Colombia’s top court orders government to protect Amazon forest in landmark case

BOGOTA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Colombia’s highest court has told the government it must take urgent action to protect its Amazon rainforest and stem rising deforestation, in what campaigners said was an historic moment that should help conserve forests and counter climate change.

In their ruling on Thursday, the judges said that Colombia - which is home to a swathe of rainforest roughly the size of Germany and England combined - saw deforestation rates in its Amazon region increase by 44 percent from 2015 to 2016.

“It is clear, despite numerous international commitments, regulations ... that the Colombian state has not efficiently addressed the problem of deforestation in the Amazon,” the supreme court said.

The ruling comes after a group of 25 young plaintiffs, ranging in age from seven to 26, filed a lawsuit against the government in January demanding it protect their right to a healthy environment.

Read Anastasia Maloney’s story from Reuters - “Colombia’s top court orders government to protect Amazon forest in landmark case.”

Historic moment for Victoria's energy future

In a historic moment for Victoria's energy future, the Victorian Renewable Energy Target today passed the upper house in state Parliament and will become law.

“This is a historic day for Victoria's energy future, and a victory for the community who have long made the case for the Victorian Renewable Energy Target” said a Friends of the Earth renewable energy spokesperson, Pat Simons

Questionable claims on Matthew Guy's billboard.

“The success of the Victorian Renewable Energy Target is thanks to communities, businesses and workers from Portland, to Geelong, Yackandandah, Macedon and Melbourne”

Friends of the Earth congratulates Premier Daniel Andrews, Minister Lily D'Ambrosio, and the Labor government, branding its energy policy achievement an act of national leadership: 

“The Andrews government is leading the nation with a vision for jobs and investment in renewable energy,” said Leigh Ewbank, Friends of the Earth spokesperson.

“While the divided Turnbull government only offers ill-considered thought bubbles on energy, the Andrews government has shown leadership on the Victorian Renewable Energy Target," said Pat Simons.

“Victoria's Andrews government has set the bar for smart energy policy in Australia.”

The passage of legislation was also welcomed by prospective wind farmers from Barunah Park, Kevin and Jenny Blake:

“Renewable energy is extremely important to us, as we have seen the effects of climate change personally on our farm. We are very excited to host turbines as this will help minimise the effects of climate change in the future.”

“This legislation will also help provide us with a means to drought-proof our future earnings and keep our farm sustainable for our children and grandchildren.”

The VRET passed with the support of upper house Greens MPs, Fiona Patten of the Reason Party, Local Jobs First MP James Purcell.

Friends of the Earth was critical of the Matthew Guy opposition, who stuck to their pledge to vote against the VRET even though renewable energy enjoys strong support among Liberal party voters.

"In 2017, it's unacceptable for politicians to vote against policies to tackle climate change," said Leigh Ewbank, Friends of the Earth's climate change spokesperson.

"With unprecedented bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef and parts of Victoria experiencing a record dry June, now's not the time to be blocking action on climate change."

“Victorians will remember the opposition's vote against renewable energy jobs and cheaper power when they go to the polls in 2018.”

It is expected the Victorian Renewable Energy will:

• Create 10,000 jobs in wind and solar across the state, from wind tower manufacturing in Portland to cable making in Tottenham, transformer manufacturing in Glen Waverley and Benalla, and warehousing/training in Lyndhurst.

• See Victorian households save an estimated $30 on their power bill each year. Small-medium businesses will save $2,500 and big businesses will save $140,000.

• Victoria's renewable energy rollout of 5,400 MW will cut electricity sector emissions up to 16 percent, helping the state meet its legislated net-zero emissions target by 2050.

Friends of the Earth have coordinated the community campaign for a Victorian Renewable Energy Target since 2014. 

Nova Scotia just fulfilled its longstanding dream to harness the tides with an underwater windmill

In this early November photo, the 1000 tonne turbine
can be seen in the deployment barge, Scotia
Tide, just before being lowered to the seafloor.

Seven years after the Atlantic Ocean mercilessly chewed up its last attempt to harness the tides, on Tuesday Nova Scotia finally fulfilled its decades-long dream to put an underwater wind turbine on the floor of the Bay of Fundy.

“This is a proud and historic moment,” said the province’s energy minister, Michel Samson, as he flicked the switch to begin channelling two million watts of tidal electricity into the Nova Scotia grid.

Dubbed the Open-Centre Turbine, the 1000-tonne, 10-blade device was lowered to the ocean floor earlier this month before being plugged into the Nova Scotia power grid via underwater cable.

Capable of generating two megawatts, the experimental device generates as much electricity a standard-sized wind turbine. Or, as an official statement put it, the device is generating enough energy for “500 Nova Scotia homes.”

Read the Financial Post story - “Nova Scotia just fulfilled its longstanding dream to harness the tides with an underwater windmill.”