Category: Archive

Winners of the 2006 Goldmann environment award

Papuan activist, Anne Kajir, was one of six recipients of the annual Goldmann Environmental Prize last week, for her work in assisting traditional landowners in Papua New Guinea fight illegal logging on their lands.

The prize was established in 1990 by Richard and Rhonda Goldmann, insurance brokers in San Fransisco, and recognises the work of environmentalists around the world who have dedicated themselves to saving the environment. This year’s recipients inlcude Silas Kpanan’ayoung Siakor of Liberia who risked his life to expose links between the president and illegal logging companies that funded that country’s civil war. Read the full story on Grist

Same data, dramatically different conclusions: Modelling by the Victorian Government used the same data employed by Biosis Research, whose report was seized on by Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell to scuttle the $220 million wind farm proposal.

Parrots didn’t rate so highly in 2002: Moreover the Howard Government approved four other Victorian wind farms in 2002 even though they were found to have a significantly higher kill rate of one parrot every five years. But Senator Camphell continued to defend the Bald Hill decision, saying he was determined to protect the native parrot because it was a "unique Australian bird".

Irony:  Ironically, the orange-bellied parrot is hightly vunerable to climate change, a threat to its survival that far exceeds any threat from wind turbines.

The Australian, 19/4/2006, p. 1

Source: Erisk Net

Risks poorly weighed: "I do not believe Australia has given adequate consideration to the risks we give to our neighbours when we sell them our uranium," he said. "Or the risks we leave for our own kids."

Radioactive residue a long term concern: The more we export, the more pressure we will be under to store the resultant radioactive waste. Be in no doubt, the boomerang will come back.

A nuclear accident is no easy fix: An accident at a nuclear reactor is not akin to a fire in a warehouse. And accidents do happen. Twenty years on, people still debate the death toll from the Chernobyl disaster. What isn’t in dispute is the social impact of the, explosion at a civilian nuclear power plant. About 220,000 people from Belarus, the Russian Federation and the Ukraine were permanently relocated.

Chernobyl "just" a 10 per cent disaster: Henry visited Chernobyl in 2003. "I was shocked to learn the carnage caused by the explosion came from just 10 per cent of the reactor’s radioactivity; 90 per cent remains inside the flimsy sarcophagus."

Chernobyl tale of woe still not finished: Of course, the accident site is a complete no-go zone for humans. The authorities send in robots to "hose down" hot spots and lessen the chances of a chain reaction. No accident at any other type of electricity generating plant has ever left such a mark.

Reference: Dr Don Henry is the executive director of the Australian Conservation Foundation.

The Canberra Times, 4/4/2006, p. 11

Source: Erisk Net  

Howard denies having greasy ministers: Amid demands from Senator Joyce’s Coalition colleagues that he back up his allegations with proof, the Prime Minister answered with a blunt "no" when asked yesterday if key people in his government were being "greased up" by oil companies.

Qld Nats leader wary of Joyce talk: Queensland Nationals’ president Bruce Scott said Senator Joyce had to put up or shut up. "If he has evidence, he has to bring it forward," he said.

Joyce on grand ethanol drive: Senator Joyce is pushing for ethanol to be mixed with all fuel, arguing it will help cut petrol prices and kick start the ethanol industry.

Oil lobby power "too great": In a statement yesterday, Senator Joyce played down his comments, claiming he was not insinuating unethical or criminal conduct by ministers or oil executives. "However, the senator does stand by his comments that the oil lobby’s power is too great," the statement said.

The Courier Mail, 22/4/2006, p. 7

Source: Erisk Net  

Children will judge Howard’s "pseudo-science": "The government presumably is still anchored to its close association with the Bush administration that is mired in pseudo-science sponsored by vested interests – as described in your article by John Quiggin, ‘War on science’ (April 7). Our children’s generation are unlikely to judge the Bush administration and Howard government as kindly as current voters.

Unnecessary coal to provide 40% of energy in 2050: "Also you report the chief executives of BP Australia, Westpac, Insurance Australia, Origin Energy and the Australian Conservation Foundation, among others, as saying there is no need for nuclear energy. Indeed one wonders if there is any need for coal and gas, which were projected to still supply more than 40 per cent of the nation’s electricity needs by 2050.

CSIRO is 30 years and 98 pc ahead of industry: "I say this because of recent small reports in other Australian media that the CSIRO has the technology to power all Australia’s electricity needs in 2020, with all energy coming from the sun. And construction would have this in place only 14 years from now and 30 years before the taskforce of industry and ACF have their environmentally friendly blueprint that only sees an increase in solar power from 0.2 per cent now to 2.2 per cent by 2050."

The Australian Financial Review, 20/4/2006, p. 58

Source: Erisk Net  

Freer trade needed: He argued that Australia should also continue to play a leadership role in efforts to break down global barriers to trade.

Sustainability a key goal: Mr Howard said a challenge was to ensure that the nation’s use of natural resources was placed on a sustainable basis for future gerations. "We live in a fragile continent, and we have a responsibility to use our natural assets and resources wisely."

Energy security an issue: Achieving prosperity, security and sustainability in energy was a big challenge requiring long-term investments and efficient energy markets, he added. Wise development of energy resources also meant protecting the environment and playing an active role in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Emissions a global problem: "The challenge of climate change must be addressed in a way consistent with economic growth and poverty reduction. And an effective global strategy must involve major emitters such as the US, China and India, which is why Australia is playing a leading role in the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate."

Water the greatest challenge: Mr Howard described the nation’s water use as its greatest conservation challenge. "The Government’s $2 billion Australian Water Fund is expanding water storage and supply infrastructure, and assisting all Australians to use water more efficiently. Projects worth more than $1 billion have already been announced, but more needs to be done to augment supply given forecast population growth and water demand," he said

The Sydney Morning Herald, 21/4/2006, p. 11

Source: Erisk Net