Rise up Cooper - No more Coal and Gas - 10th May, 4pm

Across Australia, our communities have faced a summer of devastating climate impacts, from cyclones and floods to sweltering heat waves. Yet fossil fuel companies continue to fuel the flames of the crisis, pushing ahead with risky coal and gas. Despite being elected in an historic wave of support for climate action, the Albanese government is failing in the number one test of climate leadership: saying NO to more coal and gas projects.

Please join us as we gather together at our local MP's office (Ged Kearney) to give a strong, clear message to the government: No more coal and gas!

When: Friday 10th May at 4pm - 5pm
Where: 159 High Street Preston Victoria 3072
Bring: Signs calling on Labor to "Keep us safe - no more coal and gas"
RSVP: Here

With an upcoming Federal Budget deciding what gets funding, and a looming deadline for Labor to fix our environment laws so they include the impacts of climate change, right now is a crucial moment to rise up and make our demands loud and clear.

DCAN calls on Council to increase climate ambition

In our feedback to Council on the Darebin Climate Emergency Plan, we strongly supported the priority focus on helping the community get off gas. We did, however, raise strong concerns that the emissions reduction targets fall short of what is needed to create a safer climate future for our community. This is the critical decade in which we must make big reductions in fossil fuel emissions so there is no time to waste. Our targets and actions must be stronger than the conservative benchmarks contained within the plan. The Climate Council, for example, has called for a reduction in emissions of 75% by 2030 - much higher than the target used in Darebin's plan.

One of the key initiatives in the Plan that we were very happy to see is the proposal for a service offering tailored household support and financial help for residents to electrify their homes and move to renewable energy. We have called on Council to double the target number of households for this program to 2000 households as it will play a key role in reducing Darebin's reliance on gas. We have also asked Council to develop a large scale communication campaign to enlist the support of businesses and residents to make the switch from gas to electric and for adequate staffing levels to ensure the success of all proposed initiatives. Read our full submission on the Plan here.

Does Japan really need Australian gas?

Australians elected the Albanese Government to take strong action on climate and it has made many welcome announcements to put Australia on the right track. The Government's insistence, however, on guaranteeing continued exports to Japan will result in the opening of new projects such as the Barossa and Scarborough Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects, completely undermining any positive actions. But how much does Japan really need Australian gas?

A 2024 report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) shows that Japan doesn't need our gas for its domestic consumption, but its companies do want it – so they can export it on to other countries! IEEFA has found that the big four Japanese companies are selling abroad “nearly 50% of the volumes consumed domestically”. The powerful Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry wants Japanese companies to handle 100 million tonnes of LNG annually by 2030. The Ministry and the big four companies are actively working with other Asian countries to expand imports of LNG. Read more about how backroom deals with Japan have locked Australia into decades of gas and why we should be raising this issue with our MPs.

Help create Victoria's next national park

Only 60 kilometres north east of Melbourne, the Central Highlands of Victoria is home to the world's tallest flowering plant, the Mountain Ash, and one of Australia's most endangered mammals, the Leadbeater's Possum. Despite an end to native forest logging in Victoria, both are threatened by ongoing clearfell logging, 'ecological thinning' and wildfires - which are exacerbated by logging!

The creation of the Great Forest National Park would not only safeguard the habitats of endangered species and protect these critical forests, but also protect carbon stocks, water supplies, and lower the risk of bushfires. Adding a proposed 355,000 hectares to the existing protected forests will combine a number of individual national parks to form the Great Forest National Park.

HAVE YOUR SAY: The Great Forest National Park proposal offers a chance to safeguard this natural wonder for generations to come. Submissions close Monday 29 April. Your voice matters! The Engage Victoria consultation is now open for your feedback.
It’s up to all of us to call for the park, but the people at #GFNP have prepared this handy submission guide to help us.

High Life Expo - Let’s talk about life in apartments and units!

If you live in or own an apartment or unit, the High Life Expo is for you. Learn how to make apartments, units, and apartment buildings more efficient, healthy, and lovely to live in:
· Hear from sustainability and strata experts;
· Learn from other owners corporations, apartment owners, and residents;
· Meet quality suppliers and installers of energy efficiency and sustainable products;
· Find out about government rebates.

Choose the topics that matter most to you: EVs and charging • Electrification • Energy efficiency • Solar and renewable energy • Apartment living for renters • Thermal comfort at home • Better recycling and waste management • Double glazing • Planting for cooling • Building community • Decision making in strata • And more!

High Life Expo | Saturday 1 June 2024 | RACV City Club, 501 Bourke St, Melbourne | A free event | Bookings essential

For details and free tickets click here.

DCAN and Social Media

🌍✊ We all know how powerful social media can be in shaping voting decisions, for better or for worse. Help us to harness that power for positive action on climate change. We are still looking for volunteers to join a DCAN action group who will use social media to spread awareness about climate action and to combat misinformation. If you're passionate about acting for a safe climate and enjoy working with social media, reach out to David Tomkins or Karen Large to get involved! 📢💚
#ClimateAction #SocialMediaForGood #JoinTheMovement