By Kath Gannaway
THINKING locally to save the planet from the effects of climate change will not be enough according to Greening Australia’s Rob Gell.
It will take much more than that, Mr Gell said but he left no doubt it’s an important part of the equation.
Mr Gell was one of three guest speakers on climate change sounding a warning to more than 100 people who attended a screening of Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth at Healesville on Friday night.
The high-profile weather man and climate change activist was guest speaker, along with Tricia Phelan, Director of Environment Victoria and Dr James Watson of The Wilderness Society at a forum on Climate Change organised by environment group The Central Highlands Alliance (TCHA).
TCHA president Sarah Rees conceded the forum spoke largely to the converted but said she was encouraged by the support of local people and the momentum she saw come from the forum for people to do something.
She said while many people acknowledge climate change, the forum had sent a powerful message about the reality of the threat and the need to act not in 10 years’ time but now.
“Rob’s message was we just don’t have 10 years.
“There’s a lot of information out there saying that within 10 years, if we don’t make a change we will get to a tipping point where we don’t have any control over the liberation of carbon any more.
“What Rob is saying is we need to aim for zero emissions within 10 years.”
Ms Rees said there were steps Yarra Ranges residents could take right now and that the Shire of Yarra Ranges had a major role to play.
She said she was encouraged to see five Yarra Ranges councillors at the meeting.
Crs Jeanette McRae, Len Cox, Noel Cliff, Samantha Dunn and mayor Tim Heenan were at the forum.
Ms Rees said the shire should be looking at every building meeting the highest environmental standards.
She said including as a requirement things such as verandahs, passive solar design, greywater systems and combination solar-gas hot water systems would be a start to the shire achieving five star Green Star status.
“Germany is pioneering the 10 star house. You see only a five degree shift in temperature between the peak of winter and summer over there and it is working.
“It was great to hear Cr McRae say they were aiming for eight star accreditation, which would bring them into line with cities like Moreland and Port Phillip,” Ms Rees said.
Mr Gell said among the misinformation being touted by the Federal Government was the need for Australia to adopt uranium to meet energy needs.
It was accompanied by one of the greatest myths, he said, that solar technology is not advanced enough to fulfil Australia’s energy needs.
“China is leading the world in solar technology. The technology is available now,” he said.
The other barrier he said to addressing climate change was the political will to do it.
The solution rested not, he said with politicians but with people who must demand of them that they act now.
A first step he said was to inform people. “Get five people you know to see this film,” he said. “That is a start.”
Ms Rees said the message was not palatable but it was one people can no longer shy away from.
“I would just say to people who are afraid of what they might learn, it doesn’t matter if the shower is cold, stand in it because what you will see happening to your grandchildren’s generation will be unbearable.”
An Inconvenient Truth comes out on DVD on 25 January.
Climate revolution, page 9.
