Greens MP and environment spokesperson Cate Faehrmann says that the NSW Government should take the advice of the five trawler operators from Nelson Bay who have declared their practice environmentally damaging, and move to ban trawling in the state’s marine parks.

“Trawling is nothing less than land clearing with bulldozers and chains at the bottom of the ocean. It kills fish and destroys habitat indiscriminately. It has no place in a marine park,” said Ms Faehrmann.

“If trawling is allowed to continue in key sensitive areas we are going to see a rapid decline of marine life. Both the commercial and recreational industries will suffer. (more…)

The Australian Greens have called for an immediate inquiry into the cause of the shipping accident and subsequent oil spill at Christmas Island.

“This accident could cause devastating impacts on the marine environment around Christmas Island, with little hope of clean up or remediation,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens marine spokesperson said today.

“Why was this ship left on moorings at the loading dock when the forecast was indicating swell conditions? I understand that under these circumstances it would be normal to move the ship from moorings- why didn’t this happen? (more…)

The Australian Greens have reacted strongly to confirmation that fossil fuel companies successfully pressured energy minister Martin Ferguson to enlist ASIO and the Federal Police in spying on climate change and clean energy activists.

“This is a deliberate abuse of the role of Australian security agencies, who have better things to do than follow the dictates of foreign coal and energy corporations,” Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said.

“Instead of promoting the surveillance and intimidation of climate activists, Minister Ferguson should devote some of his time to dealing with the issues they raise.” (more…)

With new revelations in today’s press about misleading “Made in Australia” labelling of food in supermarkets, the Australian Greens have again called on the government and opposition to support legislative moves for truth in labelling before negotiations through the Trans Pacific Partnership free trade agreement make it more difficult.

“Australians want to know where the food they eat and feed their families comes from, but at the moment they can’t even trust the ‘Made in Australia’ labels in supermarkets,” Australian Greens Acting Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

“The Greens have worked with Senators Xenophon and Joyce on truth in labelling legislation, building on work over many years to help people make informed decisions on what to buy to feed their families and friends. (more…)

The State of the Environment report released yesterday reveals that most of Australia’s plants and animals are on the path to extinction, Australian Greens environment spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said today.

The report also acknowledged from the outset that the environment was a national issue that required national leadership.

“The call for national leadership is completely at odds with the Federal Government’s intention to delegate many environmental protection powers to the states,” Senator Waters said.

“This is why I’ve introduced my water bill, which would give the Federal Government the power to protect water from mining operations at the national level and demonstrate the greater environmental leadership which is so desperately needed. (more…)

The wishy-washy agreement struck in Durban today completely fails the climate, the Australian Greens said today.

Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, just returned from Durban, said, “The world is now on track to exceed 2 degrees of warming under this agreement. No matter how much nuancing of the words is done, the fact is the political reality does not match the scientific reality.

“There were three gaps to be filled at this conference - a legal gap, a finance gap and an emissions gap. The emissions gap has, if anything, worsened. The finance gap has been given a framework but no mechanism to fill it. The legal gap remains, with a political agreement, not a binding instrument.

“The 6 to 11 gigatonne gap between emissions cuts countries have pledged and what is needed to meet their own 2C agreement remains.

“Australian negotiators, backing up the USA, Canada and New Zealand, played a negative role, ensuring that proposed text to drive greater ambition and deeper cuts was taken off the table.

“Minister Combet knows full well that the commitment he has signed up to to constrain warming to no more than 2C will be breached under this agreement and he needs to explain to th Australian community why he did not back the EU and Least Developed Countries’ efforts to lift ambition. (more…)

Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, in Durban for the global climate negotiations, said:

“With negotiations in Durban at a critical stage, it is extremely disappointing that Australian negotiators have joined the USA and Canada in being prepared to accept very weak text on both the future of the Kyoto Protocol and a pathway to a global treaty.

“It is reassuring at least that the EU, with the backing of Africa, the Least Developed Countries and the Alliance of Small Island States, are refusing to accept such weak text and remain determined to achieve an outcome that will see a treaty, as a binding legal instrument, negotiated by 2015, as well as a second commitment period to the Kyoto Protocol, and with clear linkages between the two.

“What is so frustrating about these talks is that country after country has made speeches about the adverse impacts of climate change on their people, from extreme weather events to food security to health impacts. Yet, when it comes to ensuring that global emissions peak and start to come down in order to prevent those impacts, the world’s richest countries and highest per capita polluters baulk at doing anything that will save the situation.”

The global climate talks in Durban are deadlocked over how to proceed when the Kyoto Protocol first commitment period ends in 2012 and Australia must show leadership, Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne said in Durban today.

“It would be an enormous blow to climate action globally if the legally binding Kyoto protocol is allowed to lapse post 2012 with no legally binding treaty or even a pathway towards one,” Senator Milne said.

“Minister Combet speaking for the ‘umbrella’ group, pointedly avoided any commitment to a second Kyoto commitment period by talking instead about a more appropriate 21st century agreement.”

In stark contrast UN secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon said “it would difficult to overstate the gravity of this moment….I urge you to carefully consider a second commitment period under the Kyoto protocol.” (more…)

The Greens have responded to a global call to action on climate change and health from the international health community by again urging the government to create a Climate Change and Health Taskforce.

“The international health community has spoken as one to warn of the threat to health posed by climate change,” said Greens’ health spokesperson, Dr. Richard Di Natale.

Some of the most prominent health professionals and organisations in the world have met in Durban and issued a joint declaration that warns of the grave health consequences of climate change.

“The Greens are once again calling on the government to set up a Climate Change and Health Taskforce to undertake research into the health risks posed by climate change and develop a strategic plan to prevent and manage those risks.

“The most important action that could be taken to avert the imminent threat to global health is to avert the worst of climate change. The world must work together to set ambitious targets for emission reduction and the shift towards renewable energy. But even if we took the strongest possible action to mitigate climate change, it would be no excuse not continue to prepare for its potential consequences. (more…)

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is allowing her word to be trashed by logging in high-conservation areas that were supposedly protected under an agreement she signed with the government of Tasmania, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

“We have a serious dispute with Prime Minister Gillard over this matter. She signed on the 7th of August to say that logging would stop immediately in the 430,000 hectares of high-conservation value forest. And a compensation mechanism was put in place if logging were deemed to have been required,” Senator Brown said.

“What we have now is broad-scale logging continuing in forests reserved for their high-conservation value. This is a serious breach of a written agreement by the Prime Minister and the Premier – the intergovernmental agreement.”

“Every day their word on that document is being clear-felled by the logging activities of Forestry Tasmania, Ta Ann and the others involved in the Catamaran forests, in the Picton forests, in the Styx, the Weld and elsewhere.”

“I cannot understand how she can allow her word to be trashed by the logging going on in these magnificent World Heritage value forests in Tasmania. It must stop.”