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Local Election: What is your vision for the Tweed?
Local Election: What do you want the Tweed to look like?
School Strike 4 Climate Dec 10th Knox Park Mur’bah
New David Bradbury Biomass Film – Please Watch and Share
Whole trees woodchipped and fed into giant furnaces to generate electricity and getting taxpayer subsidies to destroy forests as several people say in this clip, has to be one of the most ‘insane’ ideas currently happening on the Planet. We have to end this scam pronto – David.
Ari of the CEC presented with TSC Sustainability Award
Ari Ehrlich of the Caldera Environment Centre has been presented with one of this year’s Tweed Shire Council Sustainability Awards.
Ari received the award for his successful organising of the annual Caldera World Environment Day Festival event in Knox Park 6th June 2021.
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Why Native Forest Logging Must End
[nefanews]: Natural Resources Commission Report Leaked!~ (at last)
[nefanews]: The NSW Government must explain why it ignored the advice of the independent Natural Resources Commission and kept logging forests in regions hit hardest by the 2019-20 Black Summer Bushfires.
The 2019/20 wildfires were unprecedented in their scale, extent of high and extreme fire severity, and duration. They burnt 4.8 million hectares of land in NSW, including just over 64 percent (around 0.7 million hectares) of the native state forest estate. The wildfires significantly impacted forest ecosystems, including native flora and fauna, soil, and water.
The government has kept the Commission’s report secret since June 2020.
“It is now clear the government was advised it should suspend timber harvesting for at least three years in extreme risk zone, including Narooma, Nowra and Taree,” Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive Chris Gambian said.
The Logging Loophole at the Heart of Glasgow COP21 Deforestation Declaration
The Glasgow declaration on forests and land use pledges to stop deforestation by 2030, but a logging loophole in the declaration actually allows clearcutting and other ecologically destructive forestry practices to continue unchecked.
Why is industrial logging excluded from the Glasgow Declaration on Deforestation? Why don’t clear-felled forests count? Why isn’t converting forests into monoculture plantations considered land use change? This loophole must be challenged @UNFCCC A logging loophole at the heart of the Glasgow Declaration allows clear cutting and ecologically destructive forestry practices to continue unchecked.
World leaders must address this @kishida230@jairbolsonaro @10DowningStreet @POTUS @JustinTrudeau @jokowi
NEFA News Alert: Two women block entrance to Heron’s Creek Mill in the lead up to COP26
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They endured the blazing sun, each with an arm locked into a 44 gallon drum of concrete, bearing the words ‘Saving Forests is Climate Action’.
The women, one a grandmother and the other with a grandchild on the way, acted to draw attention to the hypocrisy of Australian Governments, both State and Federal on genuine action on climate change.
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“Everyone knows that trees are the best carbon, capture and storage (CCS) technology we have. Despite billions spent on CCS, nothing has come close to the effectiveness of trees. And yet even more taxpayer dollars will be squandered chasing the CCS myth, and additional taxpayer dollars used to subsidise the logging industry taking tree from the public land estate.”
“The Heron’s Creek sawmill takes trees from across the whole of the north coast. The whole process is incredibly wasteful. Only about 12% of any individual tree is turned into a product. Most of it goes out as woodchip. As a public asset these trees should be used for the public’s benefit… and that is clearly storing carbon, providing habitat and playing a vital role in the water cycle.”
[nefanews] Banner drops send Koala message around the world
NSW Forest Defenders have targeted proposed and operating biomass facilities in NSW dropping banners that read “Dead Koala Energy #BigBadBiomass “and “No Trees for Electricity! Stop the Biomassacre”.
Along with other actions around the country, the actions are part of the International Day of Action against #BigBadBiomass, the practice of cutting trees to burn in power stations for electricity and calling it clean and renewable.
One banner was hung over the conveyor belt at the Broadwater Mill that runs from the woodchip stockyard across the M1 to be burnt for electricity by Cape Byron Power. And is now joined by more concerned citizens holding banners outside the power station.
Biomass Action Group Gathering at Condong Biomass Burning Power Plant
Biomass Action Group: Biggest turnout yet at Condong biomass plant! Thanks to our supporters and speakers Mandy Nolan, Iaun Gaillard, Nola Firth, and #fridaysforforests’ Sean O’Shannessy.
