Posts Tagged ‘governance’
CSL Fellowship Program 2010
Posted in Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on February 16th, 2010
The Centre for Sustainability Leadership is looking for people with the passion and potential to create the change the world so desperately needs. The Centre’s acclaimed Fellowship Program has for the past five years produced more than 150 graduates working in business, law, science, engineering, health, government and arts – many of them awarded for their significant efforts towards sustainability.
“Our aim is to create sustainability leaders in every sector of society,” said the Centre’s founder and Executive Director Larissa Brown. She said the Centre’s motto was simple: “We’ve tried to get people in positions of power to care; now we’re going to get people who care into positions of influence.”
The Fellowship Program equips emerging leaders with an unparalleled network of like-minded people, skills such as creative thinking and problem solving, effective influencing, relationship building, and media advocacy as well as in-depth knowledge of behavioural and social change. Participants graduate with the ability to make a real difference.
The course comprises weekly evening workshops, one-to-one coaching, intensive retreats, a mentoring program and project work.
The Centre is currently looking for participants to apply for the 2010 Fellowship Program run in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. Only 25 places are available in each city. Applicants from all over the world are welcome.
The program runs from April to November and scholarship places are available.
Further information can be found at www.csl.org.au. International applications close 3rd February 2010 and Australian applications 28th February 2010.
Tags: governance, local action, networks
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T10 – the Transition Decade: Launch
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on February 10th, 2010
Source: Ethical Consumer Group
Why come to the launch?
At both the state and national levels, local leadership has failed to deliver even very small cuts in carbon emissions. Not surprisingly at the international level, the recent Copenhagen negotiations have produced no meaningful outcome either. We have to face it, conventional political change methods have not worked. We have run out of time for half-measures. It is now imperative that a safe climate is restored as fast as humanly possible. This will require zero emissions, and more, at emergency speed. It seems that what is essential to accomplish is impossible to achieve. Clearly a breakthrough is needed.
Limited seats – register now
The Transition Decade campaign aims to guide effective action to achieve safe climate goals. The launch will present a strategy to harness the power of collaboration. An alliance of committed groups has been formed to drive a collaborative framework through a decade of structural and social change. The launch will create the opportunity to take the size and effectiveness of this alliance to a whole new level.
Sunday 14 February at 12pm in the Melbourne Town Hall.
>presenting the case for a safe climate
>promoting a shared time frame for action
>demonstrating the power of collaboration
>presenting a new strategy for restoring a safe climate
PROFESSOR DAVID DE KRETSER, A.C, The Governor of Victoria
ROB GELL (Master of Ceremonies) National President of Greening Australia Ltd
PROFESSOR WILL STEFFEN Executive Director of the ANU Climate Institute
PROFESSOR ROB ADAMS AM Director Design & Urban Environment, City of Melbourne
SENATOR CHRISTINE MILNE Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens
UNCLE BOB RANDALL Yankunytjatjara Elder and Traditional Owner of Uluru
MARK OGGE Beyond Zero Emissions
CAM WALKER National Liaison Officer for Friends of the Earth Australia
PHILIP SUTTON Convener of The Climate Emergency Network
GISELLE WILKINSON President of the Sustainable Living Foundation
KELLY O’SHANASSY Chief Executive Environment Victoria
JOE HERBERTSON Safe Climate Australia
This event is proudly supported by Melbourne Conversations, City of Melbourne.
Tags: collaboration, governance, local action, transition
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FOE Campaign: Emissions Reductions Target
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on December 29th, 2009
Source: Friends of the Earth Melbourne
Image: greenpeace finland via flickr CC
Dear friends,
We have an urgent action alert about Australia’s emissions reduction targets, which it must lodge by 1 FEBRUARY. We need to flood the PM’s office with messages between now and mid January – PLEASE take action, and please pass this on to your networks. If you are happy to do the action, please check here: http://www.foe.org.au/climate-justice/media/news-items/2009/australia-must-commit-to-deep-emissions-cuts-in-the-copenhagen-accord
For the full story, please read on….
As we know, the Copenhagen talks ended without agreement to set binding emissions reduction targets.
Instead, all that could be managed was a voluntary agreement, which was ‘noted’ rather than formally adopted.
