Climate Change Action

Climate change is the biggest challenge facing the global community today. Every home can make a difference.
EACH AUSTRALIAN HOME CREATES 16 TONNES OF GREENHOUSE GAS EVERY YEAR! Greenhouse gases contribute to climate change, which is considered one of the major threats to our planet. While government and business have their role to play, ordinary Australians can make a big difference too. Individual households create almost one-fifth of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. Most is produced by energy used for home heating and cooling, water heating and private transport There are 6.5 million households in Australia, and each produces on average 16 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year. Simple changes to our everyday activities can save 3 or more tonnes of greenhouse gases each year - and save ordinary families hundreds of dollars.

See the Environment Challenge Website for actions that you can take to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.

The Great Global Warming Swindle
This documentary by Martrin Durkin is a slick and viewable film, promising to show that "the actual scientific basis for the theory (of man-made global warming) is crumbling". Over several decades, the views presented by GGWS have been considered and tested by the world's climate scientists. An overwhelming majority of scientists have rejected them as irrelevant to the present, pressing debate. The film is screened on ABC in July 2007, and viewers need to be aware of its fallacies and misrepresentations. Click here for our response to the film.

Recent Climate Change Policy Reports

There have been 2 significant Australian climate change policy documents that have been released recently.
The major Australian environmental organisations have come together to release a joint climate change policy ahead of the 2007 Federal Election. This is a very succinct document with 12 key actions that governments need to undertake to avoid dangerous climate change. Click here for the document.

Also, Climate Action Network Australia (CANA), an umbrella organisation of which SLT is a member, has released a report called 'Turning Down The Heat' which contains a more detailed discussion of necessary climate change policies. Both documents call for an emission reduction target of 80% by 2050 and 30% by 2020. Click here to go to the report.

Draft Climate Change Strategy for Tasmania

In October 2006 the Tasmanian Government recently released their Draft Climate Change Strategy for Tasmania. It is essential that the Tasmanian strategy reflect the seriousness and urgency of the global situation. It needs to inspire and lead a real contribution by Tasmanians in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, not simply taking action to manage the impacts. The draft currently understates our responsibility and Tasmania's role and does not provide any targets for emission reduction. The submission period closed on 31 Jan 2007, with 120 submissions recieved. We hope that the final strategy provides the leadership needed on this critical issue.

Climate Action Tasmania

Sustainable Living Tasmania hosts Climate Action Tasmania, a community action group working to bring about change in government policy, and corporate and community behaviour regarding climate change. Click here to express your interest.

Walking Bus

Want to get a Walking Bus going in your school? For more information, check out the Department of Education website or contact karen.weitnauer@education.tas.gov.au.

Climate Action Network Australia (CANA)

CANA is the Australian connection to a global network of CANs on every continent. CANA's website is at http://www.cana.net.au/