Posts Tagged ‘discussion group’
Clive Hamilton: The dirty politics around climate change
Posted in Events by Mark Ogge on August 27th, 2010
| 6 September , 2010 | ||
| 6:30 pm | to | 8:00 pm |
A monthly discussion group hosted by Beyond Zero Emissions focusing on energy solutions to climate change.
Professor Clive Hamilton is a well known Australian author and public intellectual who ran as the Greens candidate in the by-election for the federal seat of Higgins in December 2009. In June 2009 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to public debate and policy development. He is author of ‘Scorcher: The dirty politics of climate change’ (2007) and his latest book is ‘Requiem for a Species: Why we resist the truth about climate change’ (2010).
Clive will be discussing the current political situation around climate change in Australia, in particular the dirty politics of the fossil fuel and energy intensive industry lobbies, and the current climate movement and whether renewable energy companies that stand to make profits from science-based climate policies have a role in this movement. He will also discuss our involvement at an individual and community level. He will appear via Skype video link.
Monday 6th September 2010 6:30 – 8pm
The Wood Theatre, ECO & COMMERCE-Rm:G09-Flr:G, University of Melbourne VIC
Please RSVP: query-environment@unimelb.edu.au
A big thank you to The Office for Environmental Programs (OEP) at the University of Melbourne for supporting us in bringing you this event.
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Dr Alex Wonhas: CSIRO
Posted in Events by Mark Ogge on July 30th, 2010
Image: CSIRO
A monthly discussion group hosted by Beyond Zero Emissions focusing on energy solutions to climate change.
August guest speaker: Dr Alex Wonhas, Director, Energy Transformed Flagship CSIRO.
Dr Alex Wonhas joined CSIRO directly from McKinsey & Company where he was one of the co-authors of McKinsey’s Carbon Abatement Cost Curve for Australia. He took up the role as CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship Director in August 2009. The Flagship aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions by providing sustainable, efficient, cost-effective energy solutions. Dr Wonhas will present an overview of his work including:
- Australia’s first Zero Emissions House (Aus ZEH),
- Energy efficiency for commercial buildings,
- Web-based smart metering system,
- Ultra batteries (super capacitor + lead acid battery hybrid),
- Distributed energy systems (using microturbines, PV, wind, demand mangement, etc),
- Solar Brayton Cycle demonstration system.
Come prepared with lots of questions as it is rare that we have a guest speaker with the breadth of knowledge as Dr Wonhas. He will appear via Skype video link.
Further reading:
http://www.csiro.com/people/Alex.Wonhas.html
http://www.csiro.com/org/Energy-Transformed-Flagship-Overview.html
Event location: 2nd Floor, Kindness House, 288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Time: 6.30 – 8 pm, Monday 2nd August 2010
Cost: Gold coin donation
Wheelchair access available via lift; 2 flights of stairs. Happy to assist with access. Please call 0421 272 884 to arrange.
All welcome
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Better than TV @ State of Design Festival
Posted in Events by katelyn samson on July 22nd, 2010
‘Better than TV’ will be launched on Friday July 23 during the State of Design Festival.
Better than TV is a night of entertainment for the easily distracted. It is an evening where opinions, provocations and conversations are shared. This event is inspired by the festivals theme “change by design: sustaining beauty” and challenges 3 prominent Melbourne designers to provoke conversation around the following theme:
“We are rapidly compromising the beauty of the natural environment and preoccupied with constructed beauty exemplified by the products of consumerism. In modern life, one thing is certain, we all desire beautiful things. Designers tap into our desire for beauty, they capture and create beautiful things that we previously didn’t even know we wanted. As creators of beautiful things, how can designers shape a sustainable future by redefining beauty and our consuming desires accordingly?”
‘Climate Justice for a Changing Planet’: Report Discussion
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on June 24th, 2010
Where: Allens Arthur Robinson, Level 34, 530 Collins St, Melbourne
Date: Tuesday 29 June, 2010
Time: 6.15pm
Drinks & canapes
RSVP before 5pm, Friday 25 June.
