Upcoming Events

Donate to stem the suffering following Pakistani floods:The people of Pakistan are experiencing terrible suffering from ongoing massive flooding. The floods in Pakistan have killed over 1500 people and tens of millions are affected with loss of their homes, livelihoods, fresh water and sanitation. Ban Ki Moon has launched an appeal for $460 million which the UN estimates is required for the most pressing needs for the coming 90 days. The Secretary-General’s remarks after visiting the flood-affected areas give an insight into the extent of the disaster. You can donate to the UNHCR, UNICEF and the World Food Program’s Pakistan relief operations via the UN’s website. Several CANA members have emergency appeals that you can donate through, including ActionAid, CARE, Caritas, Oxfam, TEAR, and World Vision. The UN has reportedly requested climate scientists to investigate the climatic “blocking episodes” that precipitated both the floods and the deadly peatland Russian fires, which are still burning, but finally abating. The scientists will investigate whether such events are going to becoming more frequent or more intense (see the ABC’s and Pakistani coverage). We can only hope that the answer to that question is “no.”

Non Violent Direct Action Training from TWS and Rising Tide (Sydney, September 7): Peaceful civil disobedience can have powerful and positive outcomes. In fact The Wilderness Society was born out of community 'direct action' which ultimately stopped the Franklin Dam. Famous activists such as Reverend Martin Luther King, Gandhi and Rosa Parks forged new ways of driving social change. This workshop facilitated by Rising Tide will briefly cover the history and philosophy of Non-Violent Direct Action, before getting into the nitty gritty of how to organise an effective and powerful NVDA protest. It will deal with the choosing the target, scouting the target, and the roles required. It will look at various common tools and techniques used in direct action, and will also include a discussion on the legal ramifications of this type of protest. If circumstances permit, it will include a direct action simulation. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills and its all free!! It will be held at The Wilderness Society Sydney office, Suite 402, 64-76 Kippax St, Surry Hills from 5pm to 9.30pm on Tuesday 7th Sept. Food will be provided. If you can't make the 5pm start join us as soon as you can. Please RSVP if you can attend (and bring a friend) email malcolm.fisher@wilderness.org.au.

Campus Forum: We Can't Wait Another Three Years for Climate Action (Melbourne, September 7): Over the last three years climate inaction has reigned supreme. We have seen a deadlock in parliament over the CPRS and twelve new coal-fired power stations proposed across the country. Despite John Brumby's announcement of supposed climate action, the very next day he committed $100 milllion to the "clean coal" project HRL in the La Trobe Valley which is set to increase Victoria's state emissions by 15%. The need to maintain pressure on governments to act on climate change remains paramount after voting day.  Whilst the Election result remains unclear: If Gillard wins the election, she will waste valuable time on gaining a community consensus on climate change through her citizens assembly, and reintroduce another ETS for 2013.  Join the Melbourne Uni Climate Action Working Group, Brian Walters and Bronwyn Halfpenny to discuss how we can change the direction of the government's climate policy, and build public pressure for solutions capable of dealing with climate change. It will be held at 1pm Tuesday 7 September in the Joe Nap Room A, Level 2 Union House, Melbourne Uni.

Communicating climate change workshops (Sept 8): The International Association for Public Participation Australasia, Australian Science Communicators and the Sydney Environmental Educators Network will present three workshops with leading practitioners on ‘Communicating Climate Change' at the Sydney Powerhouse Museum. These include: Workshop 1: Communicating the Science with Jenni Metcalfe (Wednesday 25 August, 2010) Workshop 2: Communicating the Story with Sohail Inayatullah (Wednesday 25 August, 2010), and Workshop 3: Communicating for Action with Kath Fisher (Wednesday 8 September at 10:30). Dr Kath Fisher is the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at Southern Cross University and also works as a consultant facilitator to government and non-government organisations. Kath combines her experience in facilitation and group processes and practical skills in community consultation processes that incorporate deliberative processes, particularly citizens’ juries with her 30 years teaching in the areas of politics, sociology, economics, participatory democracy, group processes, communication and social research. Kath will present an interactive workshop on communicating for action, drawing on her research interest and practical skills in community consultation processes to deliver a hands on tools focused approach o engagement with a particular focus on groups who are traditionally disengaged. The workshops are designed for anyone working in the area of climate change communication, policy, education and engagement. It is hosted by the Powerhouse Museum as part of the Ultimo Science Festival. For details, contact Sarah Whittington nsw@iap2.org.au or click here.

Sustainable House Day (nationally, September 12): The ninth annual Sustainable House Day on Sunday 12 September will showcase some of Australia’s most environmentally sustainable homes to the public as millions of Australians continue to embrace renewable energy, recycling and other practices designed to lessen our impact on the environment. Environmental awareness – or being ‘green’ – is great, but putting it into practice around your own home is the best contribution you can make to living in harmony with our planet. Find out directly from home owners who’ve put sustainable living into practice, about reducing waste around your home, saving water, natural home heating and cooling and more. Visit the SHD website for venues and details.

