CCNQ

This years' Walk Against Warming will be on Sunday the 15th of August at 11am, starting from King George Square in the CBD.

At one week before the election this is a chance for people of all political persuasions to come together and tell our politicians that we want action on climate change, instead of constant delay and buck passing. The Walk will be calling for

• A price on carbon pollution,
• Investment in clean energy for a healthy future,
• A commitment to reduce emissions in the life of the next parliament
• Support for poor and vulnerable countries to tackle the impacts of climate change and invest in sustainable development

There is a famous quote from FDR, regarded as one of the greatest American presidents. Addressing reformers he said "I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it." I remain optimistic that many of our politicians do want to leave a liveable climate for future generations, it's just that we have to make them.

See you there.

"On the specific allegations made against the behaviour of CRU scientists, we find that their rigour and honesty as scientists are not in doubt."

The fifth (and final) review into "Climategate", the Muir Russell Climate Change Email Review has just been released. This "forensic" report looked into allegations made against climate scientists from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia. Like the four before it, the Muir Russell report found almost every allegation to be completely baseless, although like the preceding reports it faulted the scientists and the university for an unhelpful attitude towards freedom of information requests.

Crucially, these reports have found nothing that challenges or calls into question our understanding of climate change. More findings from the report are quoted below, the report can be found here, see reaction from the media and blogosphere.

2010 is the year electric vehicles (EVs) hit the mainstream with EV roll-outs from many of the world biggest car makers.

To this end the Queensland government has issued a discussion paper (don't worry it's really quite short) about how QLD will promote EVs to take advantage of their ability to help reduce pollution and start weaning us off oil.

Next they want to know what we think about EVs and our ideas on how to get people into them.

According to Kate Jones: "Priority areas and actions canvassed in the Roadmap include environmental impacts; recharging and electricity grid impacts; standards, planning and regulation; consumer uptake and behaviour change; industry development; and renewable energy"

"I invite all Queenslanders who have an interest in sustainable transport solutions to consider the issues and opportunities identified in this EV Roadmap and provide their comments and ideas on this exciting new technology."

If you want to comment, you can do it here until the 19th of July, the short discussion paper is here.

Annerley Sustainability Fair

Saturday 19 June 9 am—4 pm

Junction Park State School – Sports Hall Waldheim Street, Annerley

See the full program, maps and further information Online

Everyone is invited to join in a great day, featuring stalls, presentations and demonstrations, plus organic food & beverages to enjoy!

* Transport alternatives

* Water and energy saving ideas

* Waste options

* Recycling initiatives

* Organic food & beverages for purchase

Global surface temperature index. Using 12 month running mean. Volcanoes and El Nino/La Nina index is shown at bottom.

Jim Hansen and his team of climate scientists at NASA maintain a temperature record of the earth going back to 1880. With the release of their April 2010 data the last 12 months just become the warmest since the instrumental record began.

Or as they say in a draft of a new paper: "The 12-month running mean global temperature in the GISS analysis has reached a new record in 2010. The new record temperature in 2010 is particularly meaningful because it occurs when the recent minimum of solar irradiance." "we conclude that there has been no reduction in the global warming trend of 0.15-0.20°C/decade that began in the late 1970s"

Baring a strong La Nina, it also looks probable 2010 will be the warmest calendar year as well.

Congratulation to Pine Rivers Climate Action Network for winning the inaugral Premiers Climate Smart Community Award on 4 June 2010!
 
Lots of hard work and fantastic initiatives over the last 2 and a half years have paid off... The Samford Valley Solar Neighbourhood project, the Green Street website, the Green Street Cafe events, the Samford Local Growers group all featured in their nomination.

Happy World Environment Day everyone.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY Events in SEQ:

World Environment Day is an international celebration commemorated every year on June 5 to recognise the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment at Stockholm in 1972.

Saturday 5 June:     Morningside festival                                  3pm – 7pm
                                Really Really Free market                        10am – 4pm
                                Logan Eco Action Festival LEAF              10am – 5pm
                                Boonah festival                                          9am – 3pm
                                Plastic Fantastic !?!                                   6pm – 8pm

Sunday 6 June        Sunshine Coast Environment Festival       9am – 4pm

There is currently a frenzied call for car based infrastructure in the Centenary area. However, you can help counter it!

Join the call for a blend of smart, sustainable solutions to traffic congestion by signing Sustainable Jamboree’s petitions to the both the Lord Mayor and State Parliament.

We’re calling for consideration of options like:
• transit lanes (sooner rather than later);
• reliable high frequency express buses / train connections;
• better access to telecommuting and flexible work conditions;
• a better suburban cycle network, end of trip facilities, bicycle skills training, buddy systems and so on.

You can request a pdf of the petitions from Mrs McGaw on phone 3375 7268.

You can also sign the online version of the petition to the Lord Mayor at http://sustainablejamboree.org

An e-petition to State Parliament, sponsored by Julie Attwood MP can now be found here

Electric vechicles are poised to revolutionise how we travel and when powered by green electricity they offer the possibility of zero carbon transport.

Come along and Learn the who, what, why, where, how and $ of electric vehicles

1 - 3pm, Sat 22 May 2010
Repeated 2 - 4pm, Wed 26 May 2010

Veue: Mt Ommaney Library, Dandenong Road
RSVP: info@sustainablejamboree.org or phone 3375 7268

Speakers / panel

  a.. Dr Andrew Simpson, senior research fellow, Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute. He has over 10 years experience in the hybrid/electric vehicle, electric power and renewable energy industries in Australia and North America, including two years most-recently at Tesla Motors in California.

 b.. Russell Austerberry, Australian Electric Vehicles Association, Brisbane.

 c.. Paul Martin, electric bicycles enthusiast

d.. Allan Dow, www.elationebikes.com.au (tbc)

UQ Climate for Change is running several cool events for Climate Reality week. A nationwide event organised by the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC), this week aims to remind everyone that we cannot escape the realities of climate change by ignoring the problem, we need to take action.

On Friday May 7th, John Cook, author of the website Skeptical Science will be giving a lunch time talk at the University of Queensland about "The reality of climate change" and true scientific skepticism (map).

After John's talk there will be a panel discussion also featuring:

Prof Ove Hoegh-Guldberg - Director, Global Change Institute, UQ and expert on coral reefs and climate change
Jessie Wells - Oxfam Australia
Megan Evans - UQ Climate for Change

Update: The AYCC and UQ Climate for Change have produce a short climate change fact sheet. It covers some basic climate science and deals with some of the most common myths and misconceptions out there. Be informed, have a read of it.