Climate

Santa Marta shows how change begins at the fringes while politicians play catch-up

Louise Morris

Here is a truth that those in power have never quite figured out how to deal with: change doesn't start at the top. It starts at the fringes. It starts with people who have the least and stand to lose the most. And eventually, it ends up in the halls of power.

Climate

Santa Marta shows how change begins at the fringes while politicians play catch-up

OPINION

France unveils plan to phase-out fossil fuels as global energy crisis reshapes priorities

Louise Morris

Delegates from more than 50 countries arrived in Santa Marta already primed by disruption: higher prices, tighter supply chains and renewed volatility. Many arrived with scaled-back delegations, as the same fossil fuel-driven conflicts dominating the agenda constrained travel, strained government bandwidth, and diverted political attention at home. The result has been a notable hardening of tone and urgency. Fossil fuels are being recast not just as the cause of climate change, but as a systemic risk to economic and political stability.

OPINION

Wrong project, wrong time: the case against Westport

Will Tracey

This week, the Prime Minister announced $1.1bn in funding for the Kwinana Westport container terminal proposal. But while this project has long been argued by Western Australian governments as necessary, it relies on assumptions that have not materialised and would result in billions of dollars committed to an unecessary project rather than to the urgent and visible crises in housing, healthcare, and education infrastructure.

Economy Climate

Wrong project, wrong time: the case against Westport

OPINION

The conversations in Santa Marta are quietly radical, and difficult for Australia to ignore

Louise Morris

At the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, conversations are circling back to first principles — what the science says, and what it would mean to act accordingly.

Climate

The conversations in Santa Marta are quietly radical, and difficult for Australia to ignore

OPINION

What it would take: four steps toward a fossil fuel phase-out

Louise Morris

The Australia Institute is attending the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, in Santa Marta this week, with a clear brief: cut through the complexity of emissions accounting and politics, and ask a simpler question - how does Australia, and the world, transition away from fossil fuels?

Climate

What it would take: four steps toward a fossil fuel phase-out

WHAT'S NEW

Protesters disrupt Woodside AGM amid growing calls to reject Browse project

By Tegan George

Protesters highlighted the significant risks posed to Scott Reef and marine ecosystems, as Woodside comes under pressure over the Browse project’s emissions and costs, as well as its appearance at a Senate inquiry into gas taxation.

Climate Environment & Biodiversity

Protesters disrupt Woodside AGM amid growing calls to reject Browse project

WHAT'S NEW

"Tax gas now, while we can": Environmental groups call for gas tax at Senate inquiry

By Tegan George

The first public hearing for the Select Committee on the Taxation of Gas resources saw environmental and community groups argue Australia is failing to secure a fair return from its gas exports, with a proposal for a 25 per cent export tax gaining traction.

Economy Climate

"Tax gas now, while we can": Environmental groups call for gas tax at Senate inquiry

OPINION

Let’s pretend no longer – gas’ time for tax has come. It’s just about what kind

Amy Remeikis

Isn’t it peculiar that we get to this week in April and suddenly the impossible seems so inevitable that we start hearing about all the “sensible” compromises? Six months ago, any sort of talk about a gas tax was dismissed as leftie pipe dreams.

Economy Climate

Let’s pretend no longer – gas’ time for tax has come. It’s just about what kind

WHAT'S NEW

Vanuatu urges Australia to rethink fossil fuel reliance, backs 25% gas export tax

By Tegan George

One of the world’s most vulnerable nations to climate change has urged Australia to reassess its reliance on fossil fuels and impose a 25 per cent tax on gas exports. Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Ralph Regenvanu, told SBS that Australia should be using the global energy crisis as a catalyst to ramp up its shift to clean energy.

Climate Economy

Vanuatu urges Australia to rethink fossil fuel reliance, backs 25% gas export tax

OPINION

The last Summer of climate disasters shows Australia still isn’t ready. It's time for a climate disaster levy

Greg Mullins

As state, territory and local governments face increasingly constrained budgets and mounting deficits, the need for greater investment across all facets of disaster risk reduction, response and recovery is growing. Remember the outcry from volunteer firefighters about 30-year-old fire trucks? This is just the tip of a growing iceberg.

Climate