Tim Flannery…we need you!

 
We need the Climate Commission to come out firing on all solar and wind turbines on the need to implement a carbon price and to move us toward a low-carbon economy. The shrill of Opposition Leader Abbot and trusted Shadow Greg Hunt needs to be dampened by the members of the Climate Commission ‘established by the Gillard Government to provide an authoritative, independent source of information for all Australians….and to have a public outreach role, to help build greater understanding and consensus about reducing Australia’s carbon pollution’. So what are you waiting for?


But the top down approach to combating the willful and excessive claims of the climate deniers and anti carbon price advocates needs to be underpinned by a bottom up approach to garner the political support and commitment at the local level.

It as if the lessons of Cyclone Yasi and the floods in eastern and north-western Australia have evaporated. Remember also that it was the mayors of the communities impacted on by the extreme weather related events that had the biggest media (att)traction when it came to communicating the commitment to hang in there and build a future for their communities. 

It will be the mayors and councillors across the country that need to be informed and networked to support carbon pricing and the case for a market mechanism to go hand in glove with local action and drive us toward a low carbon future.

But what cost climate change, Mr Hunt?

MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE - Parliament House, Canberra

Carbon Tax

The SPEAKER—I have received a letter from the honourable member for Flinders proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The impact of the Government’s proposed carbon tax on the cost of living I call upon those members who approve of the proposed discussion to rise in their places.

And with that introduction the Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage, Greg Hunt, yesterday attacked the Government’s intention to price carbon in our economy. Without blink of an eye and without reference to climate change or the need to take action to address the impact of climate change on extreme weather related events, such as the ones we have recently experienced on his front and back door, Greg Hunt launched his managed tirade with the opening words: “As of today we know two things about the impact of the government’s carbon tax on the cost of living. First, in the first year alone it will be an additional $300 hit per family…. (and second) As of today, petrol is back in the carbon tax”.

Perhaps in his next Matter of Public Importance Greg Hunt might address ‘Climate Change Cost’ and research the cost of climate change to the families, pensioners, young people and elderly that he purports to be protecting.

On my bike!

Taipei Rental Bicycle circa 2009

It’s not as if we are leading the world or in fact the region in a low carbon agenda and action on climate change. In fact my limited but increasing experience in the region is that we have a lot of catch up. However despite this there is still an engagement that cities in Asia seek on our experiences and knowledge on climate change action. As an island nation we have and will continue to experience extreme weather related events that will increasingly be exacerbated by climate change. I mean the widely held view amongst our Asian neighbours must surely be that we could not possibly remain impotent in the face of such events.

I have been invited to participate in the 2011 International Forum for a Low Carbon Future to be held in Taipei, Taiwan from 23 - 25 March. This is a national event for the100th anniversary of Taiwan and will be held in the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The main objective of this event is to exchange information in education for climate change and carbon reduction. It is supported and sponsored by the National Science Council of Taiwan and the National Taiwan Normal University Taipei, Taiwan. This will be my fourth visit to Taiwan and certainly I hope not my last. My topic is ‘Climate Change Education for a low carbon future: a local government viewpoint’. 

A night in the city - Take 2

‘Melbourne Conversations’ is a City of Melbourne initiative that is in its 10^th year and last night the topic ‘Cool it! Tackling Climate Change’.  I remember year one when as a councillor the Council supported Cr David Risstrom’s resolution to hold a monthly Town Hall Meeting in the Council Chamber. It was a small but significant start recognised by Cathy Alexander CEO who stated in her opening remarks, ‘Melbourne is a city of arts, sport and thinking…and the latter is the rationale behind Conversations”. 

Peter Mares, Journalist and Presenter ABC Radio National moderated a panel comprising John Daley – Chief Executive Officer, Grattan Institute, Melbourne, Don Henry – Executive Director, Australian Conservation Foundation, Melbourne, Cathy Oke – Councillor, City of Melbourne, Izabela Ratajczak-Juszko – Research Fellow, Climate Change Adaptation, RMIT University. 

Cathy Oke provided a detailed account of why cities and described the outcomes of the COP16 in Cancun for cities and local governments. A timely plug for ICLEI Oceania and the role played through the Cities for Climate Protection  program that delivered real and quantifiable cuts to GHG, savings and investments and importantly reduction goals that as Cathy pointed out were far in excess of what it being proposed by the Federal Government.

John Daley asked and responded to 3 questions – Why a carbon price? Can we afford it? What do we need to do ensure its effectiveness? His emphasis on the importance of price and the market did strike me as again ignoring other complementary and I would argue fundamental drivers in our quest to be a low or zero carbon economy. 