NSW Union climate conference (Sydney, September 18): 'CLIMATE ACTIVE: Education and Service Industry Union Members Respond to Climate Change' is a free conference for union members to take action on climate change', will be held on Saturday September 18th, 2010 from 9.30am to 5pm at the NSW Teachers’ Federation Conference Centre. The Climate Active Conference is a joint initiative of the NTEU (NSW), LHMU and NSW Teachers’ Federation. Their aim is to build climate activism around climate change amongst union members in the Education and Service Industries. They believe that climate change is core business for unions. The education and service sector unions must organise for a just transition to a sustainable future economy. They need to look at the power of these industries and work locally to shift that power towards sustainability. This conference will look at how workers can create that change in their industries. The keynote speaker is Tim Noonan, Director of Campaigns and Communications, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). He will speak on ‘Towards decent work in a sustainable, low-carbon world: The International Story’.

Gosford Climate Change Forum (Gosford NSW, September 18): Following on from the success of the recent Wyong Forum on climate change, ‘Cool It’ are holding another forum, this time for the Gosford community. The focus will not be on the science of climate change, but how we should be responding - what we can do as individuals and what the wider community, including governments, should be doing. Climate change is already affecting people all over the world with record heat in the northern summer of the last few months accompanied by droughts. This forum will be held on Saturday, 18 September 2010 from1:30pm to 4pm at the Gosford Senior Citizens Centre, 217 Albany Street North, Gosford. Speakers include Dr Richard Corkish, Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW and Dr Adam Lucas, Science and Technology Studies, Wollongong University. Bookings are essential and attendance is free. To register call 4349 4756 or email coolit@cen.org.au.

Sydney Launch of Power in Coalition (Sydney, Sept 23): Come and hear Amanda Tattersall, founder of the Sydney Alliance, launch her new book about how coalitions between unions and community organisations can be a powerful source of social change. The launch and drinks will be held on Thursday 23 September from 6pm at the Trades Hall Auditorium (enter via 377 Sussex St Sydney). Speakers will include Jack Mundey, Niall Reid (moderator, Uniting Church) & Mark Lennon (secretary, Unions NSW), and MCs are the Chaser's Charles Firth & Rebecca de Unamuno. RSVP to Carmel Delprat cdelprat@unionsnsw.org.au or 9881 5999. The book, 'Power in Coalition', asks how can we change things in an age in which governments are fixated on the bottom line and conventional protest rallies have lost their punch? Coalitions can be important tools for social change and union revitalisation. What makes them successful? What causes them to fail? The book analyses the public education coalition in Sydney, Toronto’s Ontario Health Coalition fighting to save universal health care, and Chicago’s living wage campaign run by the Grassroots Collaborative. She explores when and how coalitions can be a powerful strategy for social change, organisational development and union renewal. For more about the book visit www.powerincoalition.com. 

Calendar of events and happenings

2010

SEPTEMBER '10

2-3: Informal ministerial conference involving 45 countries on long-term climate financing, Geneva.

5-8: Ecogen 2010: The power to deliver; Uniting the clean energy industry, Sydney.

15: G20 Sherpa's meeting, Seoul

20-22: UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals

27-29: Indigenous peoples' forum climate summit, Quintana Roo, Mexico

28 – 8 Oct: International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly, Montreal.

OCTOBER '10

4-9: UNFCCC intersessional, Beijing

8-10: IMF and World Bank annual general meetings

9: Victorian Trades Union Climate Conference, Melbourne: tradeunionclimateconference@gmail.com

11-14: IPCC meeting – update on progress for AR5, Korea

11-12: Behaviour Change for Sustainability Congress, Sydney.

10: 350.org Day of Action 'Get to Work' calling for CO2e emissions to reduce and stay at 350ppm.

18-29: Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of Parties, Japan

22-23: Finance ministerial meeting of G20, Korea

27 – 29: Fourth international renewable energy conference (IREC), New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, India.

28: Climate Action Network Australia Annual General Meeting (4pm) followed by drinks (5pm); contact nina@cana.net.au for details.

NOVEMBER '10

4-9: Most Vulnerable Countries Summit (aka 'Tarawa Climate Change Conference'), Kiribati

5-7: Climate Change – Social Change Conference, Melbourne University.

15-16: Australia New Zealand Third Sector Research Conference, University of Technology, Sydney

10-12: G-20 Summit, Seoul

13-14: Asia Pacific Economic Forum (APEC), Japan

24-26: Commonwealth Climate Change Communication Conference, London

27: Victorian Election 

29 - Dec 10: CoP 16/ MoP 6, Cancun, Mexico (16th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, and 6th Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol).

DECEMBER '10

1-5: NSW Camp for Climate Action at Lake Liddell Rec Area, Bayswater Power Station, Hunter Valley NSW- sustainable community living and peaceful direct action targeting Australia's largest source of domestic emissions

2: Energy Efficiency Council National Conference 2010, Sydney

2011

JANUARY '11

Renewable Energy Target comes into effect

MARCH '11

26: NSW Election

APRIL '11

4-8: Greenhouse 2011: The science of climate change, Cairns

Date TBC: Climate Action Group Climate Summit 2011, Melbourne

Date TBC: CANA annual conference 2011, Melbourne

JUNE '11

6 – 17: UNFCCC subsidiary bodies, Bonn, Germany.

NOVEMBER '11

28 – Dec 9: Cop 17/MoP7, South Africa.