News from the Secretary, June-July 2007

The Newsletter exists to inform members of what we are doing on their behalf and our current work has two interlocking themes. We need to explain to our representatives, firstly, that climate change is basically a matter of human health and wellbeing and secondly whatever the debate about nuclear power, clean coal and carbon trading, we have to reduce emissions now if we are to have any chance of controlling the ultimate peak of CO2 emissions. It is easy for our representatives to commit to 2050 targets, they will not be answerable for obvious reasons, and indeed 2020 targets will find most of them in their beach-houses, (or if they are wise, in the houses in the foot-hills). All our members recognise that only energy saving and renewables can have a significant impact in the short term. Some of the decisions are easy, eg expanding renewable resources which are already cheaper than fossil fuels if one accounts for externalities. Some are difficult for they need decisive legislation and financing to deliver them. However, at a personal level we can all help and set an example to others. How do the activities of DEA fit into this scenario?

Personal action
To control emissions now, the DEA web site is defining how YOU can help now. Increasingly our articles, blogs and notices will encourage this. I am surprised how little many doctors know about climate change and mitigation; in general I get the impression that the public and particular the young are much better informed. The GreenClinic initiative between ACF and DEA is an educational tool for doctors, and we now have articles and a link to this on the DEA web site. “Do you smoke doctor” is a question I have been asked many times when advising patients about life style. One has to be able to say no and why. Already I am asked at meetings about what I do to reduce my CO2 emissions. It’s a catch-me–out question that each of us should be ready for. I can say that mine should be lower but are much less than those of the average Australian which are the highest in the world. And I can detail the actions I have taken.
Our next poster will depict the ecological footprint as an important exercise in greenhouse mitigation. As you will recognise, greenhouse emissions are proportional to affluence, with the cult of consumerism the main culprit.

Contact with parliamentarians, public transport and climate change
To control our emissions NOW, we are explaining in letters to all our representatives why emissions must be reduced NOW. Our next letter to our representatives selects public transport development as a means of reducing emissions now. In Australia it is a disaster that  emphasis remains on the private car, underpasses and overpasses yet little funding for expanding public transport which can be done quickly by expanding existing services. In the minds of government these are commercial decisions and have nothing to do with climate change, peak oil or urban planning. A recent steep rise in bus fares in Adelaide emphasises this point. Soon our Manifesto on transport and climate change will be on our web site and will link with our next letter to members and senators. The letter will  lead to personal meetings with out representatives as I explained in a recent blog.

Submission to parliamentary Committee on renewables
To encourage our representatives to reduce emissions NOW we have made a submission to The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry and Resources Representatives which is looking at the applicability of renewable energy. To be facetious one wonders why the Enquiry should question why we are not already using more renewable energy. However we have used this submission to explain the why the science of climate change tells us that we must act now. Our submission will be on the parliamentary site soon. http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/isr/renewables/subs.htm  Each Submission to a Parliamentary Committee is important because it offers the possibility of a hearing when a captive group of members listens to us for perhaps 30 minutes.

The Appeal is financing this work
The preliminary figures for the Appeal raised about $30,000 and we thank everyone for their generous support. Without this finance the work detailed above could not proceed.
As we explained in the previous newsletter, we needed to employ assistance of an individual with significant experience in the NGO environmental sphere. We have now employed for one day per week such a person who is currently CEO of another organisation. This will enable us to enhance our preparation of appropriate personal letters to all parliamentarians on the issues of health and climate change. We will also be financing change to some of the frustrating website problems that occur when people try to join or renew.

Interaction with the members
In conclusion I feel that our modus operandi is integrated into our present priority of delivering the health message to colleagues, public and parliamentarians. We value comments and suggestions from members and we thank those who have commented on the blog.

AGM and Scientific Meeting, 3-4 November 2007
The DEA AGM will be held in conjunction with the WACRRM (WA Centre for Remote and Rural Medicine) ‘Fremantle Educational Weekend’ at the Esplanade in Fremantle on Sat 3rd and Sun 4th November. WACRRM runs several regional activities for rural GPs and this is their annual major state-wide meeting which is jointly run with the educational committee of Fremantle Hospital. The organizers have assembled an amazing list of speakers, including present and past WA Ministers for the Environment, the Chief Scientist for WA, several eminent interstate speakers and the CEO of the Conservation Council of WA. The meeting will be an opportunity to learn about environmental dangers in a rigorous and entertaining format, and to meet with environmental movers and shakers.

The meeting will attract CME points and will be a tax deductible expense. The DEA AGM and dinner will be held on Friday evening, 2 November. In notifying DEA members now we suggest that these dates go into your diary and that you plan to come to Fremantle.

David Shearman, Hon Secretary