CCWA June Newsletter
 Hi Clive, welcome to the CCWA Monthly Newsletter for June! From the President This month saw the federal Coalition harden their position on climate change with a refusal to support the current Australian government’s commitment to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030. As politics becomes more and more polarised, it’s important that CCWA stays true to its values, purpose and vision irrespective of who is in government. As such, the Board over the weekend has further workshopped our 3 year strategic plan and more work will be done inclusive of staff and other stakeholders. This work is critical to ensure that we most effectively deliver outcomes that align with our values and purpose in a financially and socially responsible manner. I am pleased to announce that Mia Pepper has been selected as our new Campaigns Director. She brings a wealth of experience to the role and has already made a huge difference and taken some of the load off Jess Beckerling. Also a welcome to our new Grants Coordinator, who will be filling in while Gill Sheridan is on maternity leave. More appointments will be announced shortly. Thanks to all the board, staff and supporters who continue to uphold this organisation acknowledging the legacy of those that have gone before. Dr Richard Yin President Welcome to Makuru – Season of Fertility As we bid farewell to the Noongar Season ‘Makuru’, symbolised by dark blue for rain and cold weather, we reflect on the wettest and coldest time in the South West. Traditionally, the Noongar people moved inland, enjoying abundant inland food sources like yongar (kangaroo) whose skins made cozy ‘bookas’ for the chilly nights. The waterways and catchments filled, allowing easy movement and shifted the focus from coastal to land-based food sources. Travelling was limited and campfires formed the heart of communities, providing warmth and a place to gather for music and Dreamtime storytelling. Understanding the land and recognising the changing seasons has allowed Aboriginal people to live in harmony with their environment for tens of thousands of years. Rather than altering the land, they respected it, adapting to its seasonal changes. This way of life demonstrated a deep respect for and understanding of the natural world, including both the land and its animals. The night sky also held great importance, aligning with the six seasons and serving as a celestial calendar. The knowledge of star patterns and dark regions of the night sky represents a calendar that depicts special times of the year. The night sky plays a significant part in cultural beliefs and dreamtime stories. As Makuru ends, the white flowers of the weeping peppermint begin to emerge, heralding the transition to the next season, Djilba, with its white and cream blossoms.  Image credit: Aurora Abraham – City of Kalamunda Program updates  Fossil Fuels It’s been a busy few months tackling fossil fuels! Anthony Albanese has announced the Future Gas Strategy, locking in fossil fuels until 2050. Go Beyond Gas volunteers coordinated a pushback of the Future Gas Strategy that is a betrayal of Western Australians! See how you can take action here. Go Beyond Gas teams protested outside the Australian Energy Producers’ conference (the biggest fossil fuel lobby), with support from the climate movement. Over 100 people showed up to show Shell, Chevron, Santos, Exxon, and Woodside that Western Australians want no new gas!  The Fremantle Go Beyond Gas team hosted their very first event; the climate anxiety open mic night! The open mic brought together people from all walks of life to connect on the shared experience of climate anxiety. Attendees were treated to many wonderful performances of heartfelt songs, powerful poetry, a flute song and a live painting! Special guest Annolies Truman did a wonderful job creating a safe space and facilitating a creative writing segment. Check out our social media for videos of the night on Facebook and Instagram.  We have two new Go Beyond Gas action teams! Introducing the brand-new Go Beyond Gas Rockingham Team! In the last three months, the Go Beyond Gas Rockingham Team was formed. Action team leaders, Fiona, Chris, Kerry and Gerry have been making waves, doing flyering, painting signs, attending actions and supporting the other groups. Can’t wait to see what they do next! Sign up here to join the team! Introducing the Go Beyond Gas Artivists Collective! We are forming a new Artivists group of which is a collective of creative people coming together for fun climate action tactics. The Artivists crew are working on creating their first event, which will be an out-of-the-box fashion show! If you’d like to know more and be involved with them, click the link to join the Artivists WhatsApp chat. Take Action with