If it is eventually enacted, it will fail to:
· ensure deep enough emissions cuts to stop global temperatures exceeding 2 degrees Celsius,
· offer enough money to help developing countries tackle dangerous climate change.
The very existence of the Copenhagen accord will also make a strong, fair, and legally-binding agreement more difficult to achieve in the coming years.
Australia was one of the countries that lobbied for the Accord. The accord will list the voluntary emissions reduction targets by developed and developing countries, in Annexes to the main document. Countries are asked to provide their target by February 1, 2010.
This is why we have issued this alert.
We still have time to pressure the Australian government to atone for its destructive behaviour at Copenhagen, by demanding it commit to deep emissions reductions targets in its February commitment.
Tags: climate change, community, governance, local action
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Revised Green Star Timber credit
Posted in Policies by Kate Archdeacon on December 8th, 2009
Source: Green Building Council Australia (GBCA)
Image: soilscience.info via flickr CC
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has announced the release of a revised Green Star Timber credit effective January 1, 2010, which allows for equal consideration of Australian forestry schemes.
The announcement, part of the ongoing Green Star Materials review, follows a detailed review of the GBCA’s Timber credit, conducted by an independent Timber Expert Reference Panel. With the revised Timber credit, all forestry schemes will need to satisfy five ‘Essential’ criteria to be eligible. This will provide one Green Star point to timber certified by any scheme which applies for and can meet these criteria. A second point, for ‘Significant’ criteria, will only be available once the GBCA has undertaken a further round of stakeholder engagement with GBCA members and stakeholders including environmental groups, the timber industry and certification schemes. Green Star projects already registered (Certification Agreement signed and fee paid before January 1, 20101) will EITHER be able to get one point for documenting that their timber is certified by a forestry scheme that has met the essential criteria such as FSC or AFS, once these schemes have been assessed against the first level of criteria, OR projects can continue to get two points in the traditional way for showing that their timber is certified by FSC if they have already specified FSC timber in their project OR if timber used in their project is re-used. New projects will only have the option of achieving one point for the time being.
The revised Timber credit has the support of the Federal Government, specifically The Hon Tony Burke MP, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and moves away from the recognition of a single scheme to a principles-based approach where several schemes could be rewarded – as long as the essential criteria are met. The GBCA supports an Australian forest industry which produces timber in a sustainable way and one of the aims of the GBCA’s timber review was to ’shut the door’ on the use of illegal or questionable imported timber in green buildings. The GBCA is confident the revised Timber credit is fair and reasonable, with the essential criteria incorporating; the assessment of chain of custody; governance; standards development and revision; auditing and certification decisions; and verification of legality. Stakeholders will also be asked for further comment on significant criteria for the Timber credit as the GBCA continues to evolve the credit and its tools in its drive for change and improvement in environmental performance.
Tags: forestry, governance, resources
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NSW Payment for solar: collective climate-change action
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on November 17th, 2009
Source: Alternative Technology Association
Image: Jeff Kubina via flickr CC
From “NSW solar homes to receive generous payment for generating solar electricity“
The NSW government has introduced one of Australia’s most progressive payments for household solar power. The NSW government’s shift away from previous plans for a net feed-in tariff, in line with other states, is a clear signal the Rees government is committed to building a green collar workforce in NSW, says Damien Moyse, ATA’s Energy Policy Manager. “We welcome the decision to pay households for all the clean energy they contribute to the state’s electricity supply. It is a win for families who are taking action on climate change and for green jobs in NSW” says Mr Moyse.
The feed-in tariff will pay solar households 60 cents per kilowatt hour for the clean energy they generate, on systems up to 10kw. Other states opted to minimise the cost of their schemes by only paying solar homes for the energy they feed back to the grid after subtracting the household’s electricity use. Mr Moyse says NSW and the ACT have shown real leadership in the move to a low carbon economy.
“This feed-in tariff recognises that solar households, irrespective of whether the electricity they generate is being used in their own home or powering the neighbour’s air conditioner, can make a significant contribution to reducing the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.”
