves why we all started talking about climate change and why we called for action. The reason was the science.

For too long, those who deny climate change is real have muddied the debate. For too long, they have hijacked this issue to pursue their own agenda. Today, I want to play my part in setting the record straight on the science.

But first, I want to recognise you and the scientists across the world who are continuing their research on climate change. It is because of you that we understand climate change is real. It is because of you that we understand that climate change is happening now. It is because of you that we understand that climate change is caused by CO2 emissions.

Nevertheless, there are some academics and commentators who undermine the science. They differ from those who question, or are unsure, or even those who are simply doubtful of the science. They are not swayed by evidence. Instead they start from a position of opposition.

Those that deny the reality of climate change - let's call them the climate change opposition - cannot agree on an alternative theory. And they are even less likely to concede that they might be wrong. Some say the earth is not warming. Some say it has stopped warming. Others say the earth is warming - but because of natural variability.

When it comes down to it, the climate change opposition have not put forward one alternative, coherent explanation as to how the climate is changing and why it is changing. And when weighing their theories it is reasonable to ask about the relevance of their qualifications and the extent of their willingness to be peer reviewed.

Publicity does not equate to scientific weight.

CLIMATE CHANGE SCIENCE

On the other hand, those putting forward the evidence of human-induced climate change are affiliated with some of the most credible research organisations in the world. In Australia, there's the Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO. In the US, there is the US National Academy of Sciences. In the UK there's the Hadley Centre. And finally, there's the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Apart from this, we must acknowledge that the climate change consensus is underpinned by the peer review process. It is important that the public understands how this system works.

Peer review is the process of allowing science to be reviewed before it is accepted for publication by peers in a field who judge the competence, significance and originality of the research. These scientists then challenge or support these results with peer-reviewed articles of their own and over time a consensus builds around the observations that explain the science most successfully. It is robust. It is trustworthy.

I note there have been some issues raised recently about the IPCC. The most important of the three volumes of the IPCC for policy is the Working Group 1 report, which is the foundation for climate change science. The authors of that report were very careful to use only peer-reviewed literature and to consider it all carefully.

Furthermore, a recent study in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reported that about 98 per cent of the most active publishing climate researchers agree that human activity is warming the planet.

For us, these processes, the evidence and the consensus reaffirms the existence of climate change. It also reaffirms the case for action. It is clear to you and I why we can trust the science, but it may be less clear to the people who don't follow this closely.

Many people do not have the time to read the thousands of pages that has been written about climate science. Generally, the information they receive about climate change is from politicians, the media and other sources. They are told by people like you and me that climate change is real and is from the decades of industrial pollution and the greenhouse gases that continue to be pumped into the atmosphere. But then some public figures say this is not true.

Unfortunately, not everyone is aware that there is a difference when it comes to the credibility of these contributions. The climate change opposition pick and choose statistics that seem to back up their claims and present information in an irresponsible way.

Let me give you a recent example.

Newspapers in the UK and Australia published articles criticising the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. The articles criticised the IPCC report for stating that:

"up to 40 per cent of the Amazon rainforest could be sensitive to future changes in rainfall".

The newspapers said it was an ``unsubstantiated claim'' and the headlines included:

"More flaws emerge in climate alarms'' and the ``UN climate panel shamed by bogus rainforest claim".

These reports were simply untrue. They were published nevertheless. Last week the newspapers issued a correction and I acknowledge them for doing the right thing. However there are many who have not. Just because something is published does not make it right.

It brings me to my next point. In this day and age we are bombarded with arguments and counter-arguments. We have all been taught that there are two sides to every story. The difference is that climate change is not a story. Climate change is fact. And it is irresponsible to try to tell people that climate change does not pose a risk.

For example, we should remind ourselves that:

• 2009 was the second hottest year in Australia and ended our hottest decade.
• Each decade since the 1940s has been warmer than the past.
• Globally, 2009 was ranked the fifth warmest year on record and capped off the hottest decade in recorded history.
• Sea levels are rising.
• Scientists have found that it is at least 90 per cent likely that the observed global warming has been caused by human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels and land-use change.

If we do not take action on climate change, the impact on the Murray Darling Basin will be catastrophic. If emissions continue to grow unabated, irrigated agriculture in the Murray Darling Basin is projected to decline by 90 per cent this century.

To put a local perspective on it, if emissions grow unabated, the CSIRO projects the number of days more than 40C in Queensland will increase rapidly. For example, within the next six decades - which for some Australians will be in our children's lifetime - the number of hot days over 40C in Longreach will increase from 21 to 59.

And then there are our natural icons such as the Great Barrier Reef, Kakadu and the Daintree. Scientists are already warning us that the Great Barrier Reef is being affected by climate change. If these icons are irreparably damaged, they will no longer be seen through the eyes of the next generation as they were by the last.

Ross Garnaut, the economist who was tasked to do the Government's climate change review, was right when he described climate change as a "diabolical policy problem". We are asking this generation to make significant changes, so the next generation can enjoy the same quality of life that we have enjoyed.

