climate

This week marks the next step in our epic court battle with multinational coal mining giant Xstrata. Friends of the Earth were presented with 7 pages of questions from Xstrata's lawyers regarding the details of their objection. Our concern about the future of the Great Barrier Reef is a key reason for initiating legal proceedings against the mine.

The coal seam gas industry is fond of positioning itself as a solution to climate change. They have managed to convince the Queensland Government of this - Queensland has set a target of 18% of domestic energy to be provided by gas by 2020.

But much like the earlier claims of the fossil fuel industry that so-called 'clean coal' would solve the climate crisis, the arguments about the climate change virtues of coal-seam gas do not stand up to scrutiny. In fact, preliminary research suggests that energy from coal seam gas may be slightly more environmentally damaging than burning coal.

Want to do more than just walk at this year's Walk Against Warming? We are looking for a little help telling our politicians that we want them to take some simple first steps towards kicking the coal habit.

A brief diversion from coal to mention the inspiring efforts of some of our friends in the Climate Justice Fast. It's day 16 of the hunger strike (yep, they haven't eaten a thing for 16 days!) and today one of the Australian fasters, Paul, made a great vlog post on civil disobedience.

This is very pertinent given that Steve and Nathan from Six Degrees will be facing court tomorrow for disrupting coal loading during last month's Brisbane Coal Port Blockade.

When: Saturday 7 November, 2 - 4pm
Where: Upstairs, Yeronga Bowls Club, 11 Querrin St, Yeronga

The hopes of many people lie with the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen this December
– however, even if an effective and immediate solution is not reached at Copenhagen, what alternatives exist?

This World Environment Day, Friday 5 June, concerned citizens from across Brisbane joined with Six Degrees to declare Government Ministers' Offices "Global Warming Crime-scenes" to deliver a clear message that their inaction on phasing out coal in the face of climate change makes them utterly negligent.

Six Degrees' work is grounded in an understanding of the need for climate justice, and by taking climate change personally; its members work to redress the inequalities that underpin climate change.

We are living in a time of dangerous climate change, where the very existence of stable climatic systems is under threat from unsustainable human energy production. The Queensland coal industry is the state's largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and must therefore be phased out as we move urgently towards a low-carbon future. A 'just transition' that is ecologically sustainable, socially just and culturally appropriate is essential to avert catastrophic climate change.

A broad-based climate movement is evolving in Queensland and around Australia. In addition to the work done by the traditional non-governmental organisations (NGOs), there is a burgeoning grassroots climate movement in Queensland. Local climate action groups (CAGs), student activists and transition town advocates are working to address root causes of climate change, build alternatives and change individual habits.

Six Degrees and Friends of the Earth Brisbane recognise and pay respect to the Aboriginal nations and traditional care-takers of the land. We recognise sovereignty was never ceded and that Indigenous dispossession, European invasion and the extractive industry in Queensland have inter-woven histories. We are committed to building relationships with the traditional owners and Indigenous peoples in south-east Queensland.