The Big Switch website is now live!

The Big Switch aims to be the biggest and most effective community climate change campaign in the country.

Developed by Greenpeace, all the Conservation Councils of Australia and GetUp! The Big Switch is a positive and collaborative effort to inspire Australians to take practical and effective action on climate change.

Our goal: To create the largest and most effective community climate change campaign in Australia!

The Big Switch also aims to inform Australians, clearly and objectively, about where our leaders stand on this crucial issue. So we’ve surveyed federal politicians on key climate change solutions, to show Australians who is – and who is not – leading with vision.

Please visit the website, explore it and network it as widely as you can through your friends, family and neighbours.

Will SA industry and business follow?

Media release, 14 October 2006

The Conservation Council of South Australia today described the State Government’s commitment to 20% uptake of green power as a welcome call to arms in the battle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and urged other major consumers of energy to quickly follow the charge with similar commitments.
Conservation Council President, Jane Corin, said today:
“Environment groups warmly welcome the South Australian Government’s commitment to have 20% of public sector energy consumption sourced from green power by 2008. That this is accredited premium green power is important as it will help drive the expansion of the renewable energy market and greater reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. Also, the increasing use of solar and other clean energy technologies will potentially result in cheaper prices for consumers.

MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday 5 October 2006

Time for South Australians to go solar!

Greenpeace and the Conservation Council of South Australia today urged any South Australian household or business who’d ever thought about going solar to take advantage of South Australia’s proposed new solar laws. The solar ‘feed-in laws’ just announced by Premier Rann will pay a premium for electricity generated by solar panels that is fed into the grid.

Conservation Council Campaigner Julia Winefield said today:

“Environment groups warmly welcome the South Australian government’s decision to pass a solar feed-in law. This is exactly the type of innovation that will be the way of the future.

Will Premier Rann's climate change laws match the 'Governator's'?

Media Release, Wednesday 27 September 2006

A national summit on climate change in Sydney this week will place the nation’s climate change hopes on South Australia. The Rann Government is the first government in Australia to bring in climate change laws. Submissions to the Premier on SA’s draft Climate Change Bill close this Friday.

“We are the first state or territory to introduce laws of this kind, and they are sure to be used as a model for action elsewhere. If we can get this Bill right, it will make a big difference to the way Australia copes with the threat of climate change. What we don’t want to see is a missed opportunity”, said Julia Winefield, Campaigner with the Conservation Council of SA.

Media Release, 18 September 2006

This week, as wind energy experts and developers from around the world gather in Adelaide, a public forum will ask whether South Australia can continue to lead the nation in renewable energy.

Adelaide is a natural choice for a conference on wind energy, as South Australia has 51% of the nation’s installed wind capacity.

However future growth of South Australia’s renewable energy industry is currently uncertain. This Thursday evening, the Conservation Council of South Australia Inc (CCSA) and Greenpeace will host a public forum looking at whether SA can retain its lead on renewable energy, how much more renewables could deliver and what needs to be done to achieve this.

CCSA Campaigns Officer Julia Winefield said, “We are proud that SA is so far ahead of other states on renewable energy, but we are concerned that this situation could change if SA does not stay ahead of the game.”

Rann government needs to act.

Media Release

Adelaide, 1 June, 2006 SA Members of Parliament were today greeted by an ill, giant wind turbine being tended by a doctor as they entered Parliament House in a piece of street theatre symbolising the critical state of South Australia's renewable energy industry.

Greenpeace and the Conservation Council of South Australia (CCSA) are behind the action, which urges the South Australian government to save the state's renewable energy industry by introducing a legislated target for renewable energy.

Media Release 8 May, 2006

Australia’s major environment groups have today reaffirmed their united opposition to uranium mining and exports, and to nuclear energy as a solution to climate change, on the eve of the Federal Environment Minister’s report to the United Nations on Australia’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In a communique released today, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, The Wilderness Society, the Australian Conservation Foundation and 13 other groups have spelt out the environment movements’ opposition to all aspects of the nuclear industry.

"Support for uranium mining and its export means support for a dangerous and environmentally destructive process to generate nuclear energy and develop nuclear weapons," The Wilderness Society’s national campaigns director Alec Marr said.

"Total opposition to this lies at the heart of the Australian environment movement."

ELECTION 2006 Media Release 3 March 2006

The Conservation Council of South Australia and Greenpeace Australia Pacific have today congratulated Mike Rann and the ALP for committing to laws which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by the year 2050.

"The greatest threat to South Australia’s future is climate change. Adelaide is reliant on the River Murray for up to 90% of its water in low rainfall years. The Murray is projected to lose up to four times SA’s current usage in the next 50 years as a result of climate change if bold measures are not taken", said Ben Pearson, of Greenpeace Australia Pacific.

Greenhouse gas emissions deep cuts welcomed -strong renewable energy targets now needed

The Conservation Council of SA and Greenpeace Asia Pacific today welcomed the Liberal Party’s Greenhouse Policy committing to deep cuts in SA’s greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are pleased to see the Liberal’s commitment to our Election policy charter for greenhouse gas cuts of 20% on 1990 levels by 2020, on the way to 60% cuts by 2050. This is vital if South Australia is to make its contribution to avoiding the devastating effects of climate change”, said Michelle Grady, CEO, Conservation Council of South Australia.

Adelaide, Thursday 15 December 2005 The reappearance of binding targets on the global and Australian agenda sends a clear message to Premier Mike Rann in finalising his Greenhouse Strategy, Greenpeace and the Conservation Council of SA said today: climate change is so serious and urgent that the only way to address it is to adopt strong binding targets.

Victorian Premier Steve Bracks set the pace on climate change action in Australia yesterday, proposing legislated targets to increase the State’s use of clean, renewable energy. This announcement follows the decision in Montreal last weekend by members of the Kyoto Protocol to continue its binding tagets mechanism, although the Howard Government remains opposed.