Here’s a Lucky Last minute alert for Sydneysiders and visitors to make sure of attendance the Beyond Zero Emissions seminar in the Sydney Town Hall. And a chance to hear from Malcolm Turnbull and Bob Carr on the merits of this bold and expansive plan to turn Australia into a renewable energy powerhouse.

We’ll be there, fresh from the Climate Change and Business Conference, which has seen politicians strutting their stuff and real business leaders telling it as it needs to be. More reports next week.

While this weekend, Brisbane is the place to be. On Saturday there’s the Make Poverty History event at Bulimba when yours truly will have his say. There’s even a chance Kevin Rudd will make an appearance.

On Sunday, Walk Against Warming in Brisbane city will have a decided election campaign feeling. People and organisations will be out in force to remind politicians of the importance of real climate change policy to vote on instead of more deferral. Read More

Beyond Zero Emissions                    

If you care about clean energy, make sure you read this amazing report or participate in forthcoming launches which are happening in many of the capital cities around Australia.

The Sydney launch is happening on 18 August and is a star-studded affair with speakers like:

• Hon. Bob Carr – Former NSW Premier
• Hon. Malcolm Turnbull – Federal MP for Wentworth
• Senator Scott Ludlam – Federal Senator WA
• Matthew Wright – Executive Director Beyond Zero Emissions
• Allan Jones MBE – Chief Development Officer, Energy & Climate Change, City of Sydney
• MC – Quentin Dempster – journalist and broadcaster

Stay tuned for a date/venue for Brisbane’s launch.

The plan is the culmination of over 12 months and thousands of hours of pro bono work by engineers, scientists and postgraduate students.  The plan is a collaboration between the climate solutions think tank Beyond Zero Emissions, and the University of Melbourne Energy Institute.  This plan is unique in Australia.  It has been put together in a collaborative way involving over 50 technical experts.

It is a detailed and costed blueprint for transitioning our stationary energy sector to 100% renewable energy in ten years. The technologies utilised in this plan are commercially available now.

Check out the comments from international experts applauding the report at the website:

http://www.beyondzeroemissions.org/

or

http://www.energy.unimelb.edu.au/uploads/ZCA2020_Stationary_Energy_Report_v1.pdf

Don’t have time to read the report?

Listen to a radio interview with Phillip Adams at: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive/stories/2010/2960195.htm

Phillip interviews Matthew Wright from Beyond Zero Emissions and co-author of Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan, Michael Shellenberger, the President and Co founder of the Breakthrough Institute, California and Don Henry, Executive Director, Australian Conservation Foundation.

Alternatively, hear Matthew’s speech at the Tasmanian launch at: http://vimeo.com/13173432

Make Poverty History

 Voters in the seat of Griffith will have the chance to learn and engage with the issue of the impact of climate change on poor and developing communities this Saturday 14th August at 3pm at Lourdes Hill College: Duhig Hall 86 Hawthorne Rd. Bulimba. Climate Change is an issue that is important to millions of Australians, but one in which the 2 major parties have been fairly quiet on so far this election.

Forum organiser Gillian Marshall (World Vision) states: “Climate change will affect everyone, but it will affect poor people in developing countries first and most dramatically. Yet it’s rich countries like Australia that produced the vast majority of carbon emission that have caused climate change.”

This forum is part of a national series of electorate forums around the country normally connecting local constituents, particularly in marginal seats, with the three major parties to hear about their policies relating to global poverty. Kevin Rudd MP, the member for Griffith has been invited to the forum this weekend and has expressed his support for Make Poverty History in the past. Organisers still await a response from his office.

Speakers will include Ken Hickson (ABC Carbon and Governor of WWF Australia) Dr Ken Anthony (Global Change Institute) and the event will be moderated by Phil Smith from 612 local ABC radio. The program and speakers will remain but the program will be a movable feast if Rudd MP chooses to attend. If this is the case, the panel will also include Griffith Greens candidate: Emma Kate Rose and Executive Director of Oxfam and Co-Chair of MPH: Andrew Hewett.