It means you, me and this Government will always have a duty to responsibly explain the facts of climate change. This is a challenge because it is hard to reduce complex scientific research into one-line statements. But we knew this would not be easy.

And it was made harder in the past 12 months because the national Parliament was not up to the job. The senior federal politicians who believe climate change is "absolute crap" stood in the way of action.

It is important we remember what happened last year because some senior federal politicians are trying to re-write history. Since coming to Government, we put forward a green paper, a white paper and released the Garnaut Review into climate change.

We put forward our mechanism, the CPRS, and after intense negotiations, the Government struck a deal with the Coalition. But at one fell swoop, Tony Abbott torpedoed the deal we had with the Opposition. He put his political interests first and the interests of the nation last.

Nevertheless, we re-introduced the Bill into the Senate and two Liberals crossed the floor to vote with us for a price on carbon. If the Australian Greens had not teamed up with the Coalition to sink the legislation, we would be moving towards a price on carbon.

It may be history, as they say, but that does not mean we should give up. We have to look forward. At her first press conference as Labor leader last week, Julia Gillard said:

"It is as disappointing to me as it is to millions of Australians that we do not have a price on carbon. And in the future we will need one. But first we will need to establish a community consensus for action."

The Prime Minister has made clear her commitment to building a lasting and deep community consensus on this issue. We will build this consensus, despite vocal opponents who will say anything they can to undermine the science. We ask that you give us your help and expertise.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING

One of the first steps this Government has taken is to bolster renewable energy and adaptation measures throughout the country. We must invest in adaptation, which will become much more expensive in the future if we do not put a price on carbon.

But I just want to go back a step.

Our environment has been heavily affected by the years of pollution from heavy industry. But we should not blame previous generations for the position we are in now. This great country, and many others across the world, were developed off the back of cheap and reliable energy.

However, generations ago, the science did not unequivocally warn of the dangers of rising CO2 emissions. But now it does. We know this now, and as a result we know we have tough choices to make. This Government is beginning the transition.

Our Renewable Energy Target passed both Houses of Parliament last week.
It mandates that the equivalent of at least 20 per cent of Australia's electricity supply comes from renewable sources such as wind and solar. This will help drive nearly $19 billion of investment in clean, renewable energy.

SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLIES

In the water portfolio, we have helped fund key infrastructure for local councils to prepare for climate change. We allocated $200m under our Strengthening Basin Communities program to help local communities across the Murray-Darling Basin invest in new water-saving initiatives. We have announced more than $86 million in funding for 13 stormwater, harvesting and reuse projects under our National Urban Water and Desalination Plan.

This is all part of our $1 billion commitment to helping secure water supplies for the current and future needs of our towns and cities - investments that are all about preparing us for climate change.

In Australia we have a history of water scarcity and we know water has been in even more short supply in recent years. We are investing a great deal in securing water supplies in urban and rural areas. But an important part of the equation is the relationship between population growth and water scarcity.

Understanding the capacity of our water supplies, and our ability to use water more efficiently, is an important component of sustainable population planning.

ADAPTATION

In February this year I released the Government's position paper on adaptation. The Commonwealth is developing a national adaptation response agenda in partnership with states and territories for COAG consideration later this year.

It is work that has to be done, especially in light of the Climate Change Risks to Australia's Coasts Report released last year. This report stated that between 157,000 and 247,000 existing residential buildings would be at risk from sea inundation of 1.1m by the end of the century.

In the face of research such as this - we cannot ignore the need to adapt to the climate change we cannot avoid.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I want to acknowledge the work of the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, the CSIRO Adaptation Flagship and many of you for the progress you have made so far, and your commitment to what will need to be done in the future. You have remained focused on your work in the face of vocal opponents.

Your research continues to make a valuable contribution to our understanding of climate change, and what it means for this nation.

At this time, we should remember again that this debate and the call for action began with the science. And the science can get it back on track again. Because no fair-minded person could be presented with the weight and extent of the science and not conclude that we have to act.

The science is at the heart of building the consensus.

Thank you.




Takver is a citizen journalist from Melbourne who has been writing on Climate Change issues and protests including Rising Sea Level, Ocean acidification, Environmental and social Impacts since 2004.

Renewable energy target: 20 by 2020 or zero emissions by 2020?

At the same time on Friday as Trade Minister Simon Crean was signing the deal to export brown coal to Vietnam, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong issued a press release welcoming the passage of the enhanced Renewable Energy Target and Building Energy Efficiency legislation through the Federal Parliament. One could interpret Penny Wong's PR as a greenwashing response to the Beyond Zero Emissions launch on Wednesday for a Zero Carbon Australia 2020 Stationary Energy Plan of zero emissions.

