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In this submission, we express our strong support for the development of a mechanism to price carbon and reduce Australia's emissions. We highlight a number of areas for improvement in the legislation, to increase its clarity, accuracy and effectiveness. In this submission the Conservation Council of SA outlines its preliminary concerns in relation to the proposed Mullaquana Uranium Mining Project. These concerns surround the environmental risks and consequences of uraniam mining and use as a power source. For an update - click here
Conservation Council SA comments on Adelaide City Council Draft Business Plan and Budget for 2011/12
In this letter, we welcome the Council's sustainability commitments in its Business Plan, but suggest that it should focus on improving safety for cyclists, educating its citizens on lowering their ecological footprint and making a transition to street trees that provide either food for local consumption or habitat for native species.
To allow renewable energy to grow in Australia, we need to overcome a significant barrier whereby developers who wish to develop new projects in some of the most favourable remote locations have to pay the full cost for any extensions to the grid. In this submission, Conservation Council SA supports an alternative proposal that would allow the costs to be paid back by developers over time.
The inaugural Plan was launched in March, 2004, it was updated in 2006 and the Government of South Australia has just completed its formal consultations on the development of the next Strategic Plan. Conservation SA contributed in a number of ways, including; Providing our top five issues as conversation starters at community consultationsParticipating at (public and alliance/peak body) workshopsProviding a submission for the second round of SASP consultations (closed Wednesday 8 December 2010) We are also anticipating that we will have further opportunities to discuss the next SASP before a final version is released. If you would like to discuss this with us further or want to provide us with your thoughts on the next SASP please email general@conservationsa.org.au
This framework will be a guiding document for how the whole South Australian community prepares and adapts to inevitable climate change. Latest climate change projections indicate the level of change will be quite significant. In this submission, amongst other things we argue that the Government needs to be upfront and realistic about this to walk its own talk and allow the community to understand exactly what action will be needed.
This submission supports the proposed carbon price but identifies some conflicting logic in its design, especially as it moves from a levy to a cap-and-trade scheme. Recognising that this scheme will be unable to reduce Australia's emissions at the rate needed, the role of voluntary action is particularly important. Currently the treatment of voluntary action is very inconsistent and could act as a deterrent to strong greenhouse reductions, both in Australia and overseas.
The Federal Government is looking at urban planning policy - see Conservation SA's vision for how our cities can be made sustainable for the future.
CCSA's submission to the Olympic Dam Expansion Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) IS has now been submitted, along with 3949 others.CCSA submission can be downloaded here (381.87 KB) and covers numerous issues including the Indenture Act that governs the legal conditions BHP-B operate under, energy, greenhouse gas emissions, the mines impact on climate change, native vegetation and biodiversity, water and the impacts on groundwater, coast and marine impacts and the issues around air and water pollution, nuclear power and uranium mining. CCSA believes Australia is at a crossroads. According to the best available science, we face a ‘perfect storm’ as the impacts of climate change, the global financial crisis and a sustainability crisis all converge. Any one of these three will have significant impacts across the board in all facets of the Australian (and global) economy, society and environment. Business-as-usual is no longer an option if we are serious about addressing these interrelated phenomena and proactively making the transition towards a truly sustainable nation in the years and decades ahead. Download the CCSA Submission (328.63 KB) to the Renewable Energy Target (RET) Scheme.
The Conservation Coucil of SA has grave concerns about BP's proposal to conduct seismic testing in the Great Australian Bight. This submission outlines these concerns, including the impact of seismic testing on wildlife and damage to an unique and incredibly diverse ecosystem if BP undertakes drilling for further oil exploration.
Uranium SA have advised that 0n August 5 they lodged an 800 page Retention Lease Application with the South Australian State Government to undertake an In-Situ Recovery Field Trial (ISR-FT) to confirm the results of its metallurgical test work and establish design parameters for future uranium yellowcake production. If approved, a Retention lease could be issued by December 2011 and a trial uranium mining process may start in early 2012. |
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