the Fossil Fuels Team! Oppose the Future Gas Strategy – Go Beyond Gas Call or email your MP now, using our call scripts and email guide! The WA Climate Bill will be re-introduced in Parliament soon. Sign up here to stay informed on when we will be doing a snap action  Better Climate The Better Climate campaign at CCWA has been collaborating on positive policy reform research with ACF and other Conservation Councils around the country. We are looking forward to launching this soon with a new Better Climate manager and team. We have continued to engage with our allies on the need to strengthen the Climate Bill. In response to recent criticisms of offshore wind, CCWA joined in calls for strong protections for nature, rights for communities and the phase out of fossil fuel towards delivering the renewable energy future we need. Our Executive Director Jess joined a national meeting with the Clean Energy Council focused on the need to protect nature while advancing renewable energy. We’re looking forward to the next phase of the Better Climate program with strong collaborations in WA and nationally.  Citizen Science A results snapshot for the Citizen Science summer Bat Pilot is now out! This period saw 86 Citizen Science bat champions spend 369 hours walking 688 kilometres to record 2,534 different bat calls. From the surveys conducted, 94% recorded bat echolocation calls, with 40% recording bat foraging behaviour and 28% recording social behaviour. Keep an eye out for the final report, which will be available on our website at the end of June.  In other news, on 25th August 2024 Kelly is running the Christmas Island marathon to mark the extinction anniversary of the Christmas Island Pipistrelle, an endemic bat species that went extinct on 26th August 2009. The race will raise awareness of biodiversity loss, species extinction, and the failure of government and policy to respond to a rapidly changing environment. It will also raise funds to support research into under-studied species and protection of Australian native animals, in honour of the 100 species that have gone extinct in Australia, including the Christmas Island Pipistrelle. Kelly will briefly talk about the fundraiser during the next WA Bat Network meetup on 22nd July at 6 pm (online and in-person) – RSVP to [email protected]  Nature Program The Nature team has been collaborating with an alliance of conservation organisations on a campaign to ‘Defend WA’s Nature’ with strong nature laws. In the past month, we hosted two impactful MP Workshops, empowering community members to advocate for stronger nature laws with their state and federal representatives. Interested in taking action? Book a meeting with your MP using our MP meeting guidebook and briefers.    Images: Marina Petersen Amidst efforts by both major parties in WA to weaken our nature laws, CCWA took a stand. Jess Beckerling, CCWA Executive Director, published an op-ed in WAtoday, titled ‘Undermining the watchdog is against WA’s nature. We must defend our thin green line’, highlighting the critical importance of maintaining strong environmental protections. We’ve also launched an online action to rally public support and urge decision-makers to ‘Defend WA’s Nature’. Please sign and share the action—together, we can show that the community stands firmly behind this cause. To keep up to date with the campaign, sign up here! Support CCWA today! As the end of the financial year approaches, we are asking our supporters to make a tax-deductible donation to support our critically important work for nature and climate. Your donation to CCWA will help amplify our collective voice so that we can stop reckless and polluting projects, strengthen nature laws and protect WA’s precious and threatened wildlife and ecosystems. It’s more important than ever for us all to stand together, as the voice for WA’s environment. Donate Write your Will today! Our supporters and very generous funders are passionate about protecting Western Australia and want to ensure that their support is passed on and that our state’s precious nature is preserved for generations to come. We’ve collaborated with Gathered Here to show our support of this and are allowing each of our members and supporters to write their Will for free online. By leaving a gift for CCWA in your Will you will create a legacy for you and Western Australia’s nature today.Write your Free Will Upcoming Events Environment Matters – WA’s Nature: From Crisis to Action Join CCWA for our next Environment Matters event as we give an overview of the current state of nature in WA, learn more about CCWA’s new Nature Program and hear from our line-up of guest speakers on the all-important question – how do we move from crisis to action? WHEN: Tuesday 16 July, 2024 TIME: 6:00pm – 8:00pm WHERE: City West