"The Renewable Energy Target will ensure 20 per cent of Australia's electricity supply in 2020 will come from renewable sources." Penny Wong said. The bill splits the Renewable Energy Target into two parts from 1 January 2011: small scale systems such as solar photovoltaic panels and solar hot water systems on residential housing; and large scale projects like wind farms, commercial solar and geothermal.

But will 20 percent of electricity supply from renewables by 2020 be enough to forestall the impacts of climate change?

In a blog post Tony Mohr, climate change manager from the Australian Conservation Foundation called the legislation an important step towards a cleaner future for Australia but said much more needed to be done. "The government has agreed to fund just two of the 52 projects that applied for funding under the Solar Flagships program. These are 52 proposals for real projects that would make the kind of shift we need, but none of them will get support from the current Renewable Energy Target." Tony Mohr said, "Australia could join other leading countries like Germany by increasing the share of electricity to 40 per cent by 2020."

But the Zero Carbon Australia 2020 initiative goes further. "The premise of a 10 year transition is based on 'The Budget Approach' from the German Advisory Council on Global Change. In order to have a 67% chance of keeping global warming below 2oC above pre-industrial temperatures, on a basis of equal allocation of emissions on a per-capita basis, it would be necessary for the USA to reduce emissions to zero in 10 years. Australia has the same per-capita emissions as the USA, and would need to pursue the same goal," the plan says.

The Zero Carbon Australia 2020 synopsis calls for 40% renewable energy from wind generation, 60% from large scale concentrating solar thermal power with molten salt storage for 24/7 baseload operation, and backup from Hydro-electric and biomass power generation. The plan specifies sites around Australia that are selected for their wind availability, solar incidence, economy of scale, transmission costs, technical efficency, and geographical diversity: 23 sites for wind, and 12 sites for Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST). The plan is based only on existing commercial technology.

The plan has received support by a variety of academics and scientists. Associate Professor Keith Lovegrove, Leader Solar Thermal Group at the Australian National University said "The ZCA report analyses one particular scenario of renewable energy technology choice based on available solutions, in considerable depth. It successfully shows in detail that 100% renewable energy is both technically possible and economically affordable. Clearly other renewable energy technology scenarios are also possible, that only serves to strengthen the overall conclusion about viability. The group is to be congratulated for their efforts."

The plan has been costed at $370 billion, or about 3 per cent of GDP per year for 10 years. It could become a 21st century equivalent of the Snowy Mountains Scheme creating up to 80,000 jobs from installation of renewable energy generation at the peak of construction, and over 45,000 jobs in operations and maintenance that will continue for the life of the plant. Such a scheme would also generate up to 30,000 jobs in manufacturing wind turbines and heliostats.

The Beyond Zero Emissions plan was launched in Canberra by Senators Christine Milne (Greens), Judith Troeth (Liberal), and Nick Xenophon (Independent), just as the backroom talks to replace Kevin Rudd were taking place. So the news on Thursday was all about Australia's first female Prime Minister, Julia Guillard.

Matthew Wright, Beyond Zero Emissions Executive Director said at the launch "It's time for the Australian parliament to a implement a climate and energy policy agenda to repower our economy with 100% renewable energy by 2020. Concentrated solar thermal technology is capable of generating renewable electricity 24 hours a day and credible climate and energy policy will encourage the rapid deployment of the technology in Australia. This should be a priority for Australian governments,"

Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said: "We can and must aim to power Australia with 100% renewable energy as soon as possible if we are to truly tackle the climate crisis. This Zero Carbon Australia plan is an extremely valuable contribution which all in the parliament should be looking at very seriously, particularly as we are currently debating renewable energy legislation in the Senate."

So Climate Change Minister Penny Wong and the Australian Parliament gave us on Friday the plan for 20 per cent renewable power by 2020, but what we really need is something much more. Zero Carbon Emissions have shown that reducing stationary carbon emissions to zero is feasible, it just depends on the political will and leadership.

Climate Adaption Conference

The zero emissions plan comes as Australia prepares to host the first international conference held in Australia to discuss the science and options for adapting to climate change, due to begin June 29 on the Gold Coast.

Conference chairs National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) Director Professor Jean Palutikof said "The science tells us that climate change is happening faster than we thought and that the 'window' for us to adapt and prepare is smaller than we thought. Australia is already experiencing the effects of climate change and is likely to be one of the most severely affected amongst developed countries."

"Regardless of what mitigation actions we take now as a nation or globally to cut greenhouse gas emissions, it is too late to 'mitigate our way out of the problem' - we will need a mixture of adaptation and mitigation measures." said Jean Palutikof.

CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship Director Dr Andrew Ash said more than 1000 scientists and decision makers from developed and developing countries were expected to attend. "The impacts from climate change will be felt first and most severely in developing countries, and international co-operation is required to ensure developing countries have the tools and resources they need to adapt."

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Matthew Wright from Beyond Zero Emisions explains the plan to reduce Australia's carbon emissions to zero by 2020 in a series of 5 youtube videos. here is the first one:




Takver is a citizen journalist from Melbourne who has been writing on Climate Change issues and protests including Rising Sea Level, Ocean acidification, Environmental and social Impacts since 2004.

