Climate Change Updates

About the Poznan Climate Change Conference - November 16, 2008

In December in Poland, world leaders will take their first major steps since the climate forum in Bali last year on the most important journey ever faced by humanity. The Wilderness Society delegation will be urging world leaders, and especially Australian PM Kevin Rudd to take strong action to reduce logging and land clearing as part of the global plan to tackle climate change.

Garnaut shows native forests part of climate solution - October 01, 2008

The final report from Professor Garnaut’s Climate Change Review says that Australia’s greenhouse emissions can be reduced significantly if logging of native forests and land clearing are stopped immediately.

Public rally warns shareholders and investors against proposed pulp mill - August 26, 2008

A huge rally on Saturday August 23 saw thousands of people march through Launceston in opposition to Gunns' proposed pulp mill sending a clear message to shareholders and companies considering supporting the carbon-polluting pulp mill - it will not be allowed to proceed.

Research finds native forests key to climate solution - August 05, 2008

Research from leading scientists at the Australian National University has found that Australia has some of the most carbon-dense forests in the world – with the potential to sequester carbon equivalent to 25% of our current annual emissions over a 100 year time frame. Logging and clearing them has significant climate implications.

Burning native forests for power - a lifeline to the woodchippers - July 16, 2008

Native forest bioenergy: bad for climate change and bad for our forests. In response to diminishing global demand for native forest woodchips, Australia’s native forest logging industry is pushing a particularly destructive power generation option.

Garnaut’s forgotten forests! - July 04, 2008

The role of forests in storing carbon and their importance in tackling climate change received overdue recognition in the draft report released by Professor Garnaut.

But native forests can store much more carbon than plantations and this has yet to be properly recognised.

The 'next Kyoto' – unprecedented forest destruction or protection? - June 03, 2008

At the end of next year, world leaders will meet to decide the framework of the next international climate agreement, and with it, the future of our planet. But there’s a real risk the ‘next Kyoto’ could actually drive the unprecedented destruction of the world’s carbon-storing forests.

Green carbon is part of the climate change equation - May 11, 2008

At an official side event to the Climate talks in Bali, Professor Brendan Mackey from the ANU WildCountry Research and Policy Hub presented new scientific research highlighting the critical role forest protection and “green carbon” can play in addressing climate change. The cuts in greenhouse gas emissions needed to tackle climate change means reversing deforestation and forest degradation.

Climate talks recognise the important role of forests - May 09, 2008

The meeting of the UN Climate Conference in Bali concluded with a commitment to include emissions from forests in the formal negotiations to extend the Kyoto Protocol. The loss of forests, particularly in tropical countries, contributes approximately 20 per cent of the world’s carbon pollution. To avoid the worst impacts of human-induced climate change, reducing emissions from deforestation has a key role to play.

Nuclear power - the great white elephant - December 03, 2007

On Monday 22 October, Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that nuclear power plants might not be built in Australia if they were more expensive than clean coal power stations. The Prime Minister also repeated himself by saying that nuclear power would be driven by economics, with consideration being given to safety and the environment.