Sending the message loud and clear that we need our forests now more than ever to draw down carbon, so do not accept biomass is the false solution it’s being sold us. We call on parliament to end the subsidies now!
NRG: “… a public gathering to protest the burning of bagasse, “forest waste”, and 120,000 tonnes of ‘industrial waste timber – with up to 10% plastic and 10% fabrics [also plastic?]’ by Cape Byron Power to generate electricity at the Condong sugar mill. This would include construction waste such as CCA treated timber, plastic, foils, etc. We do not want that smoke pumped into our atmosphere or washed into Tweed River!
Condong to burn 120,000 tonnes of ‘industrial waste’ timber from Brisbane
The Condong electricity power generator plant is to be reclassified as an “energy from waste” (EfW) facility. …
The repurposed Condong Sugar Mill power plant is to burn:
1. Waste from Brisbane – 120,000 tonnes of ‘industrial waste timber with up to 10% plastic and 10% fabrics [also plastic?]’
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- ‘recovered timber fuel’
- sourced from ‘construction, demolition and industry’
- ‘sorted at a purpose‐built facility in Brisbane’
- ‘The recovered timber fuel must meet the resource recovery criteria of Table 1 of the NSW Energy from Waste Policy Statement
2. As is already the case, Wood from ‘forestry operations’ – 200,000 tonnes
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- Wood = ‘various wood‐based fuel materials’ Wood from ‘forestry operations’
- ‘including from weed eradication programs, timber mill and forestry operations and approved land clearing (for example, residential subdivision developments, road upgrade works).”
3. As is already the case, Sugar cane residue – 320,000 tonnes
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The old Murwillumbah Condong Sugar Mill steam and power generation plant has been repurposed to become a waste incinerator for Brisbane’s waste wood disposal system, (120,000 tonnes, incl. up to 10% plastic and 10% [plastic] fabrics).
Link to Beyond Zero Emissions webinar
Research by Beyond Zero Emissions shows Australia can pursue an ambitious ‘Go for Gold’ scenario and secure a significant share of the global market for growth commodities, such as:
- Green steel
- Renewable hydrogen
- Renewable ammonia
- Green aluminium.
These products are set to dominate global economic growth this century and Australia is well positioned to be a leader in these markets.
However, we have to rapidly invest to avoid a ‘valley of death’ in our export profile. If left too late, not only will fossil fuel exports drop off as our major trade partners implement their net zero emissions pledges, other nations will capture early market share of new export industries leaving us with insufficient runway to replace the nation’s lost export income.
Beyond Zero Emissions webinar, Wednesday 27th October.
Tweed Shire Council Sustainability Awards
Nominations have been received from across the community to share inspiring stories about people and projects working to protect and enhance our special and beautiful natural environment.
The Caldera Environment Centre has nominated Ari Ehrlich for his successful organising of the annual Caldera World Environment Day Festival event in Knox Park 6th June 2021 [and over several years previously too].
Vote for your favourite to show your support for our environmental champions and help decide this year’s People’s Choice winner. Get in quick, voting ends midnight 31 October.
Time to end logging of public native forests
NEFA MEDIA RELEASE: Time to end logging of public native forests.
NEFA is calling upon the NSW Government to follow the leads of Western Australia and Victoria by immediately adopting a plan to phase out logging of public native forests because of their vital roles in taking up and storing carbon and providing homes for so many of our threatened species.
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan today announced that logging of public native forests will be phased out by 2024, stating “Protecting this vital asset is critical in the fight against climate change.”
This visionary decision is in stark contrast to the announcement by NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean on Tuesday that he will increase protection for 4% of existing national parks, said NEFA spokesperson Dailan Pugh.
“This is the best that Matt Kean can offer at a time when logging of north-east NSW’s public forests is set to be ramped up to extract millions of tonnes of woodchips to replace coal in electricity generation, and while existing protections for threatened species, including Koalas, are weakened on State Forests and private lands.
We are in the midst of climate and species-extinction crises that need to be urgently addressed, said NEFA spokesperson Susie Russell.