Xstrata puts Wandoan coal mine on hold

First the Bickham coal mine was stopped, now Xstrata is placing the Wandoan coal mine project in Queensland - potentially one of the largest coal mines in the world - on hold. Friends of the Earth reckons Xstrata is scapegoating the Rudd Governments super profit resource rent tax for the decision when in reality it is poor planning by Xstrata.


The Anglo-Swiss mining company Xstrata announced today the "loss" of potential jobs at Ernest Henry copper mine in Queensland and in the Wandoan coal project. These jobs are for planned work - they haven't been created and don't yet exist. The announcement was part of the mining industry's campaign against the imposition of a Resource rental tax (RSPT) on all mining.

The Wandoan coal mine was planned to be one of the largest coal mines in the world, estimated by Xstrata to be worth $6 billion dollars. Situated to the west of the Queensland town of Wandoan which is located just off the Leichhardt Highway 407 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, and 382 kilometres south-west of the Port of Gladstone, in the local government area of Dalby Regional Shire.

"The RSPT puts the future of this globally significant AUD6 billion project at risk, together with the development of the Surat Basin as an internationally competitive export coal region," Xstrata Coal Chief Executive Peter Freyberg said.

But Friends of the Earth have claimed the project has been poorly planned based upon high coal export prices.

"We've been watching this project for a number of years and could see that it was not viable without the inflated coal export prices we saw during the boom. Xstrata are using the Government's Resource Profits Tax as a scapegoat to cover up for their own poor planning" said spokes-person for Friends of the Earth Brisbane, Eleanor Smith.

"The Wandoan Coal Project is a climate killer", said Ms Smith "At 30 million tonnes of coal per year, it was to be one of the biggest coal projects in the world and add millions of tonnes to our carbon debt."

Coal mining is a highly destructive activity often destroying rural communities and alienating agricultural productive farming land. "Xstrata have gone into Wandoan and absolutely decimated that community. Landholders have left, leaving schools and local businesses under pressure. A creeping death has taken over the community which was once a vibrant rural hub," said Ms Smith who visited the community as part of a research tour of coal affected communities in 2008.

A report on the Queensland coal industry - Community Dialogues on Coal - released by Friends of the Earth on May 1, 2009 said "The coal industry in Queensland is entering a period of enormous uncertainty and risk, with continuing job losses, shrinking global demand, and massive sector-wide restructures due to climate change policy responses. In all this, it is the people of Queensland's coal communities who will have to deal with the very real impacts of this period of transition."

Friends of the Earth have supported the Rudd Government's proposed Resource Super Profits Tax. "It is high time governments taxed mining companies appropriately," said Eleanor Smith, "The resources belong to us, we bear the environmental and health costs of these industries and yet as it stands the Queensland Government gives all the royalties they earn and then some straight back to the coal industry in infrastructure and other services."

"We're really glad the Federal government is standing up to the mining industry and imposing a super profit tax, it's a shame the Queensland Government won't stand up and support it" said Ms Smith.

Friends of the earth have called for the phasing out of the coal industry due to it's contribution to climate change and destructive environmental and social costs of mining. "We need a tax on mining that funds a just transition of our economy away from fossil fuel energy and dirty jobs to sustainability. As the state with the largest mining industry in Australia we should be doing some major planning for a future without coal mining." said Ms Smith.

"The Xstrata case shows that we cannot trust these companies with our future. We simply must move towards sustainable industries that have been shown to provide more jobs, and decent jobs at that!" concluded Ms Smith.

Court documents and arguments on the Wandoan Coal Mine Case are available at Environmental Law Publishing.


Sources

• Xstrata Media Release, June 3, 2010, - Suspension of expenditure on AUD6BN Wandoan Coal and AUD600M Ernest Henry Underground Copper Projects in Queensland
• Friends of the Earth Media Release, June 3, 2010 - Xstrata Coal Project - Bad Planning To Blame Not Tax
• Friends of the Earth Media Release, May 21, 2010 - Community must counter resource industry pressure!

And just for your entertainment is this video - a song about Xstrata closing a copper smelter plant in Canada earlier this year throwing 670 people out of work. Search on Youtube and you find a lot of nasty stories about Xstrata's attitude to fair employment in local communities.

New study estimates economic value of wetlands conservation

What value our wetlands? How do you value a wetlands environment? How do you value the indirect ecosystem and biodiversity benefits of having healthy wetland environments? An economic study of the Hattah wetlands within the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park in northern Victoria attempts to answer these questions putting a direct economic value of $14.5 million dollars per year for maintaining the Hattah Lakes in a healthy state with adequate water levels.