Ken Hickson, author “The ABC of Carbon” and speaker at the event; Is convinced that climate change will make matters so much worse for millions of people already living close to the edge in developing countries. “They are the most vulnerable, as extreme weather conditions, temperature increases and rising sea levels will seriously affect food production and life itself.”

The Make Poverty History event is to get voters to consider policy around this issue, particularly parties greenhouse emission targets, which should be 40% from 1990 levels by 2020 and Australia’s fair share of funding for adaptation and mitigation against the worst affects of climate change which should be additional to aid level commitments.

Griffith MPH/MDG Forum

When: Saturday 14th August: Gather from 2.30pm till 4pm (Afternoon tea from 2.30pm).

Where: Lourdes Hill College: 86 Hawthorne Rd. Bulimba, Duhig Hall

Who: Moderator: Phil Smith (612 ABC Radio), Ken Hickson (Director ABC Carbon), Dr. Ken

Anthony (Global Change Institute) local international speaker, MPH, The Lyrical (band).

Kevin Rudd MP (ALP), Emma Kate Rose (Greens) and Rebecca Docherty (LNP) have been

invited.                                          

RSVP: m.hughes@theoaktree.org or P: 0448 280 117

Walk against warming

All political party leaders and one significant former leader have been invited to march in unity for a healthy climate. Larissa Waters from the Greens has already accepted, we hope the others who have campaigned all over Brisbane will join the people and Unite For A Healthy Climate!

We hope our leaders seeking election re-consider and all offer real climate change policy to vote on instead of more deferral, we don’t want the Office of Climate Change to effectively be the Office Of No Change!

Linda Selvey (CEO Greenpeace), Wanita Limpus (Kiribati Australia), Professor Ian Lowe, Graham Readfearn, John Schluter and Toby Hutcheon will also be there, along with Q-Song finalist The Medics performing in a free concert with legendary Coloured Stone frontman Bunna Lawrie and local favourite Gowiiee Pa’ul. There will be great festival food with Flowers of the World, Conscious Kitchen and Orgazmic Langos along with all the great conservation and solar energy exhibits.

You could be the tipping point for a cooler Australia to Unite For a Healthy Climate. Be there this Sunday from 11am!

                        Walk Against Warming 2010

Sponsors: Australian Ethical Investment, B105, Channel 7, Greenfest, Greenpeace, Oxfam, The Jack Thompson Foundation, The Printing Office, The Wilderness Society, Triple M, Queensland Conservation Council, Quest Community Newspapers

Exhibitors: Australian Ethical Investment, Australian Marine Conservation, Australian Certified Organic, Biological Farmers of Australia, Climate Change Networks Queensland, Conscious Kitchen, Flowers of the World, Orgazmic Langos, Oxfam, Sea Shepherd, Solar Guys, Solahart, The Greens, The Wilderness Society. To secure one of the last two available exhibitor sites apply here, exhibitors stalls open from 10:00

Morning MC: John Schluter Channel 7

Afternoon MC: Graham Readfearn Read Graham’s new site after The Green Blog here

10:00 Exhibitor Stalls Open

11:00 Welcome to Country: Aunty Carol Currie (Council of Elders)

11:15 Queensland Conservation Council – Toby Hutcheon

11:30 Unite for a Healthy Climate – Jack Thompson

11:35 Walk Against Warming 2010: Enjoy walking in unity for a cooler Australia through the city streets. Route is King George Square, Adelaide St, Edward St, Mary St, George St, Adelaide St, King George Square.

12:30 Ian Lowe – President ACF

13:00 Linda Selvey – CEO Greenpeace

13:15 Wanita Limpus – Kiribati Australia

13:30 Music: Bunna Lawrie (Coloured Stone)

14:30 Music: The Medics (Q Song Finalists and Deadly Award Winners)

15:30 End

You can be the tipping point, on the last Sunday before the election, for a cooler Australian economy transformed by clean energy, transportation and healthier outcomes for all. Let’s call on our leaders to provide real climate change policy to vote on instead of more deferral.