UNAA Victoria, GPO Box 45, Melbourne VIC 3001
Ph: (03) 9670 7878 Fax: (03) 9670 9993
Email: office@unaavictoria.org.au
See the report.
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The Climate Change Act in Scotland: What are the lessons for Victoria?
Posted in Events by Mark Ogge on May 31st, 2010
A monthly discussion group hosted by Beyond Zero Emissions focusing on energy solutions to climate change, held on the first Monday of every month.
A discussion with Sally Moxham, who has long worked in the sustainability field, and who has just spent a year heading up the Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration Policy Unit in the Scottish Government. While in Scotland she worked on the Scottish Climate Change Act – which sets out greenhouse emissions reduction targets of 42% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Sally will speak about her experiences, namely her work on the Scottish Government’s ambition on energy efficiency and microgeneration front as they relate to the built environment.
Please note: We are back at Kindness House this month.
Event location: 2nd Floor, Kindness House, 288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Time: 6.30 – 8 pm, Monday 7th June 2010
http://www.beyondzeroemissions.org/events/discussion-group
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Renewable Energy Strategy
Posted in Events by Mark Ogge on April 27th, 2010
A monthly discussion group hosted by Beyond Zero Emissions focusing on energy solutions to climate change, held on the first Monday of every month.
May’s guest speaker: Hans-Josef Fell
Hans-Josef Fell is a Green party member of German Parliament who has been one of the driving forces behind establishing the German renewable energy Feed-in-tariff. He drafted the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG in German), and its subsequent amendments, which has led to a dramatic rise in the development and implementation of renewables such as wind and solar power within Germany. The EEG has since provided a model for other countries pursuing renewable energy and emissions reductions. For his efforts he has been awarded numerous environmental and industry prizes in Germany.
Hans-Josef Fell has also founded the Energy Watch Group an association of independent researchers and economics experts who are in the process of developing sustainable concepts to secure our global energy supply. Energy Watch Group research concluded that the world had passed global Peak Oil several years ago.
Mr Fell will be discussing his advocacy, lobbying and policy work, with a focus on the development of his new climate change strategy. Hans-Josef Fell will be appearing via Skype. Special thanks to University of Melbourne, Office of Environmental Programs for supporting us in bringing you this event.
Date: 6.30pm, Monday 3 May 2010
Event location: Sunderland Theatre, MEDICAL BUILDING-Rm:C216-Flr:2, University of Melbourne.
http://www.beyondzeroemissions.org/events/discussion-group
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Zero Carbon Transport
Posted in Events by Mark Ogge on April 6th, 2010
Source: Beyond Zero Emissions
A monthly discussion group hosted by Beyond Zero Emissions focusing on energy solutions to climate change, held on the first Monday of every month.
April’s guest speaker: Prof. Peter Newman
Professor Peter Newman is best known for his work in saving, reviving and extending Perth’s rail system. This month’s discussion group will be a great opportunity for those wishing to contribute to the transport sector of ZCA 2020, to learn about Zero Carbon Transport through Peter’s many successes in this area.
Peter is the Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University and is on the Board of Infrastructure Australia that is funding infrastructure for the long term sustainability of Australian cities. His two new books in 2009 ‘Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change’ and ‘Green Urbanism Down Under’, were both written with Tim Beatley. In 2001-3 Peter directed the production of Western Australia’s Sustainability Strategy in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. It was the first state sustainability strategy in the world. In 2004-5 he was a Sustainability Commissioner in Sydney advising the government on planning issues. In 2006/7 he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Virginia Charlottesville where he wrote his new books.
Peter invented the term ‘automobile dependence’ which is now part of most planning practice and theory. For 30 years since he attended Stanford University during the first oil crisis he has been warning cities about preparing for peak oil. Peter’s book with Jeff Kenworthy ‘Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence’ was launched in the White House in 1999. He was a Local Government Councillor in the City of Fremantle from 1976-80 where he still lives.
Date: 6.30pm, Monday 12 April 2010
Cost: Gold coin donation
Event location: 2nd Floor, Kindness House, 288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC.
