Mining coal has long been perceived as the 'engine room' of Queensland's economy and exploitation of our great mineral wealth is supported by Governments of all persuasions. However if coal is one great resource of our state, then our wonderful natural environment is the other, from the Great Barrier Reef to the tropical rainforests and desert uplands. Now, in this decade, we find ourselves at a decision point. It is becoming increasingly clear that we cannot allow coal mining to continue unabated and expect to our natural treasures to survive. For politicians, the possibility of transitioning the state to be less dependent on coal is far from consideration, or at best considered fanciful. Indeed, despite international commitments to limit greenhouse gas emissions, the Queensland coal industry is currently undergoing unprecedented expansion, with 21 new coal projects in advanced stages of development. Escalating Impacts As coal mining quietly grows to cover larger and larger areas of the state, what value...

In the last few months I’ve switched from saying I’m doing organising around ‘climate justice’ to ‘anti-nuclear’. This has earnt me a steady critique of the choice to focus on anti-nuclear, with furrows appearing on the questioner’s brow. I know I have to act quickly to have any chance of mounting an argument before my listeners start talking about James Hansen or Tim Flannery. It’s scary how nuclear seems to be riding on the back of climate change to have returned to the agenda in a big way. And not just the political agenda, but the media’s, the public’s, the universities’ and even those who would self-refer as ‘environmentalists’. I think opposing the nuclear fuel cycle in Australia- the mining, exporting, waste, and possible production of nuclear power, must be included in our ideas of what climate justice means in this country. I want to explore here some of the powerful experiences I’ve had in these few months focusing on anti-nuclear organising,...

By Christian Darby Depleted uranium is a by-product of the production of enriched fuel for nuclear reactors, the spent uranium that’s left behind from the nuclear energy cycle. Like all nuclear material, it’s highly radioactive and fatal to humans, causing leukaemia, lung cancer and genetic defects. And with a half-life of billions of years, storing it safely is a problem that has never been properly solved. So it would seem slightly insane to suggest that, of all the things that could be done with depleted uranium, the best option would be to use it for the tips of  bullets, bombs, shells and missiles used as ammunition by armies, and then fire it off into the open air by the millions during battles. But in an insane world, of course, this is exactly what’s happening. Because depleted uranium is one of the heaviest metals on earth – denser than steel itself – if you shoot it hard enough, it’s likely to be able to go...

The Renewables On Campus (ROC) crew set ourselves ambitious targets at ASEN training camp in January - by the end of the year we're aiming to have every ASEN-affiliated campus commit to sourcing 100% renewable energy by 2015. Collectives continent-wide are working independent of each other to make the switch to renewable energy on their campus. And they're achieving some mad cool outcomes. From Monash to Warnambool, Queensland to South Australia, we're getting results. And given that universities are such huge consumers (Monash Uni is one of Australia's largest polluters), these campaigns are incredibly influential. I'm heaps excited by the renewables reportcard – it will grade and rank the universities according to their promises to cut emissions (and their follow-through). We've learnt from experience that universities – especially the big ones - have vulnerable egos, and we're hoping to capitalise on that. We've made contact with Australian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) and the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), and hope to work with...