“The simplest and most effective action we can take to buy us time to reduce emissions and replant forests, is to stop logging those we have left so they can regain their lost carbon and habitat values.
”Most Wood Supply Agreements expire in 2023, so this would be an appropriate time to end logging of public native forests in NSW” Ms Russell said.
The Victorian Government has already announced that they will phase out logging of public native forests by 2030.
The Queensland Government is still debating whether to honour the 1999 South-East Queensland Forests Agreement (SEQFA) commitment to phase out logging of public native forests by 2024.
The West Australian Government has committed $50 million for a Just Transition Plan to support affected workers, businesses and local economies, and $350 million boost to planting of softwoods as an alternative resource.
“We need to follow West Australia’s lead and provide support to affected workers, businesses and local economies as part of the necessary transition to a cleaner and greener future.
“If we want to improve the lives of our grandkids we must act urgently to stop all logging of public native forests” Mr Pugh said.
BY ZIANNA FUAD 30SC ON SEPTEMBER 09, 2021
https://www.nefa.org.au/time_to_end_logging_of_public_native_forests
Link: Caldera Wildscapes
EDO: Western Australia to end Native Forest Logging
Environmental Defenders Office: “In a huge win for native animal habitat and the climate, the West Australian Government has announced an end to native forest logging.
The move is expected to preserve at least an additional 400,000 hectares of karri, jarrah and wandoo forests when a new Forest Management Plan comes into force in 2024.
The government will also move to immediately protect around 9,000 hectares of high conservation-value karri forest, with other high-value forest areas to be recommended for national park status.
In its announcement, the WA said the “ever increasing impacts of climate change, the importance of maintaining biodiversity and forest health, the need for carbon capture and storage, and declining timber yields” were behind the decision.
EDO WA Managing Lawyer Tim Macknay says Wednesday’s announcement is wonderful news for EDO clients in the West.
“This is a hugely significant moment in the fight for nature in Western Australia.
“Some of the first cases EDO ran in WA in the late 1990s were against logging operations and the issue has been front of mind for our office and our clients ever since.
“This win is a testament to the efforts of our clients – particularly the WA Forest Alliance and the South-West Forests Defence Foundation – some of whom have been fighting the logging industry for 50 years.””
Australian Forest Network calls on the Federal and State Governments to immediately stop logging in our public native forests.
We call on the Federal and State Governments to immediately stop logging and all other forms of degradation in our public native forests.
Australia now faces the existential crises of catastrophic climate change and biodiversity loss. Species are hurtling towards extinction as they face a rapidly changing climate and habitat destruction. Forest-dependent species are especially under threat following the catastrophic 2019/2020 bushfires in eastern Australia.
Scientists and economists around the world are calling for immediate and far-reaching action to address climate change and biodiversity loss. One action that has strong support from experts, as well as overwhelming community support, is to stop the logging of native forests.
Dear Minister for Energy & Environment: Save our forests from the furnaces !!!
Dear Minister,
We are excited to note the bipartisan support for the recommendation that native forest biomass not be allowed in energy generation facilities in the parliamentary inquiry into “Sustainability of energy supply and resources in NSW” that reported to the NSW Government in August 2021. How will you act to implement the inquiry’s recommendations?
The committee:
- stated that “Native forest biomass isn’t a renewable energy source. It reduces the ability of NSW forests to absorb atmospheric carbon and produces carbon emissions”.
- recommended the NSW government exclude native forest biomass from being classed as renewable energy, and ensure that it is not eligible for renewable energy credits.
- want the definition of native forest biomaterial under the Protection of the Environment Operations (General) Regulation 2009 amended toprevent the burning of wood from native forests to generate energy,
These are excellent recommendations and I call on you as minister for Energy and Environment in the NSW Government to accept and implement them expeditiously.
A strong message was also sent to those wanting to profit from burning our forests including the power stations at Condong and Broadwater on the north coast, the proposed Redbank power station in the Hunter Valley and the Vale’s Point power station that adds wood to its coal: ‘Reconsider and invest instead in genuine renewables!’
NEFA and the EDO are to challenge the legality of the much hated NE NSW Regional Forest Agreement!
