2019-09-05
By the Green Issue Editors
Across the globe, concern about climate change is increasing, fanned by fires in the Amazon, record high temperatures in Europe, melting glaciers, and closer to home, ongoing droughts, ‘very poor’ prognosis for the Great Barrier Reef and government approvals for and encouragement of massive coal mining in the Galilee Basin. Australia ranks third among countries exporting greenhouse gases, the ranking recently boosted by exports of liquified natural gas (LNG) from the north-west of WA. In this issue we elaborate on our gas bomb, particularly in relation to the public consultation by the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to establish state-level guidelines for greenhouse gas emissions. This consultation period ended on 2nd September, and so we had earlier in August posted our gas bomb article on the Green Issue website.
An indication of this increasing public concern about failure of governments to take realistic climate action is the manifestation of Extinction Rebellion (XR), and we include an article on what XR is all about. Our Greens MLCs participated in XR’s Declaration of Rebellion at Parliament House on 15th August, the only state parliamentarians to do so. There’s a lot of work to do in convincing other parties in the WA parliament that we are indeed in a climate emergency.
As if greenhouse gas emissions from Pilbara gas extraction are not enough, that industry is also destroying world heritage ancient rock carvings on the Burrup Peninsular. Another threat to the unique environment of the Kimberley is proposals to extract irrigation water from the Fitzroy River, despite the sad history of the nearby Ord River scheme.
And, we include a reminder about our Greens (WA) Annual General Meeting 2019 to be held on Sunday 13th October during our State Conference.
We include updates from our Greens (WA) MPs, for the July-August period. There are reports from Senators Rachel Siewert and Jordon Steele-John and our Members of the WA Legislative Council Robin Chapple (Mining and Pastoral), Alison Xamon (North Metropolitan), Diane Evers (South West) and Tim Clifford (East Metropolitan).
Header photo: Hon. Diane Evers speaking at the XR rally on 15th September, backed by Hon. Tim Clifford and Hon. Robin Chapple, with rally MC Adam Bennett looking on. C. Johansen