“With a significant amount of additional investment in small-scale solar likely under this scheme, we now look to the Rudd Labour Government to ensure that the emissions saved by each of these new solar installations is accounted for under his Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.” Mr Moyse says the announcement also highlights the importance of getting the design right for new smart electricity metering technology being developed under the National Smart Meter Project. “With both NSW and the ACT now committed to gross feed-in tariff schemes, and other states opting for net feed-in tariffs, electricity metering technology that can facilitate gross tariffs will need to be deployed in these jurisdictions. We also call on the Federal Government to assist this process and harmonise the nation’s feed-in tariffs to a single, gross feed-in tariff scheme that will make conversion to solar simpler for installers, households and electricity retailers,” says Mr Moyse.
Read the full article.
Tags: behaviour change, governance, NSW, renewable energy, solar
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If this product could talk: Product Roadmaps
Posted in Models by Kate Archdeacon on November 6th, 2009
Source: the Hub
Image: Potato Roadmap, Net Balance Foundation
A series of tools and resources have been developed to expand responsible business practice in Australia across a wide range of companies including small and medium enterprises. Product Roadmaps, available on the Hub, identify the social and environmental impacts of a specific sector/product throughout the supply chain and then identify areas for improvement, cross-participant opportunities, government responses and tools that can assist to increase responsible business practices. The product road mapping concept provides a common ground for participants along a supply chain (from primary producer through to consumers) to engage in meaningful dialogue about broader social and environmental issues that are typically harder to address in their entirety.
Roadmapping allows:
* end consumers and businesses along the product roadmap to be better informed of where their product comes from and the related sustainability issues associated with their supply chain
* supply chain participants including business, government regulators and industry bodies to assess and address the processes, costs and issues involved across the whole roadmap within which they participate.
Product Roadmaps are part of a national project housed at St James Ethics Centre and funded by the Federal Government (through Treasury).
Tags: behaviour change, business, consumption, education, governance
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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
Tags: discussion group, fossil fuels, governance
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Federal Government ceiling insulation rebates: Updated information
Posted in Policies by Kate Archdeacon on October 29th, 2009
Source: Moreland Energy Foundation
There have been some changes to the Federal insulation rebate programs. The Low Emission Assistance Plan for Renters (LEAPR), which provided $1000 rebate to landlords for rental accommodation, is now discontinued. Instead renters are now eligible for Home Insulation Program (HIP) which provides assistance of up to $1,600 to install ceiling insulation. The assistance is now available to eligible owner-occupiers, landlords and tenants. While the rebate has been increased per household there has been a dramatic reduction on the overall amount of money available to this part of the program.
To read more about and apply for the rebate visit www.environment.gov.au/energyefficiency/insulation/homeowners/
Tags: consumption, energy, governance
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Energy Futures in Regional Australia: Conference
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on October 26th, 2009
Source: Climate Action Calendar
Ever thought about the total energy bill for your town, city or community? Or what might happen if that energy supply stopped or changed or cost more? Would you have alternatives? Do cheaper alternatives exist? In fact, why rely on distant plants to provide energy? Is this efficient? What would it take to generate energy closer to where it’s used? What’s the job generating potential? Could Australia’s power grid and regulatory system cope? What’s needed to accommodate such change?
In response to the growing impact of climate change and increased pressure to identify alternatives to conventional energy sources, the City of Greater Bendigo and La Trobe University, Bendigo Campus are collaborating to bring together interested parties through a conference aimed at defining the challenge for regional Australia and describing some of the opportunities and solutions.
Sun 8 Nov – Tue 10 Nov, The Capital – Bendigo’s Performing Arts Centre
Registration closes October 30.
Visit the conference website for more information.
Tags: bendigo, conference, energy, governance, innovation
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Peak Oil Policy and Action Plan: Maribyrnong Council
Posted in Policies by Kate Archdeacon on October 19th, 2009
Source: Going Solar Transport Newsletter
Maribyrnong City Council has released a Peak Oil Contingency Plan that spells out the threats and shifts required by Council to achieve the same level of community service provision in times of reduced oil availability and subsequent escalated prices. The Plan, prepared by the Institute for Sensible Transport, provides recommendations for boosting resilience to oil depletion, which include:
- Introduce car pooling software, boost work from home options and encourage sustainable transport use and video conferencing facilities
- Create opportunities for urban food production
- Boost the proportion of Council budget dedicated to sustainable transport
- Advocate to State and Federal Governments for improved public transport
- Reduce demand for oil consumption across Council service areas.
Read more on the Council website.
Source: Going Solar Transport Newsletter
Tags: governance, maribyrnong, peak oil
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