Friends of the Earth (FoE) Melbourne  is a non-for profit organisation working for a socially equitable and environmentally sustainable future. The international Friends of the Earth network is  active in 77 countries with over 2 million members. Read more.

A week out from an expected state government announcement on the fate of the onshore gas industry, a state wide poll commissioned by Friends of the Earth has found a majority of Victorians support a permanent ban on onshore gas drilling.

The ReachTel poll found 86% of those surveyed expressed concern about the impacts of onshore gas and fracking on water systems and farming lands, with 55% supporting a permanent ban on the industry. Less than 10% opposed a permanent ban.

Ban onshore gas drilling – we’re so close!

As we have been reporting in recent newsletters, the Cabinet reshuffle in May has led to a delay in the state government deciding whether to make the current moratorium on onshore gas permanent.

The new Resources Minister, Wade Noonan, will make a final decision before mid August, so we are in the very last stages of this very long running campaign.

We are doing our best to convince the new minister that the community will support a permanent ban on onshore gas drilling.

If you haven’t called or emailed the minister please do so now. There is a list of campaign ideas available here.

Friends of the Earth’s River Country Campaign and local Friends of Nyah-Vinifera Forest group alongside Wadi Wadi Traditional Owners have collaborated and received a Threatened Species Grant from the Victorian Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning.

Volunteers have been out in the Nyah-Vinifera Regional Park getting skilled up and surveying the health of the forest flora. People were trained in plant and weed identification, quadratic surveying and cultural sensitivity in the Park. Being out in the forest, seeing it come back to life with water and learning from Traditional Owners about their land is a massive privilege.

In March of 2014 six women set sail from Ísafjörður, Iceland with the intention of sailing across the Denmark Straight and up the south-west coast of Greenland. They hoped to explore the remote coastline, pioneer new ski descents, and collect scientific data in some of the most incredible wilderness on earth.

The film that came from that trip, Shifting Ice, highlighted both the incredible skiing on offer in Greenland and the impacts of climate change on the Arctic.

Environment group Friends of the Earth and community renewables advocate Embark have welcomed the surprise announcement of a Victorian Parliament inquiry into community-owned renewable energy. 

"The Victorian Parliament's inquiry into community energy is very welcome and will allow all political parties to understand the benefits community-owned renewable energy," said Leigh Ewbank, Friends of the Earth's renewable energy spokesperson.