Related: Protection of Murray River redgum wetlands 'sold down the river' by NSW government

Coal Mines can be stopped - Bickham Coal mine defeated by Thoroughbred Industry and community action

Greenpeace and the Greens have cautiously welcomed the decision by Kristina Keneally and the NSW Government to stop the Bickham coal mine, north of Scone in the upper Hunter Valley, from going ahead, saying it is a win for local community action. It was a strong well funded campaign by the thoroughbred horse industry and its economic contribution to the state economy along with community action which halted the proposed open-cut coal mine.

Greenpeace Australia said on its blog that communities fighting coal mine proposals could take heart that it was possible to stop coal mines, "This victory sends a signal to local communities all over the country that it is possible to stand up to the coal industry and win. It will be a much needed morale boost for other communities in the Hunter valley, the Gunnedah Basin, the Illawarra and in Queensland and Western Australia who are fighting new coal mines. It is yet another signpost on the journey beyond coal."

Lee Rhiannon, Greens MLC in the NSW parliament also welcomed the decision, "This is a great win for one community, but it only has wider significance if it is the start of a genuine shift by the NSW government from its addiction to damaging coal mining to investing in clean, sustainable energy production," Ms Rhiannon said.

The coal mine threatened to disrupt the drainage and pollute the local water supply from the Pages River and Kingdon Ponds Aquifer to thouroughbred horse studs, vineyards and thousands of aces of arable land. The five towns of Murrurundi, Blandford, Gundy, Parkville and Scone are dependent on this catchment for clean water.

The decision to stop the mine was influenced by the power of money - in this instance the thoroughbred horse industry which is worth $2.4 billion into the State economy each year. Premier Keneally said "We will not jeopardise the growth of this important Australian export industry. Furthermore, this mine is simply not compatible with the unique rural characteristics of this locality, including the horse-breeding industry. It is also clear from the PAC report that potential impacts on local water resources would far outweigh any benefits of proceeding with the project."

The campaign against the coal mine had some very influential backers including broadcasters Alan Jones and Phillip Adams, former Governor General Mike Jeffrey, former Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke, businessmen Gerry Harvey, John Messara, advertising executive John Singleton, actor Jack Thompson, and Helen Georgopoulos, a former advisor to former Liberal Prime Minister John Howard. The campaign allegedly cost at least one million dollars to stop the mine.

Arrowfield Stud proprietor John Messara told the Sydney Morning Herald in November 2009 that the horse studs were not opposed to all coal mining in the region but raised fears over the impact of this open cut mine which posed a threat to their livelihoods. "What we're saying is we understand the importance of coal mining to the state, to the country, etcetera, but surely two industries can co-exist so that coal mining can proceed where it's not going to destroy the horse business," Messara said.

After Kristina Keneally announced the mine would not go ahead, John Messara said "The Premier's decision has put an end to ten long years of uncertainty for our industry and our community. The Thoroughbred Breeding Industry of the Hunter Valley and the many industries that support us can now proceed to build and invest in the future with certainty."

Bickham Coal said in a media release they were "extremely disappointed that its proposed open cut coal mine would not proceed to full merit-based assessment." The company claimed it had spent $10 million over the last 8 years planning the project and participating in planning processes.

In its decision the Government has said it is about to amend planning rules to prohibit open-cut mining on the Bickham site permanently, but underground mining may still be a possible option for the company.

Lee Rhiannon was cautious about the direction of the NSW Government and coalmining, "A true beginning will occur when the government gives appropriate weight to the impact of all coal mine proposals on local communities and the environment. This is the first and only time, which we are aware of, that the NSW Labor government has rejected a coal mining project in the face of community objections."

The NSW Government has encouraged an expansion of coal mining investing in the upgrade of coal terminal port facilities at Newcastle. There are now 14 massive open cut coal mines in the Upper Hunter Valley, producing 99 million tonnes of coal a year with more new mines on the way. Current mining proposals in NSW include the massive BHP Billiton's $60 billion Bulli Seam longwall coal project which risks damaging Sydney's water catchment, and the Shenhua Caroona long wall mine proposal on the agriculturally productive Liverpool plains. Further west are Xstrata's Baal Bone near Lithgow and the Coborra coal mine near Dunedoo. (see NSW Dept of Primary Industries - new coal mines and projects in NSW)

A recent Fours corners report in April 2010 - A Dirty Business - revealed some of the health concerns of residents of the town of Singleton. The Hunter region has the highest rates of asthma in children in the state.

In March the NSW Government approved plans for two new gas or coal-fired power stations. The Nature Conservation Council of NSW condemned the move "The approval of two coal-fired power stations is an absolute disaster for the climate, with the potential to increase NSW's carbon emissions by 15 per cent," said Max Phillips, Climate Campaigner for the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.

"This government has initiated the biggest expansion of coal mining in the state's history, at a time when climate change tightens its grasp on the planet. Premier Keneally should not stop at Bickham but now turn her eye to the other coal communities around the state hoping that today's decision signals the end of their fight to preserve their health and quality of life," Ms Rhiannon said.

