CANBERRA
40%

The forum marks one year since the target was set and will give all Canberrans the chance to quiz Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development Simon Corbell and Greens Spokesperson for Environment, Climate Change and Energy Shane Rattenbury on what is being done to make sure we reach our target.

12.30pm Wednesday 23 November at the Legislative Assembly

Just over a year ago now the ACT Legislative Assembly committed to a 40% carbon emissions reduction target for the ACT.  This is an ambitious target and the Government needs our support to ensure this target is realised.

The forum is a great opportunity to celebrate the achievements and actions taken by the community, business and the government, it will send a clear message that people in Canberra do care about achieving this target and everyone will have an opportunity to ask questions of the politicians.

What is your vision of Canberra in 2020?  Fantastic public transport?  A range of housing options, both high and low density?  Vibrant town centres, and an exciting heart in Civic?  Bring your ideas and explore the opportunities the 40% target provides Canberra to get into action to create a clean, liveable city into the future.

Sustainable Energy Policy was released on 29th September (http://bit.ly/rb96Kk) and we responded with this;

The release of the Sustainable Energy Policy 2010-2020 provides no clear direction for the ACT’s climate energy future and is a missed opportunity, climate organisation Canberra Loves 40% said today.

The policy did not answer enough questions about what the ACT’s energy mix will look like in the next ten years and what measureable outcomes will be taken to achieve a step-change in emissions reduction, which is a disappointment in the context of the ACT Government’s 40% emissions target.

“While Canberrans eagerly wait for Government leadership to take up the fantastic opportunity the 40% emissions target brings to establish a long-term sustainable plan for the ACT, the sustainable energy policy comes up short,” Canberra Loves 40% spokesperson Phoebe Howe said.

“Whilst the document provided important aspirational goals for the ACT, there were very few measurable outcomes described. The report relies upon the impending release of ‘Weathering the Change II’, the ACT climate change policy, and many questions are left unanswered about the central role energy plays in our emissions.”

“This represents a disappointing missed opportunity from the ACT Government, particularly given the need for a strong energy policy in the context of our ambitious 2020 emissions reduction target.”

Ms Howe also expressed confusion at the lack of real actions to achieve Canberra’s 40% by 2020 Greenhouse Gas emission reduction target in policy.

“Last year the ACT legislated for the most ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the country,” Ms. Howe said.

“This was a significant step for Canberrans who want to see the ACT lead on climate change. However we still have no clear idea of the Government’s plans to meet this essential target. This target is ambitious, and requires comprehensive policy that tackles energy, transport, and other emissions sources together.

The target is a fantastic opportunity to look at our planning for the future, and make wise decisions that cut across the traditional, yet artificial, divides that typically separate energy from other aspects of sustainable urban planning. Yet the sustainable energy policy makes no mention of a sustainable vision for Canberra’s urban planning. “This means the community will have to keep waiting for real leadership in the policy of ‘Weathering the Change II’.”

“The policy also discusses the potential use of new gas-fired electricity generation, which seems like a wasted investment for a city that will be emissions neutral by 2060.”

“Though the policy gives a good picture of essential issues such as energy affordability, and management of energy pricing and supply, a vision for a real sustainable energy future is lacking and the community will have to keep waiting for real leadership in the policy of ‘Weathering the Change II’,” Ms. Howe concluded.

For further comment contact Phoebe Howe, spokesperson of Canberra Loves 40% on 0449 617 669, or media@love40percent.org.

Have you ever wondered how we can live an enjoyable, healthy and fulfilling lifestyle in cities and suburbs?

Want to explore how we can live wisely within our natural environment?

          DATE: Sunday 18 September

          Time: 1.00pm – 5.00pm

          Location: Provided upon RSVP

          RSVP: by Wed 14 Sept.

          Email: burmo70@gmail.com

          Lunch: will be provided

Intention: To agree and action the community hub/city farm we want to see in Canberra

Bring your skill, and join us to get your hands dirty to create a hub that demonstrates what Canberra can be, by the community… for the community…

Looking for a way to contribute to emissions reductions in your local area?  Look no further than Carrotmob.  A mob of shoppers descend on a local business that has committed a proportion of the money spent to emissions reductions.