The much hated North East Regional Forestry Agreement (NE RFA) exempts logging in native forests from the federal biodiversity assessment and logging approval requirements of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
NEFA is asking the Federal Court to declare that the North East RFA does not validly exempt native forest logging from these federal biodiversity laws.
In order for an RFA to exempt native forest logging from the usual federal biodiversity assessment and approval requirements, when the Commonwealth enters into an RFA it is legally required to have regard to assessments of environmental values and the principles of ecologically sustainable management.
Burning wood for electricity doesn’t pass the pub* test [*Parliament]
North East Forest Alliance Media Release
“The writing is on the wall for wood-fired power stations”, said NEFA spokesperson Susie Russell.
“We are relieved that both Liberal and Labor politicians who participated in the parliamentary inquiry into “Sustainability of energy supply and resources in NSW” have recommended that native forest biomass not be allowed in energy generation facilities.
The Parliamentary committee presented its report to the Government on Friday.
“The committee heard and accepted evidence that burning wood adds to greenhouse emissions and negatively impacts the environment.
“They also stated that “Native forest biomass isn’t a renewable energy source. It reduces the ability of NSW forests to absorb atmospheric carbon and produces carbon emissions”.
“The committee has recommended that the NSW government works with other jurisdictions to exclude native forest biomass from being classed as renewable energy, and ensure that it is not eligible for renewable energy credits.
“They want the definition of native forest biomaterial under the Protection of the Environment Operations (General) Regulation 2009 amended to prevent the burning of wood from native forests to generate energy.
“These are excellent recommendations and we call on the NSW Government to accept and implement them.
“It also sends a strong message to those wanting to profit from burning our forests including the power stations at Condong and Broadwater on the north coast, the proposed Redbank power station in the Hunter Valley and the Vale’s Point power station that adds wood to its coal: Reconsider and invest instead in genuine renewables!
“The NSW Government should now remove the perverse incentive for logging by shutting down the market for native forest biomaterial in power stations.
“With a Climate Code Red, our forests are the best technology we have for removing carbon from the atmosphere. We need them to be allowed to get on with the job.”
Invitation for public comment on the draft National Recovery Plan for the Koala.
The Department of the Environment and Energy have drafted a “National Recovery Plan for the Koala.”
“The National Recovery Plan for the Koala identifies national-level strategic actions to support recovery of the EPBC Act listed Koala.”
The plan “sets out the research and management actions necessary to stop the decline, and support the recovery, of the nation’s threatened Koalas.”
The plan is to “align with relevant state and territory planning, programs.”
Comment on this draft national recovery plan by 24 September.
Your feedback is provided to the Threatened Species Scientific Committee for the Minister for the Environment. All comments “will be considered by the Minister for the Environment in making the final recovery plan.”
To have your say:
Use this survey portal [link] to answer questions, upload a submission, or both.
Alternatively, you can send your submission via email: Koala.consultation@environment.gov.au with “Recovery Plan” in the subject heading.
This plan is made under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The Koala populations of Victoria and South Australia are not listed as threatened under the EPBC Act and therefore are not covered by this recovery plan.
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The National Recovery Plan is not the only koala document out for public consultation. The draft conservation advice and listing assessment for the koala has been released for public consultation as well. The public consultation period closes on 30 July 2021.
Information on how you can provide comment can be found at https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/nominations/comment.
Any relevant information arising from the listing assessment will also be considered in the final version of the draft National Recovery Plan for the Koala.
Meeting Around Proposed Amendments Which Will Eliminate Protection Of Koala Habitat On The North Coast
World Environment Day Festival – Knox Park Murwillumbah
UN: “THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MORE URGENT NEED TO RESTORE DAMAGED ECOSYSTEMS THAN NOW.”
UN Secretary General: “Humanity is waging war on nature. This is suicidal. Biodiversity is collapsing. Ecosystems are disappearing before our eyes.”
Ecosystems are the systems of inter-related, inter-dependent lifeforms on this planet.
This year’s event launched “The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which aims to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean.”
UNEP theme for this year’s event: ‘Ecosystem Restoration’.
Public Statement to Au & NSW.gov from AFCA et al [incl. CEC]: “Reject plans by Verdant Technologies to recommission Redbank Power Station.”
