World Environment Day 5 June 2014: Tony's Hate Campaign

This Thursday will be World Environment Day. As such I thought a recent list of 'environment' news would be instructive. So please give generously of your time, money, brains to supporting our environment. Do it NOW. Its your support and work that is helping our Environment, not the Government.

• The Federal Budget as a starting point brought more bad news for Environment Groups leading to my email inbox being inundated with meetings, petitions and requests for funds.
• Solar Citizens is holding a "Our Solar at Risk" Public Meeting on 19 June at RMIT- Tickets are free but limited: Check out details at  http://www.solarcitizens.org.au/melbourne to book. 
• The Climate Council has published the "Abnormal Autumn" report.
• See the Conversations take on the Abnormal Autumn report.
• Australia's environmental laws including the RET have delivered more than our Kyoto Targets, with very little change to our economy. But these will be wound back with a great new tax (Liberal Party's Direct Action) on the Australian people  instead of the small Carbon Tax on a few companies. To protest at changes to the RET (Renewable Energy Target) join Getup's Protect the RET.
• Dirty air is being breathed by the most poor and vulnerable in Australia according to this report by the Conversation. Equity issues here as everywhere else in Australia.
• Australia's leading place in Mammal Extinction continues with recent reports showing our current efforts are leading to 1 mammal going extinct per decade. How to stop this trend requires money, cost-effective analysis and involvement of industry and stakeholders. But money is now tight and there is not an effective science, conservation or climate change minister in the Federal Government.
• Barack Obama plans a 30% cut in Carbon emissions from its dirty coal-fired power stations. He will have to use Presidential decree to get the plans through and like Australia, the reaction from industry is predictable with politicians in coal industry areas running for cover. He risks the same response as we have had. A new government sweeping away any and everything to do with improvement in environmental laws to benefit the fat cats and conservatives of industry. So much for innovation and new industry development which is sympathetic to clean air, water, local industry and good jobs.
• ABC Lateline reports "The head of China's most advanced carbon emissions exchange says australia could scuttle the creation of a global system of carbon trading by dumping its scheme at a crucial time." We should be careful about annoying China as it starts to flex its considerable economic and political muscles. As well as trying to get its rampant ecological problems under control using clean technology.