After a wild month of mob recruitment, our first mobbing is this Saturday, June 11th at the Ainslie IGA.
Come along and get more for your money.  100% of the extra sales from Carrotmob-bought groceries will go towards emissions reductions in store.  The more we buy, we the more we raise, and the more Manager Manuel can do in his shop.

The SustainAbility advice team provided manuel with a free energy audit to let him know where the best savings can be made.  Our shopping dollars can make it happen.

Come along anytime this Saturday and shop up at Ainslie IGA, and between 11-2 we’ll be hosting a BBQ, kids games and live music!

Join the Carrotmob at carrotmob.love40percent.org or follow us on Facebook – Carrotmob Canberra, and Twitter @carrotmobact.

See you at Anislie IGA, Edgar Street Ainslie this Saturday!

Most people want a more sustainable world but don’t know what to do, and most businesses want to be more sustainable but think it means expensive changes – Carrotmobs are a fun way to get the community and businesses to work together to overcome these barriers and contribute to reaching the ACT’s 40% emissions reduction target.

Canberra Loves 40% is proud to kick off the first year of work towards our target with a Carrotmob community campaign that works positively with small businesses.  We bring together a mob of people who want more for their money, and use this incentive to give a small business a kick-start of extra revenue to invest in emissions reduction in their shop.

Carrotmobs are about showing people that how and where they spend there money does make a difference – you can ask for more than just the product – you can ask that it is locally made, or produced sustainably, or ethically, or that the profits from its sale stay in the local community – especially if you shop in a mob!

We approached IGAs across the inner north and asked them what they would do to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in exchange for being mobbed by a large group of customers. The very first IGA we spoke to was Ainslie – who offered to put 100% of the money spent by the mob on reducing the stores emissions.  This week we will be launching Carrotmob with a media event celebrating Ainslie IGA’s 48th birthday!  As a birthday gift we will present a carrot cake and the award of hundreds of shoppers set to mob his shop on Saturday 11 June!

Now, all we need is you.  Sign up to the Carrotmob, come along on June 11, and buy some of your groceries at Ainslie IGA.  The more money we raise, the more owner Manuel will be able to do with his shop.  We have arranged a free energy audit from the SustainAbility Advice Team to let Manuel know what to target first.

Come along on 11 June for a celebration, meet Manuel and the kind energy audit team, enjoy a charity sausage sizzle, local music, and fun for the kids.  We are creating a truly sustainable Canberra; the environment benefits, the local community benefits, and local business benefits.  Join the mob that wants a more sustainable Canberra.

An Intentional Urban village that is both environmentally and socially sustainable.

A village that promotes and supports a community composed of the young, the elderly and those inbetween.

Garry and Stina Kerans are the initiators of this fantastic forward thinking housing concept.

Regular evening talks/workshops at No.3 Young Street Queanbeyan will introduce the principles of an Intentional Urban Village – using Sun Village Queanbeyan as an example.

Stina is hoping you may be able to join in on one of three evenings, and bring any friends or family who may be interested.  If you are getting on in years and considering your options for the future, this will be way better than any retirement village – come and find out why!

TIME: 5 pm on 24^th,25^th and 26^th May 2011

The Aspect development (http://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-queanbeyan-107227169) is the first buildings you come to when you cross the NSW/ACT border from Fyshwick. After the H.M.A.S. HARMAN traffic lights veer left onto Norse Road (the alternative route to Queanbeyan) You then have to enter the development via Young Street – the first street on the left.

If you come at around 5pm you can have a tour of the nearly completed 2^nd stage, and the completed first stage of the development.

Please bring a plate to share.

With the passing into law of our 40% emissions reduction target Canberra goes from a Nation leading city to a world leading city.

This is an ambitious target and there is no guarantee that it will be achieved – that is up to us – the community – both in terms of our own actions and in what we demand of the ACT Government. 40% is achievable and one thing is certain – if it is achieved our city will be transformed for the better.