We call on the governments of NSW and Australia to reject plans by Verdant Technologies to recommission Redbank Power Station near Singleton and use native forest biomass as fuel.
Redbank operated as a coal-fired power station from 2001 to 2014 when it was mothballed after the company went into receivership.
The new owner, Verdant Technology, has applied to reopen the 151MW facility, in which it intends to burn more than 1 million tonnes per annum of biomass, including wood and wood waste from native forests.
This is likely to result in the release of more than 2 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.
The company says it plans to source biomass from forests within 400 kilometres of Singleton, a huge area stretching from Moruya in the south, Yamba in the north, and Dubbo in the west.
The Caldera Environment Centre opposes any further expansion of water mining and extraction facilities in the Tweed Shire.
To the General Manager, Tweed Shire Council.
Submission Re: DA 19-0346.
The Caldera Environment Centre opposes any further expansion of water mining and extraction facilities in the Tweed Shire. Last year (May 2020) the Tweed Council passed a moratorium on new water mining facilities and we ask that this policy continue to be acknowledged. During the drought of 2019 there were serious stream flow issues in areas adjacent to water mining operations. The impacts of this industry on the water table are poorly quantified, and the cumulative impact of farms and residential lots as well as the mining industry have not been adequately considered. The bottled water industry also increases plastic pollution, and with the Tweed Zero Waste Target, it would be appropriate to consider the impacts of the businesses that the Council supports.
Your Native Forests Are To Be Used As Furnace Fuel For Electricity
Your Native Forests are to be industrially fed into electricity power station furnaces overseas – to replace the now banned coal – to boil water to turn turbines to make electricity to be used momentarily then it is gone.
‘Somehow’, The European Union have legaly declared that burning Native Forests as coal-replacement fuel for electricity generation plants is “Sustainable”, and “Carbon Neutral”, which is lies.
Those in control of NSW.gov have changed the laws, removing protections for native forests, facilitating and encouraging the industrial destruction of native forests for export furnace fuel for electricity generation.
The Australian NSW Government Department of Primary Resource (DPI) are highly complicit, ‘the DPI’ have identified and mapped the remaining unprotected native forests in Northern NSW, on both public and private land, ‘the DPI’ have identified the best 3 sites for Industrial Scale Forest Pelletising Factories, with 3 close marine ports for bulk export, ‘the DPI’ have marked on the map the distance between each forest remnant and the forest pelletising factories, … ‘the DPI’ are building a-global-scale-native-forest-to-furnace-fuel-export-industry.
Hope, Resilience and Healing for Humanity and the Earth – Workshop
A Work that Reconnects workshop at the Chillingham Community Centre on the 23rd of May Time: 8.30am-4.30pm.
“We are living through difficult times, witnessing immense growing social injustices and the sixth mass extinction of life on Earth. Many of us feel called to act, and while political engagement is crucial, many are also asking, how do we sustain ourselves on this journey? How do we live with the fear, heartbreak and anger? How do we create a regenerative culture from within as we move toward a life-sustaining culture and society? How can we recognise the extent of the solutions needed if we cannot fully feel the depth of our despair?
We build resilience when we come together and share our grief and our love for the world. To advocate and re-organise human society for the flourishing of life we ourselves must return again and again to the ground of our own aliveness. This workshop will offer embodied and experiential practices to support you in doing this. We will make space to give gratitude for what we have, mourn what is being lost; take a deep time lens at the unfolding and to rediscover the energy to take action. We prioritise restorative practices that nourish self and community.
The Caldera/Greens planned meeting regarding the SEPP/LLS situation is being rescheduled, …
Caldera Environment Centre & Tweed Greens
Invite representatives from Tweed based environmental and Koala groups and individuals to discussion of the SEPP 2021 and LLS Amendment Act, with ! Cate Faehrmann MLC NSW Greens, ! Cr Katie Milne, ! Dailan Pugh (NEFA).
“What actions can the community take to rectify the detrimental changes to policy and legislation by the NSW Liberal/National Coalition?”
The originally planned meeting was postponed (due to COVID contacts found in Byron).
The rescheduled date, time and place shall be here when decided.
Thank you.