Sources

• Greenpeace Australia Blog, May 14, 2010 - NSW Gov't Rejects Bickham Coal Mine


• Bickham Coal Mine Action Group


• Premier of New South Wales News Release, May 14, 2010 - NSW Government protects multi-billion dollar NSW thoroughbred industry - stops coal mine in Upper Hunter


• Bickham Coal media release, May 14, 2010 - Bickham responds to major project assessment rejection


• Lee Rhiannon, Greens MLC media release, May 14, 2010 - Bickham Coal Mine win: more needed

Takver is a citizen journalist from Melbourne who has been writing on Climate Change issues and protests including Rising Sea Level, Ocean acidification, Environmental and social Impacts since 2004.

"Why don't the people get rid of the lizards?"

"why don't the people get rid of the lizards?" said Arthur Dent. Well it seems the people are doing very well at getting rid of the lizards and koalas and many other species, due to climate change. Yep, it is our carbon emissions which is driving up global mean temperatures, altering the climate and driving lizards to extinction. The quote from Arthur Dent comes from Douglas Adams explaining the concept of democracy in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Unfortunately, it seems we are getting rid of the wrong lizards - the ones with four feet that eat insects and are important prey for other small carnivores. That just leaves the cold-blooded political Lizards we have elected to office, still in charge and warming themselves in the glow from the fossil fuel vested interests.

Rising atmospheric Carbon Dioxide levels threaten crop yields and food security

Crop yields are under threat from rising carbon dioxide emissions with climate change, according to new scientific research. In a new study published in Science on wheat and the mustard plant Arabidopsis at the University of California at Davis, scientists found that increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide interferes with plants' ability to convert nitrate into protein resulting in lower nutritional yield.

Related: Koalas face starvation, extinction due to climate change


This has implications for global food production, food nutritional quality and food security. It effects not only humans but the animal ecosystems dependant on current plant physiologies.

"Our findings suggest that scientists cannot examine the response of crops to global climate change simply in terms of rising carbon dioxide levels or higher temperatures," said lead author Arnold Bloom, a professor in UC Davis' Department of Plant Sciences.

"Instead, we must consider shifts in plant nitrogen use that will alter food quality and even pest control, as lower protein levels in plants will force both people and pests to consume more plant material to meet their nutritional requirements," Bloom said.

As climate change intensifies, careful management of nitrogen fertilization by farmers will become critical to reduce losses in crop productivity and quality, according to the research.

The concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere has increased by 39 percent since 1800, and on current projections will increase by an additional 40 to 140 percent by the end of the century.

Plants require nitrogen, mostly in the form of nitrates in the soil, to survive and grow. Research has shown that when atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations increase by 50 percent, the nitrogen status of plants declines significantly.

"This indicates that as atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations rise and nitrate assimilation in plant tissues diminishes, crops will become depleted in organic nitrogen compounds, including protein, and food quality will suffer," Bloom said. "Increasing nitrogen fertilization might compensate for slower nitrate assimilation rates, but this might not be economically or environmentally feasible."

"One fear is insect outbreaks will become more extensive, because the insects will have to eat more to meet nutritional needs." Arnold Bloom told the ABC. (Listen to a popdcast interview with Arnold Bloom)

A study at the University of Illinois found that in a soybean field subjected to higher concentrations of carbon dioxide, the plant leaves were more prone to attack from beetles.




As plants absorb more carbon dioxide, levels of plant nutrition will go down and for some toxin levels will go up. So crops will have less nutritional yield which will mean humans or other animals will need to eat more to get the same level of nutrition. Plants will put more energy into defensive systems such as phenols or cyanide compounds.

Dr Ros Gleadow told a recent ABC Catalyst program "Leaves of plants grown at elevated carbon dioxide have a lot less protein. Wheat, barley, rice, all of those in probably only 50 to 60 years time will have 15 to 20% less protein in them than they do now." she said, "In about 50 years time or even 100 years time eucalyptus leaves will have trouble supporting arboreal herbivores like koalas because the phenolic concentration will be too high and the protein level too low."

Bad news for the Koala, one of Australia's iconic creatures, facing extinction from climate change.

Cassava is one of the world's staple food crops because of the plant's drought tolerance. However increased CO2 will stimulate more cyanogen compounds in the plant. Dr Ros Gleadow told Catalyst "We grew cassava at three different concentrations of carbon dioxide. Today's air, one and a half times the amount of carbon dioxide and twice the carbon dioxide of today. And we found that cyanogen concentration in the leaves increased."

Cyanide poisoning from Cassava produces a serious paralytic disease known as Konza, which was first diagnosed in 1981 in Mozambique. Simple methods have been devised to treat the cassava root to allow enzymes to eliminate some of the cyanide as hydrogen cyanide gas, making the tuber relatively safe to eat after processing.

Dr Ros Gleadow outlined that in high carbon dioxide environment the yield from the tuber is also reduced, "The plants actually made less tubers when we grew them at elevated carbon dioxide." she said, "It is all very highly balanced in plants, the ratio of the proteins and the toxins. When you grow plants at elevated carbon dioxide the plants are more efficient so they can grow really well. And at the same time allocate more of their resources to defence."

