South Australia announced in December it would source 20% of its power from renewables by 2014. Refreshing news in one of the worst per capita greenhouse polluting countries in the world.

Last Friday the EU, announced their target to produce 20% of their power from renewables by 2020 as well as reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions by 20% in the same time frame.

"This is a very exciting development that can be seen as the start of decisive action to save the planet from runaway climate change, from the destruction of much of the planet's species and social fabric within our lifetimes," said Matthew Wright BZE Campaigner.

Beyond Zero Emissions urges all mainland Australian governments as a bare minimum to increase renewable energy penetration by 20% over 1990 levels, in line with South Australia's lead, and commit to fixed targets for overall greenhouse gas reductions across all sectors of the economy.

In light of the warnings from the scientific community we must move towards zero emissions now, and begin removing existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as soon as possible.

"It took Australia 100 years to standardise rail between the states, but we have less than a decade to stabilise climate. We are calling on all state governments to initially match South Australia's commitment as we know we can't rely on the climate change deniers in the Liberal Party who currently govern the country federally," said Mr Wright.

"Europe's historic announcement effectively adds up to the equivalent of around 3 times Australia's total energy consumption being powered by renewables. This will be one of the biggest redirection of an economy since World War II. Bigger than the Snowy Hydro Scheme, bigger than Eisenhower's Federal Interstate Highway system."

Europe's commitment will quickly lead to the establishment of a massive industrial complex to supply renewable technology to markets around the world at costs below those of any fossil fuel plants. A flow-on benefit of the international movement to replace fossil fuels with renewables is that operational costs are lower and tend to be in direct ongoing maintenance amounting to cheaper power and more jobs.

"For some bizarre reason, Australia is desperately trying to get clean coal off the ground, but there is nothing clean about being twice as dirty as gas. This is the reality of the newly announced heavily subsidised $150+ million 400 MW HRL Energy Plant in the Latrobe Valley, backed by the visionless Labor and Liberal parties," said Mr Wright.

With the efforts of South Australia and the European Union there may still be hope.

For comment ring: Matthew Wright - 0421 616 733

www.beyondzeroemissions.org

Beyond Zero Emissions is an independent Zero Emission Minus Climate
Change campaign.

Antarctic geologist says ice core analysis "horrifying"

7 March 07

"Horrifying" new ice-core data reveals that around 5 million years ago there was massive melting of the Ross Ice Shelf, destabilizing the earth's climate for the following 3.5 million years. This is how Viereck-Gotte and other scientists from the Antarctic Geological Drill team are describing the situation. They are extremely alarmed at the scale of melting which had occurred due to an increase in average global temperature of only 2 to 3 degrees Celsius.

The findings from high-tech ice core drilling near Mt. Erebus, Antarctica, also showed that the starting temperature was much lower than today.

"The melting of the Ross Ice Shelf, currently the size of France, would literally leave just a 'Ross Bay' as it did 5 million years ago. Not only would the melted ice cause sea levels to rise, it would force land-based ice to shift, breaking up dramatically, and cause the breakdown of the oceans' global conveyor belt thermohaline circulation system," said Matthew Wright, Beyond Zero Emissions campaigner.

A vital function of this giant mass of ice is that it provides the thrust of global ocean currents by causing an immense quantity of water to cool and plunge 1500 metres below the sea, which in turn creates these global currents that amongst other important global climate effects keep Western Europe from being as cold as Siberia.

"Leading NASA climatologist James Hansen is giving grave warnings against building any new conventional coal power plants, and for the need to replace existing polluting plants, going to zero emissions in the process. With this new ice-core evidence we can be sure that we have underestimated the fragility of our planet's climate. To avoid catastrophe we need to move to Zero Emissions Minus, fast," said Mr Wright.

"New Zealand is now dedicated to a transition of all its sectors to carbon neutrality. In seizing its own opportunity for leadership, Australia can create the right climate for the rest of the world to move towards Near Zero Emissions and Beyond."

Beyond Zero Emissions has produced scoping documents for moving the electricity sector to Near Zero Emissions and is currently turning to a focus on transport.

Refrigeration System for the Earth's Oceans Threatens to Break Down

Jim Hansen's presentation on Global Warming

Why Zero Emissions Now #1 (Before 2020)
Why Zero Emissions Now #2 (Before 2020)

For comment ring:
Matthew Wright - 0421 616 733

www.beyondzeroemissions.org
Beyond Zero Emissions is an independent Zero Emission Minus Climate Change campaign.