Just as the Wilkins Review in 2008 knocked off programs not ‘complementary to the CPRS including CCP, Daley would seem to be arguing the same rationale. One has only to think of the market failure the glocal community recently experienced and the need to build political and social capital to effect transformative change that price, yes will a part of the solution, but a part only!

A night in the city

VEIL celebrated last night its role in seeking sustainable communities  with the launch of ‘Visioning Melbourne 2032: City of Short Distances’ showcasing design professionals’ and students’ work from the last four years.

Chris Ryan's table top speech

The films shown on the big screen at Federation Square during the launch will be a feature of life on the Square over the next 3 months. The one-minute films respond to the questions: What might a sustainable and resilient neighbourhood look like? How can we transform existing urban communities through design interventions?

Chris Ryan VEIL Director provided the added highlight of a table top speech inviting us to be viral along with VEIL (ViralEIL) and spread the message and the actions! ‘To develop low-carbon resilient communities from within the existing fabric of (sub)urban life it is important to have two things: visions of desirable future living scenarios - and visible interventions, today, that can re-orient the path of future development’.

Do you find this offensive?

Well Andrew Bolt, shock journo does along with Matt Price, shock jock of Melbourne Talk Radio and the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Robert Doyle. Pull it down they say as it is 'pathetic' and 'a clever naughty word'.

It is all part of the Herald Sun's 'Make Melbourne Better' campaign. Pity that Andrew Bolt, climate change denier, could not bring himself to address the real issues that would make Melbourne better. But that could mean addressing our capacity to be sustainable and a low carbon city.  I assume the pull it down campaign will go wider than North Melbourne so watch out in your suburb and and for the screens to go up.

Keep the cards and letters rolling in!

Yes there has been feedback on the inaugural in-black.com blog! This is encouraging though followers I have but a few so will be looking to encourage a band of die-hards who have nothing better to do (or rather are looking for something in the black to do) to be part of in-black.com. By the way this not a fashion blog as one respondent inquired. But he is an 'expert' in climate change so I will forgive the reference. By the wsay black is not a fashion statment...more of convenience really. A but like a uniform. How many others out there do not have to sort their socks...or shorts,, or suit trousers or ..... Sorry that I have gone flippant but it has been a long hard day getting this blog off the ground so expect someting more serious tomoorow. And hopefully more interesting!

Smoke and mirrors on carbon cash!

Today's lead story in The Age newspaper was headlined - 'Climate cash up in smoke'. It was a rather damning report compiled by Mark Davis and Leonore Taylor exposing the cost of carbon emission reductions  across a range of Howard, Rudd and Gillard climate change carbon reduction programs. The costs according to The Age reckoning ranged from 50 cents per tonne for Incandescent Light Bulb Phase Out to $335 per tonne for the National Schools Porgram. The Cities for Climate Protection Program came out at $10 a tonne noting that CCP cost $230m to deliver! So why are Wayne Wescott and I a not living the high life? The simple answer is that ICLEI received $12m of those funds and the remainder going apparently to councils, internal departmental programming and reviews and evaluations. The letter penned to The Age today was as follows:

Dear Editor,

There was certainly no smoke and no mirrors when it came to the highly successful and reputed Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) program (‘Climate cash up in smoke’ The Age 15 February). CCP was an initiative of the internationally renowned ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability in the 1990s and was a worldwide program to secure the support and actions of cities and local governments.

In Australia the program started in 1997 and over a decade attracted the participation of 240 metropolitan and rural councils across the width and breadth of Australia covering over 85% of the population. CCP councils generated GHG reductions, financial savings and investments in low carbon programs and projects. The direct investment by the Federal Government in the CCP program was around $12m and not the $203m reported in The Age.

The difference can only be assumed to cover the Federal bureaucracy, funding of specific programs and projects sought by CCP councils and the cost no doubt of the reviews and evaluations of the program, each one indicating value for GHG reductions (18 m tonnes) and value for money through council investments in staff, programs and major projects.

The last (Wilkins 2008) review saw the demise of the program under the Rudd Labor Government that had became solely focused on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. It is ironic to many that the Howard Government supported such a voluntary and action-based initiative under successive Ministers starting with Robert Hill and concluding with Malcolm Turnbull.

Such have been the twists and turns of successive Federal Governments and their leaders that the CCP approach to building political and community support for addressing the causes of climate change through real and direct action went up in smoke along with the GHG reductions in July 2009!

Under Construction: in-the-black

Welcome to 'in-black.com'!

'in-black.com' is my contribution to what is 'in-the-black' and 'in-the-red' to achieve low carbon councils and communities.   I trust that when I get it up and running it will provide an opportunity for me and hopefully you to take our black and red pen to debate and discussion on climate change. Can't wait!  Martin