You can watch the whole segment from Catalyst - Toxic Crops - on the ABC website or download for later viewing.

While carbon dioxide is increasing, there will also be effects from changes in rainfall and water, changes in temperature, which will effect crops. Corn, soybeans and cotton are the largest three crops by production value in the US which will be affected by extreme heat. Above a certain threhold - 29 degrees - crop yields decline rapidly with the effects being described as 'damaging large' by a report by Agricultural Economists published in August in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

We appear to be in for a period of declining crop yield as well as nutritional yield due to climate change which will challenge feeding the world's still growing population.


Background

• New Scientist, May 16, 2007 - Climate myths: Higher CO2 levels will boost plant growth and food production


• Stanford University Media Release, Dec 5, 2002 - Climate change surprise: High carbon dioxide levels can retard plant growth, study reveals

Sources

• University of California at Davis Media Release, May 13, 2010 - Rising CO2 levels threaten crops and food quality


• Catalyst science program, ABC Television, May 6, 2010 - Toxic Crops


• Climate IMC, Nov 22, 2009 - USA: Climate Change likely to severely damage U.S. crop yields

Takver is a citizen journalist from Melbourne who has been writing on Climate Change issues and protests including Rising Sea Level, Ocean acidification, Environmental and social Impacts since 2004.

Koalas face starvation, extinction due to climate change

Rising carbon dioxide will stimulate eucalypt growth, but this will entail reduced nutritional yield and higher levels of phenols which will doom Koala populations to slow death by starvation and extinction according to scientists. Other arboreal creatures like the greater glider, common ringtail possum, and common brushtail possum may also suffer the same fate.

Scientists outline health limits of heat stress with Climate Change

New scientific research on the livable limits with regard to temperature mean over half the earth may be too hot for habitation in 300 years, if there is no appreciable reduction in greenhouse emissions from business as usual. The scientific research paper published published by the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in the US says that while central estimates of business-as-usual warming by 2100 are 3-4 °C, eventual warmings of 10 °C are quite feasible and even 20 °C is theoretically possible. Temperatures will continue to increase past 2100 unless strong mitigation action is taken now. Human health will suffer due to heat stress once the wet-bulb temperature reaches 35 °C for extended periods.

The research focuses on the limits of human health in coping with temperature extremes. It is often assumed that humans would be able to adapt to any possible warming so the researchers focused on what the limits of livable conditions and heat stress are. They calculated the highest tolerable "wet-bulb" temperature and found that this temperature could be exceeded for the first time in human history in future climate scenarios if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated.

The research was conducted by Professor Steven Sherwood from the University of NSW and Professor Matthew Huber from Purdue University and published as 'An Adaptability Limit to Climate Change Due to Heat Stress' in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Wet-bulb temperature is used as it includes temperature and atmospheric humidity and is equivalent to what is felt when wet skin is exposed to moving air. Humans and most mammals maintain a core body temperature around 37 °C that may vary slightly among individuals but does not adapt to the local climate. To allow transfer and regulation of metabolic heat human skin is strongly regulated at 35 °C or below, a couple of degrees colder than core body temperature. This allows the body to dissipate heat through the skin at wet-bulb temperatures below 35 °C.

According to the research paper - An adaptability limit to climate change due to heat stress - abstract:

"Any exceedence of 35 °C for extended periods should induce hyperthermia in humans and other mammals, as dissipation of metabolic heat becomes impossible. While this never happens now, it would begin to occur with global-mean warming of about 7 °C, calling the habitability of some regions into question. With 11-12 °C warming, such regions would spread to encompass the majority of the human population as currently distributed. Eventual warmings of 12 °C are possible from fossil fuel burning."

At wet-bulb temperatures above 35 °C heat stress and hyperthermia starts - the inability of the body to dissipate excess heat. Heat stroke may occurr which is an acute condition of hyperthermia that is caused by prolonged exposure to excessive heat and/or humidity. The heat-regulating mechanisms of the body eventually become overwhelmed and unable to effectively deal with the heat, causing the body temperature to climb uncontrollably. At wet bulb temperatures of 37-38 °C lethal conditions are reached, even for acclimated and fit individuals.

At the moment the highest instantaneous wet-bulb temperature anywhere on Earth is about 30 °C, with the most common range at 26-27 °C. While maximum temperature may reach 50 °C in tropical desert areas, these areas mostly have very low humidity, thus allowing perspiration to work in cooling the skin and thus core body temperature. Thus, peak potential heat stress is surprisingly similar across many regions on Earth.

"Although areas of the world regularly see temperatures above 100 degrees (F), really high wet-bulb temperatures are rare," Huber said. "This is because the hottest areas normally have low humidity, like the 'dry heat' referred to in Arizona. When it is dry, we are able to cool our bodies through perspiration and can remain fairly comfortable. The highest wet-bulb temperatures ever recorded were in places like Saudi Arabia near the coast where winds occasionally bring extremely hot, humid ocean air over hot land leading to unbearably stifling conditions, which fortunately are short-lived today."