Lotteries House, 2 Delhi St, West Perth Our guest speakers are: Welcome to Country – Aunty Betty Garlett Rhiannon Hardwick – CCWA Nature Program Manager Dr Hugh Finn – Curtin University Dr Erin Clitheroe – Conservation biologist, Murdoch University Dr Belinda Cannell- Conservation ecologist, University of Western Australia Hannah Gulliver – ReWild Perth Program Manager RSVP  Climate Changers Screening – Tickets on sale now! Join CCWA, WA Landcare Network and Perth NRM for a screening and discussion of Tim Flannery’s documentary Climate Changers: WHERE: Luna Leederville, 163 Oxford St, Leederville WHEN: Tuesday July 30th, 2024 TIME: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm Climate Changers will provide a vital opportunity for our community to discuss the leadership needed to address the climate crisis and inspire collective action. Following the screening, a panel discussion and Q&A will delve into the issues raised in the documentary and explore how we can all become climate leaders within our spheres of influence. Panelists: Meri Fatin – WA Climate Leaders, interviewer and broadcaster Dr Renee Young – Program Director – Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute Stuart McAlpine – Director- Perth NRM More to be confirmed shortly RSVP Nature First – CCWA Annual Conference, 30th Community Conservation Awards and AGM SAVE THE DATE! Don’t forget to add CCWA’s biggest event to your calendar – more information to follow shortly! WHEN: Wednesday and Thursday, November 13th & 14th WHERE: The Wetlands Centre Cockburn, 184 Hope Road, Bibra Lake At CCWA’s Nature First Conference 2024 we will address the critical environmental challenges faced by Western Australia, focusing on climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Nature First serves as a platform to increase awareness, facilitate the exchange of knowledge, and provide practical solutions for preventing more habitat loss and restoring and regenerating nature in WA. Centenary Luncheon Celebration of the Western Australian Naturalists Club The Western Australian Naturalists Club has been at the forefront of promoting the appreciation and conservation of our natural environment for the past century. Their esteemed patrons Dr Lyn Beazley and Dr Kerry Sanderson will be present and participating in the celebrations. The luncheon is a ticketed event, $50 for members and $75 for guests and can be purchased from Humanitix. WHEN: Saturday 13 July 2024 TIME: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm WHERE: University Club of Western Australia, UWA, Hackett Drive Crawley, WA Australia RSVP CCWA regulatory submissions for June CCWA lodges submissions to regulatory bodies on projects of public interest that involve activities that pose significant risks to the environment. Some of the submissions and consultations from June include: Submission to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA): NiWest Nickel Cobalt Project Submission to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER): Myalup limestone L8831/2024/1 Submission to the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS): Alcoa CPS10626/1 Myara North Geotechnical Investigation Submission to the Environmental Protection Biodiversity and Conservation (EPBC) Act: Chalice Mining – Gonneville Ni-Cu PGE Mine near Julimar Forrest Request for referral of Alcoa CPS10626/1 Myara North Geotechnical Investigation Submission to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW): Onshore windfarm guidance under Australia’s national environmental law Water trigger – Significant Impact Guidelines proposed amendments Submission to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH): Perth and Peel greening strategy Submission to the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA): Australian Submarine Agency Licence Application to site a Prescribed Radiation Facility known as the ‘Controlled Industrial Facility’ Submission to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA): South Coast Marine Park Meetings North West Shelf meeting with the Appeals Convenor Lockyer Gas meeting with the Appeals Convenor News & Media ‘Thin green line needs defending’: Media Statement in response to comments from WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam ‘Nuclear is no climate solution’ – Statement in response to nuclear sites announcement from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton CCWA respectfully acknowledges the Whadjuk People of the Noongar nation, along with the Traditional Owners of all Countries where it works. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. CCWA seeks to always walk alongside our Aboriginal partners, recognising their continued connection through land, sea, culture and community. |
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