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Macken Sense: How change happens…..
Everyone from the fossil fuel industry to Greenpeace’s own Executive Director, Kumi Naidoo, has conceded Rio + 20 was a total waste of space. Naidoo’s take on it was pretty simple: ”Rio has turned into an epic failure. It has failed on equity, failed on ecology and failed on economy.” Apart from that it was…
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David vs Goliath
Last week Greenpeace launched a vital new campaign for Australia. We’re taking on the massive coal mining and coal export expansion plans particularly in Queensland. These mega coal mines, coal port infrastructure and increases in coal shipping traffic not only spell disaster for our climate but for Australia’s national treasure – the Great Barrier Reef.…
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Top 10 reasons why Arctic oil drilling is a dumb idea
Here are 10 key reasons why oil drilling in the Arctic is a dumb idea. 1. It’s extremely dangerous. The Arctic environment is one of the harshest in the world, and everything you do there is more complicated than anywhere else. 2. Our climate can’t afford it. As the impacts of climate change become more…
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Launching Changing Climates: a Greenpeace photo exhibition
We couldn’t have picked a better summers evening to launch our Changing Climates photo exhibition. The backdrop was Sydney’s beautiful Botanical Gardens and by sunset the food and wine were flowing. The speakers were Julian Burnside AO QC and our very own climate campaigner John Hepburn. Never mind the race that stopped the nation, this…
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You said YES and so did I.
This is an important day for Australia: the introduction of carbon price has passed the Lower House of the Australian Parliament. Because of the actions of so many across a broad grassroots movement, Australia has taken a major step today in delivering new investment for clean energy. Now we can begin Australia’s shift from a…
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Big Coal vs. The People
The eyes of even the most hardened court observers glazed over as the seemingly endless mess of legal procedures dragged on. It wasn’t just unremarkable, it was outright dull – obscuring the profound struggle set to unfold. Blogpost by John Hepburn Originally published by Rooted August 25, 2011 Monday was day one of a…
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Will the carbon price rule out new coal?
On Sunday evening, after reading the Dr Seuss classic “If I ran the zoo” to my three year old daughter, I sat on the couch, fortified myself with a strong drink, and began to read the Treasury modelling on the carbon price (I know, I know, it’s an exciting life). After reading the projections for…
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Kumi’s commitment
Over the weekend Kumi Naidoo, Head of Greenpeace International, was arrested for taking direct action to stop drilling in the Arctic. For 90 minutes Kumi and fellow activist Ulvar Arnkvaern were on the Leiv Eiriksson oil rig. Soaking wet Kumi demanded that Cairn Energy immediately halt drilling operations and leave the Arctic. He also sought…
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Another day, another whinge from big coal
Another day, another rent-seeking whinge from the richest companies in the country. Yesterday the Australian Coal Association (ACA) released more ‘independent economic analysis’ that said just how hard done by they would be under a carbon tax. It was a pre-emptive strike before the much awaited Productivity Commission report, due today, that analyses the effective…
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Arctic Pod removed from Leiv Eiriksson oil rig
Last night our two activists were removed from the survival pod that had been suspended from the Leiv Eiriksson oil rig for four days. They were arrested just before midnight last night, local time, and taken to the Greenland capital of Nuuk. The Greenpeace ship Esperanza remains just outside the 500m exclusion zone, imposed by…