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Introduction
The AEU strongly supports action to reduce climate change and to secure
an environmentally sustainable future.
As educators we have shown our commitment to teaching about environmental
concerns and involving students in action for change.
The AEU encourages union members to take action globally to demand
Governments:
- Be more proactive at all levels of policy and action to address
global climate change
- Maintain a role in International leadership on this issue
- Provide strong leadership, in Copenhagen, to achieve a global deal
that ensure policies will immediately reduce carbon emissions
- Compensate State and Territory governments for the implementation
of its proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, as it will do for
non-government organisations.
Educators are encouraged to use the information here and on other websites
to:
- actively engage with students,
- be involved with their local AEU Branch/Associated Body's environmental
action,
- sign up to be supported in broad environmental campaigns, and
- to advocate for sustainable practices throughout their workplace,
union and their communities.
The AEU's policy on the
environment and position
arising were adopted at the 2010 Annual Federal Conference.
Some Background:
The Australian Government's policy is to aim to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions by between 4 to 24% below 1990 levels by 20210. The
latest science indicates that developed countries, including Australia,
must adopt emissions reduction targets of at least 40% below 1990
levels by 20220, if the world is to have any hope of avoiding dangerous
climate change. Australia has grown rich partly thanks to burning
fossil fuels (which releases greenhouse gases) and Australia is
one of the world's largest per capita greenhouse gas polluters.
Now it's time for Australia to do its share of fixing the problem
that all that pollution is causing.
What's wrong with Australia's emissions reduction target of
25% below 2000 levels by 2020?
- 25% below 2000 levels is about 24% below 1990 levels. So,
it falls short of the IPCC's 2007 recommended range for developed
countries of 25-40% below 1990 levels by 2020.
- This 25-40% range was the previous 'gold standard' and is
now outdated. Even when it was considered to be the range to aim
for, it was only expected to give the world a 50/50 chance of
keeping warming to 2ºC or less above pre-industrial levels. An
increase of 2ºC was previously thought to be the maximum safe
limit.
- Since 2007, every indication from science is that things
are worse than was previously thought. The latest science indicates
we should be aiming to keep warming to below 1.5°C in order to
avoid dangerous climate change. That means that the 25-40% reduction
range for developed countries is far too low.
- Furthermore, despite all the scientific evidence, the conditions
attached to the government's 25% target are so stringent that
they are unlikely to be met, in which case the maximum target
will become a mere 15% below 2000 levels by 2020.
Campaign Action
Educators' Action
- Climate Quilt Campaign
- ACF
EarthKids
- Visy Enviromaniacs -
is an education program designed to teach primary school students
in grades 3 to 6, practical initiatives and actions to preserve and
protect our environment and features a series of games covering recycling,
energy, water, litter and packaging.
- Earthwatch
Institute
Earthwatch TeachLive
- Dusseldorp
Skills Forum - Y Green and iGreen
- GreenWorks
- newsletter (every 6 weeks) - The GreenWorks newsletter is specifically
designed for green team members (paid or voluntary) and sustainability
or environment managers in businesses, community organisations and
government departments. It will include information on encouraging
behaviour change in others, links to useful research or websites,
downloadable resources for you to use and information about programs
and campaigns you can use in the workplace.
- Planet Ark Schools
Tree Day (Friday 31st Jul) National Tree Day (Sunday 2nd Aug)
Teachers Resources
Section includes:
How
to get your school involved,
Lesson
Plans,
Information
and Case Studies,
Planting
for Survival video,
Links
About Tree Day
National Tree Day will be held on Sunday 2nd August, with Schools
Tree Day taking place on the Friday 31st July. Last year over 312
000 people, including 229,000 school children dug deep to improve
their natural surroundings. Tree Day shows children how easy and
fun it is to help our environment.
What is National
Tree Day?
National Tree Day, proudly sponsored by Toyota, is Australia's biggest
community tree-planting event and a day for all Australians to help
out by planting native trees and shrubs at a Tree Day site in their
local area.
Environmental
Benefits
National Tree Day aims to inspire, educate and recruit Australians
to actively care for our unique land and create future generations
of committed environmental custodians.
Environmental
Advisory Committee
This committee offers expert environmental and educational advice
to help develop the Tree Day campaign.
Meet
the Sponsors
The continued support of National Tree Day sponsor Toyota has ensured
the ongoing success of National Tree Day.
National
Tree Day Supporters
Organisations and companies who provide ongoing support for Tree
Day
Jamie Durie,
is one of National Tree Day's longest supporters, online he speaks
about his involvement in Australia's largest community tree-planting
event
- Geological Society of Australia
Teacher Earth Science Education Program
Further Weblinks
Papers/Research
- "Power to the People - Building Sustainable Jobs in the Illawarra" (University Woolongong)
- Green Jobs - Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World" (United Nations Environment Program, ITUC, ILO, IOE)
- "Go Green at Work - A Handbook for Union Green Representatives" (UK Trade Union Congress)
- "Australia's Energy [R]evolution - A Sustainable Australia Energy Outlook" (Greenpeace)
- "Green Gold Rush - How Ambitious Environmental Policy can make Australia a Leader in the Global Race for Green Jobs" (ACTU and Australian Conservation Foundation)
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