Please note change in date due to Easter
http://www.beyondzeroemissions.org/events/discussion-group
Zero Carbon Australia: Stationary Energy Plan
Posted in Events by Mark Ogge on February 26th, 2010
Beyond Zero Emissions Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan (ZCA 2020)
Preview presentation of our work detailing how Australia could go to 100% renewable electricity by 2020. ZCA 2020 is a project to develop a blueprint for the transition to a decarbonised Australian economy by 2020. It is a costed, detailed plan that utilises only existing, proven, commercialised technologies. The Stationary Energy Sector plan is the first sector plan of ZCA 2020. The Project draws on the enormous wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise in the community and has been a collaborative effort. ZCA 2020 shows that the technology to achieve zero emissions already exists, we just need to get on with it! Come along for an opportunity to discuss this inspiring and empowering project.
When: 6.30pm, Monday 1 March
Cost: Gold coin donation
Event location: 2nd Floor, Kindness House, 288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC.
http://www.beyondzeroemissions.org/events/discussion-group
Unveiling the new Big Dish
Posted in Events by Mark Ogge on December 1st, 2009
Source: Beyond Zero Emissions
A monthly discussion group hosted by Beyond Zero Emissions focusing on energy solutions to climate change, held on the first Monday of every month.
Guest speaker: Dr Keith Lovegrove
Dr. Keith Lovegrove unveiled the ANU’s new solar thermal dish in September at the SolarPACES international solar thermal conference in Berlin to much acclaim. This will be the first time it will be presented in Melbourne. It is the world’s biggest solar dish that comes with a mass production system that can build one dish a day. The dish has the highest optical efficiency of any commercial solar technology in the world and a field of 500 produces 100MW electrical power. ANU’s dishes can be used on undulating ground, which is difficult for current solar thermal systems that use mirror fields or troughs. Dr. Keith Lovegrove will also talk about replacing all of Australia’s energy needs with this solar technology used in conjunction with thermal salt storage. Dr. Keith Lovegrove is a senior lecturer in Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the Australian National University (ANU). He heads the ANU Solar Thermal Group which works on a range of projects involving high and low temperature thermal conversion of solar energy. This includes looking at dish and trough concentrators and thermochemical energy storage. He is widely published in scientific journals and has advised the Australian Government on CSP . Dr Lovegrove and his team are at the forefront of International research into concentrated solar power.
Lifting the lid on the dirty tactics of the fossil fuel lobby
Posted in Events by Mark Ogge on November 2nd, 2009
Source: Beyond Zero Emissions
Image: Orin Zebest via flickr CC
A monthly discussion group hosted by Beyond Zero Emissions focusing on energy solutions to climate change, held on the first Monday of every month.
November’s guest speaker: Bob Burton
Bob Burton is an author and freelance journalist based in Hobart. In 2007 his book Inside Spin: The Dark Underbelly of the PR Industry, which investigates the public relations industry in Australia was published. He has been a contributor to PR Watch since 1997 and commenced as part-time editor of SourceWatch in October 2003. His articles on foreign affairs, human rights, health and the environment have appeared in numerous publications in Australia, the Asia-Pacific region, the UK and the US. With New Zealander Nicky Hager he co-authored Secrets and Lies: the anatomy of an anti-environmental PR campaign (1999) unmasking a campaign by Shandwick for the government-owned logging company, Timberlands.
After completing an Arts degree at Sydney University in 1979 he worked until the mid-1990’s as a researcher and campaigner on energy, mining and forestry issues for The Wilderness Society in Australia. He subsequently worked as a consultant on fundraising and training issues for non-profit groups in Australia and New Zealand. In 1992 he was entered on the United Nations Environment Program Global 500 Roll of Honour for an outstanding contribution to the protection of the environment.
6:30pm Monday 9th November 2009
Sans Frontiers Room, Kindness House, Level 2, 288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Cost: Gold coin donation
For readings:
http://www.prwatch.org/blog/7
http://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=94&book=9781741752175