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Coal and gas

For a safe climate future we need to leave all fossil fuels in the ground. One of the most powerful actions we can take is to stop a new coal mine or gas field before it starts. Join one of the Victorian campaigns to protect our land, our water and our future.

 

Lock the Gate to unconventional gas mining

97 per centIn Victoria, there are plans to develop vast new gas-fields using the controversial and destructive hydrolic fracturing technique (‘fracking’) and other unconventional gas mining techniques, including horizontal drilling. A strong community campaign resulted in a moratorium preventing all unconventional gas drilling until June 2015. The Victorian Inquiry into Unconventional Gas that reported earlier this year could not decide between extending the moratorium or a instituting a permanent ban. Currently Lock the Gate is continuing to pressure the government to support a permanent ban and high ambition on the Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET).

Want to help Lock the Gate to fracking for coal seam gas and all types of gas mining? Go to the Lock the Gate webpage to find out about current campaigns in Gippsland, Western Victoria and Melbourne. If you are in Melbourne, you can get involved via Friends of the Earth and Quit Coal.

Stop new brown coal projects

Ted_BaillieuHard to believe, at this point in history, but our state and federal governments are trying to develop new brown coal mines and even, perhaps, a brown coal export industry. The world doesn’t need our dirty coal!

Get involved with the campaign to stop new coal projects in their tracks. Contact Environment VictoriaFriends of the Earth or Quit Coal.

There is also a local group campaigning against the proposed container port/coal port at Hastings.

 

Close down our dirtiest coal-fired power stations first

hazelwood fireThere is a long running campaign to close down Hazelwood Power station, spear-headed by Environment VictoriaFriends of the Earth and Quit Coal. In the wake of the Hazelwood mine fire, a local group, Voices for the Valley has been formed to campaign on the health impacts of the mine.

 

 

 

shut it downIn May 2015, Alcoa announced that it would close the Anglesea power station – a first for Victoria after years of tireless campaigning from the local community, backed by local groups Surf Coast Air Action and Surf Coast Energy Group working to Shut It Down! The power station was noted for its toxic effects on local health given the high concentrations of Sulphur Dioxide. SCAA spokesperson Andrew Laird said in a media release, “This is a great outcome for the Anglesea community and for clean air in Australia. It also shows that coal impacted communities can achieve big things when they work together. While we are delighted that the redundant facility will finally close we are also very mindful about the remaining workers and call upon Alcoa to make sure that those who don’t wish to take a redundancy package are deployed onto the massive rehabilitation task.”

Support important campaigns in other states

Greenpeace and The Wilderness Society are supporting the campaign to prevent coal and gas mining in the Leard Forest, Maules Creek and Pillager Forest areas in New South Wales.

The Australian Youth Climate Coalition work with other groups opposing coal ports on the Great Barrier Reef. Recently they ran a successful campaign to persuade Lend Lease to pull out of funding a coal port.

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