Urgent Action – Please do before Sunday 15 December!

Our action for 11 November asked you to sign an open letter of protest about proposed state legislation that would prevent planning authorities from considering the contribution of downstream greenhouse gas pollution from new coal mines and gas fields in the assessment of new mines.

Now the NSW Legislative Council is seeking public input into this legislation through a very short survey which has been forwarded to us by Lock the Gate Alliance.

In our comments we spoke of the effects of the drought and bushfires specifically on NSW at only 1 degree of emission rise, and posed the question of what conditions would be if they continued to rise beyond 1.5 degrees, which climate scientists predict they will if new coal mines are approved. NSW will have had a huge responsibility if this happens. 

This is short notice, we know, but if you can, please make the time to do the survey. Your comments can be very short.

Text of email from Lock the Gate Alliance follows.

Dear Robin & Warwick,

Our state is the grip of a bushfire crisis that has razed communities and stretched our valiant fire-fighting volunteers to the absolute limit.

The fires have been fuelled by extraordinarily dry and hot conditions, the like of which we have never seen before. 

In the week these fires were taking hold in northern New South Wales, the Planning Minister introduced legislation into parliament that will prevent planning authorities from considering the contribution new coal mines and gasfields will make to climate change. 

The Government didn’t ask any of us before moving to make this reckless climate blindfold. Instead, they were capitulating to the NSW mining industry and their lobbyists.

Fortunately, the NSW parliament is inquiring into the Bill and seeking public input via a simple survey. 

We have until 15 December to have our say and make sure climate change remains front and centre for planning authorities evaluating new coal and gas projects.

Click this link and let the Legislative Council know you oppose the so-called “Territorial Limits” Bill, which seeks to prevent our planning authorities from considering the contribution coal mines and gasfields make to climate change.

Make it clear you think the whole Bill should be scrapped and remind them that the mining and burning of fossil fuels is the number one cause of climate change, which scientists tell us is fueling the fires and drought that are devastating our communities.

If this Bill proceeds, then the Independent Planning Commission will not be able to consider the climate impacts of the 850 coal seam gas wells proposed by Santos near Narrabri.

Nor will the Commission be able to consider the full climate consequences of the enormous new Vickery coal mine proposed by Whitehaven Coal in the drought-parched Namoi Valley.  

Please make a submission to this inquiry, so that these polluting projects can’t be approved without assessing the impacts of all their greenhouse emissions. 

Take Survey

The survey is only open until this Sunday, 15th December, so please take five minutes to oppose the Territorial Limits Bill now.

Thanks very much

George

PS – I know many of you are stressed and suffering from these terrible fires, their choking smoke and the drought that still grips much of the state. If you, like me, want planning authorities to consider these consequences when they’re making decisions about new coal mines, like Vickery, please fill out the Committee’s survey today.

Lock the Gate Alliance
http://www.lockthegate.org.au/