Welcome to the August edition of the DCAN Dispatch. News from overseas of deadly heatwaves and intense bushfires wrecking the lives of countless communities has been very distressing. The time for each and everyone of us to step up and take action is more urgent than ever - there is much we can do and achieve together.
Here at DCAN we are feeling shocked and fearful at the climate crises happening to people living across Europe and the rest of the northern hemisphere. Record breaking heat, ferocious bush fires and cities choking on smoke is really driving home the fact that changes are happening far quicker and more dramatically than predicted. Now we are hearing that countries in South America are experiencing winters 10 to 20 degrees above what is normal leaving scientists in disbelief.
Meanwhile coal and gas companies continue to push for enormous new projects which will only worsen the problem. We already have the solutions and there is still time to act. Each and everyone of us needs to step up and take action to avert even more climate crises. You can help by supporting the actions suggested in this newsletter. You can also contact us at any time for a chat and/or check out the Take Action page on our website. It’s time to step up!
We are overjoyed with Vic Minister Lily D’Ambrosio’s announcement to ban gas connections to all new private residential buildings and making them all electric. This is something that DCAN has been strongly pushing for in meetings with the Minister and Northcote MP Kat Theophanous.
The Minister has also announced that future State Government buildings will be gas free, that there will be a $10 million grants program to help residents get off gas and a $1 million reskilling package to assist workers in the transition to a post gas energy Victoria. While there is much more to do in this space, DCAN thanks the Minister for taking this big step forward.
If you want to get off gas and need support to make the switch then please consider taking the Get Off Gas pledge. There are also some great resources available from Darebin Council and Renew to help you make the switch. The Victorian Government also offers some incentives through its Energy Upgrades for households program.
Senator David Pocock has introduced a private member’s bill to Parliament that requires the Government to consider climate harm on young people when making decisions, particularly when it comes to approving fossil fuel projects.
The bill has been drafted in partnership with Anjali Sharma, a leading youth climate activist and the lead litigant in the historic court case, Sharma and others v. Minister for Environment.
Help build strong community support for the bill by signing the petition here.
For some very practical advice on how to electrify your home read this article from Switched On: Electrify Everything Everywhere
This Saturday, August 12th, a Rally with the Bob Brown Foundation will be held in Spring Street Melbourne to call for an end to native forest logging nationwide.
For details and further information click here.
The Mothers' Rebellion usually gathers from 11:00 to 12:00 on the second Saturday of each month beside the NGV, in front of the Arts Centre in St. Kilda Road.
This month it will be held on the 19th so that the mothers can support Bob Brown's Forest Rally at Parliament on the 12th.
Mothers’ Rebellion invite DCAN members, along with all mothers and allies, to come and join us in a moment of rebellion and solidarity.
A multinational gas and oil giant is planning, with state government support, to commence seismic blasting “exploration” for gas fields over an area of 55,000 sq km in the Otway Basin, off south-west Victoria. This means bursts of 250 decibels (louder than the Hiroshima bomb) every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for months on end.
It is of course deadly for marine life; killing zooplankton more than a kilometre away and also deafening therefore killing whales migrating through the area. Given that the conservative international Energy Agency says we should not be considering any new fossil gas projects makes it even more distressing.
Extinction Rebellion, Southern Ocean Protection Embassy Collective, Gunditjmara First Nations People’s Ocean defenders, Surfers for Climate and Friends of the Earth Seismic Shift are planning a creative protest as part of a global Fight Fossil Fuels weekend. The rally will start at 5 PM on the Birrarung at Enterprise Park then march to Parliament via the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority, 140 William Street, with whale song, and “seismic” blasts. Everyone is welcome.
DCAN members handed out information leaflets in High Street Northcote encouraging people to sign up to our newsletter. If you are interested in helping please contact Linda Bradburn at [email protected]