Matthew Huber did the necessary climate modelling on supercomputers operated at Purdue University while Steven Sherwood completed the wet-bulb calculations. In comparing the peak wet-bulb temperatures to the global temperatures for various climate simulations they found that the peak wet-bulb temperature rises approximately 1 degree Centigrade for every degree Centigrade increase in tropical mean temperature.

The research paper says:

"The simplest prediction of global warming's effect on TwMax is to assume a uniform upward shift of the Tw distribution. A 4 °C increase in Tw would then subject over half the world's population annually to unprecedented values and cut the "safety buffer" that now exists between the highest maximum Tw and 35 °C to roughly a quarter. A shift of 5 °C would allow maximum Tw to exceed 35 °C in some locations, and a shift of 8.5 °C would bring the most-common value to 35 °C. It has been similarly pointed out that a few degrees of warming will produce unprecedented temperature and agricultural stresses in the tropics"

"These temperatures haven't been seen during the existence of hominids, but they did occur about 50 million years ago, and it is a legitimate possibility that the Earth could see such temperatures again," Huber said. "If we consider these worst-case scenarios early enough, perhaps we can do something to address the risk through mitigation or new technological advancements that will allow us to adapt."

In an accompanying comentary article in PNAS Professor Tony McMichael and Dr Keith Dear from the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at ANU provided additional comments on the health risks and the research.

"Much of the climate change debate has been about whether the world will succeed in keeping global warming to the relatively safe level of only two degrees Celcius by 2100", Professor McMichael said. "But climate change will not stop in 2100, and under realistic scenarios out to 2300, we may be faced with temperature increases of 12 degrees or even more. If this happens, our current worries about sea level rise, occasional heatwaves and bushfires, biodiversity loss and agricultural difficulties will pale into insignificance beside a major threat - as much as half the currently inhabited globe may simply become too hot for people to live there."

Dr Dear warned the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have tended to strike a cautious tone in forecasting future temperature rise and associated impacts. "In presenting its warnings about the future, the IPCC is very careful to be conservative, using mild language and low estimates of impacts," Associate Professor Dear said. "This is appropriate for a scientific body, but world governments - including our own - should be honest with us about the full range of potential dangers posed by uncontrolled emissions and the extremes of climate change that would inevitably result."

Both Professor McMichael and Dr Dear warned that projected environmental impacts of climate change will ultimately impact on human health and wellbeing, posing a considerable threat to the survival of our species.

Can someone please tell our Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, that tackling climate change and setting a carbon price are important health reforms for our species (let alone other species we share the earth with) that needs his urgent attention?

Sources:

• Sherwood, S.C. and Matthew Huber (2010), An adaptability limit to climate change due to heat stress (Full Paper), PNAS May 25, 2010 vol. 107 no. 21 9552-9555, doi: 10.1073/pnas.0913352107
• Purdue University Media Release, May 4, 2010 - Researchers find future temperatures could exceed livable limits
• Australian Health Directory News, May 11, 2010 - Climate change predictions put focus on health impacts
• Image courtesy Purdue University - "A high-CO2 model run that produces a global-mean T 12 °C warmer; accounting for GCM bias, the maximum T(wet) distributions are roughly what would be expected with 10 °C of global-mean warming relative to the last decade."

Environmental and anti-globalisation activist Vandana Shiva awarded Sydney Peace Prize

Physicist, environmentalist and anti-globalisation activist Dr Vandana Shiva has been awarded the Sydney Peace Prize for 2010 for her commitment to social justice, her advocacy of human rights, empowerment of women, and her scientific contribution to environmental sustainability.

The City of Sydney Peace Prize lecture will be delivered by Vandana Shiva at the Sydney Opera House on November 3 followed by an award ceremony on November 4.

Professor Stuart Rees, a Sydney Peace Foundation director, told AAP that Ms Shiva was an inspiring recipient, "Many communities are threatened by the consequences of global warming, yet in Australia the movement to address this issue has gone to sleep," he said. "Vandana's presence in Sydney in November should wake them up."

In December 2009 at the peoples Klimaforum in Copenhagen Vandana Shiva spoke with Amy Goodman from Democracy Now, "We know we need climate action now. I come from the Himalaya. I just had an office in Delhi; I don’t live in Delhi. It’s a polluted city. The automobile has taken over. I come from the Himalaya. Our glaciers are melting. Our villages are getting flooded out or drying up. Agriculture is collapsing. Ninety percent of the food production in my area has collapsed in this year. Seventy percent of the streams have dried up. And that is not happening because of what the local people did. My journey in the environment movement began with Chipko, where women came out to hug the trees. We are now hugging our mountains and telling the polluters, “You’ve got to stop polluting, because you are stealing our water, you are stealing our food, you are stealing our snows."