Setting this target makes us one of the first jurisdictions to accept responsibility for our emissions and commit to doing our share of what the science says is required globally for an effective response to climate change. While it is important for us to now weigh the costs and impacts of the options available for reaching this target, this isn’t the time to hold ourselves back. This is an opportunity to make smart decisions, to deal with central concerns already facing the ACT in planning and growth, and to invest in our city in ways that will a ensure the ACT is a prosperous, vibrant, sustainable community into the future.

The vision is there, it is now time for the community, businesses and the Government to work together and all play our part to achieve it.

Despite T-Shirts being exchanged, despite a giant knitted heart, despite a gallery full of spectators, despite plenty of media attention, the ACT Legislative assembly hasn’t actually passed the bill to set a forty percent emission reduction target into legislation. But fear not, Simon Corbell has assured us that the bill will be passed next week – there were just too many of our local politicians who wanted to have their say on the issue. And so it should be. This bill is a huge opportunity for our city. An opportunity to change for the better; to build on the things we already love about Canberra; to grow a new green economy alongside a healthy community.

When the bill is passed next week the love 40 percent coalition will transition to a new mission: to help our community as well as businesses and government take full advantage of the historic opportunity that our 40% target presents. And we’ll need you to help us out. So please come along to our organizing meeting this Monday the 25th of October at 6.30pm in room G015 of the Crisp building at ANU. And remember that you can show your support for our soon-to-be-legislated target by purchasing a T-Shirt online.

It was no small feat to win a 40% emissions target from our government. But in a very real sense, that was the easy part. Now we must make sure that our elected representatives follow through and actually implement policies that get us to the target. The target must be taken into account when all new legislation is drafted. Among upcoming bills, by far the most important will be the energy policy that the Government will soon be releasing. Initial signs are that this contains some very good elements as well as some not quite so good elements. We will be meeting Tuesday 28th September, 6:30pm in room G08 of the Moran building at ANU to discuss what this policy means for us and what we should be doing about it. We would strongly encourage anyone interested in the future of energy in the ACT, especially those who are connected to our burgeoning green economy to come along to this meeting.

Of course, as well as keeping the pressure on our elected representatives it is also important that we keep spreading the 40% message in the community, and what better way to spread that message than by wearing one of our beautiful Canberra ♥ 40% T-shirts. We now have these T-shirts for sale online via paypal. If you’ve been coveting one of these T-shirts, now is the time to buy one.

Finally, our wonderful friends over at the Canberra Environment and Sustainability Resource Centre are running a Sustainability Challenge in October. So why no challenge yourself and see if you can reduce your own emissions by 40%?

While we might have been a bit quiet of late, there’s been lots of action behind the scenes as a rising tide of proud local Canberrans get on board with our campaign. First up is the Southside community forum that will be held tomorrow, Tuesday the 13th of July at 7pm at St James Church, 40 Gillies St, Curtin. At the forum you will be able to put your questions and concerns directly to the environment minister, Simon Corbell, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Shane Rattenbury, as well as Caroline Le Couteur MLA and Amanda Bresnan MLA. The night will be hosted by See-Change and, if the Northside forum is anything to go by, will be a night not to be missed.

And if that wasn’t enough for you we have the grand finale in our series of forums coming up on the 29th of July which will be held in the Legislative Assembly. This will be hosted by Sarina Locke of 666 ABC local radio fame and will, for the first time, be attended by the climate spokespeople of all three major parties, Zed Seselja (Liberal), Simon Corbell (ALP) and Shane Rattenbury (Greens). The forum will go from midday to 2pm and will be an event not to be missed, so go put it in your diary now.

As well as making waves in our own community we’ve been making them nationally as well. We were approached last week by the National Library of Australia for permission to archive the love40percent website as a historically significant document. Further more, they will include any publications we now create in the National Bibliographic Database, a database of catalogue records shared by over 5,200 Australian libraries. This is yet another clear indication of just how important our shared campaign is.

Finally, our next organising meeting will be held on Monday 19 July, 6.30pm, ANU Crisp Building, Room G015. Please come along to share your ideas and enthusiasm.