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.

In November 2018, Victorians will head to the polls. With community concern about climate change on the rise, it's an issue that all political parties must address in detail.

Our state is undergoing profound change as the population grows, entire industries go to the wall, and climate change starts to really impact on our landscapes, economy and lifestyles. Yet Melbourne continues to sprawl, as low density development covers valuable farmland and remnant vegetation, supported by transport infrastructure that will perpetuate our current reliance on cars.

An election provides all parties with the opportunity to demonstrate leadership on the interconnected issues of climate, energy, social justice, and the economy.

Environmental group Friends of the Earth has welcomed the announcement that the Andrews government will create more than 6,500 hectares of parkland across Melbourne if re-elected.

“Melbourne will soon pass Sydney as Australia’s most populous city” said Friends of the Earth campaigns co-ordinator Cam Walker. “The urban sprawl that is happening to accommodate this growth is putting enormous pressure on the livability of our city and is encroaching on remnant vegetation and open space. At this rate of growth, we are running out of time to future proof our city against sprawl”.

“We welcome this announcement, which would see new urban parks and walking and bike trails created across the metropolitan area”.

The vast majority of Victorians want state forests protected, not logged and woodchipped, and Victorians want workers supported while leaving the industry, according to polling in three key marginal seats three weeks out from the Victorian state election. 

WHY A VICTORIAN PUBLICLY-OWNED ENERGY RETAILER WOULD HELP THE TRANSITION TO 100% CLEAN, FAIR & AFFORDABLE ENERGY.

Victoria's energy system fails the community and the climate.  It allows for massive profits for polluting coal companies, while households face a confusing array of bad deals and overpriced energy. The true cost of coal is obscured by the energy market, indirect Government subsidies and a confusing retail system that fuels climate change and serves consumers poorly.

By creating a not-for-profit, publicly owned, renewable-energy-focused energy retailer, Victoria has an opportunity to deliver real solutions to the state - creating more investment in renewables and forcing coal companies to reduce their profits to remain competitive in the market.

As state election writs are issued today, ten leading cross-sector organisations unite in demanding that candidates and political parties do not divide Victorian communities with hate and fear this state election.

The open letter, calls on all sides of government to put an end to dirty politics and targeted fear campaigns, and to compete in this election based on a vision of a safe and equal future for all members of the Victorian community.

The survey results are in!

95% of Werribee constituents surveyed support the proposal for a new Great Forest National Park!

Today, volunteers from the Friends of the Earth Forest Collective delivered hundreds of community surveys about Victoria's native forest to Werribee MP and state treasurer, Tim Pallas.

In total, 292 surveys were collected from constituents of Werribee and surrounding districts including Tarneit, Altona, Laverton, Bellarine and Melton. 231 of respondents were from the district of Werribee itself.  

Read a summary of the survey data here

Victoria and New South Wales have released new criteria prioritising economic outcomes for water recovery projects under the Murray Darling Basin Plan

We all know the network of rivers in the Basin is invaluable to communities and indigenous culture. The Basin Plan was developed to restore the health of our river ecosystems after a century of over extraction brought them to the brink of collapse.

The environment was to come first because we can't survive if we kill the river.

The question begs, are water ministers acting to support all life in the Basin?

The 14th international conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies (GHGT-14), will be held at the Melbourne Convention Centre from 22-25 October.

These conferences are held every two years in a different country, and are the main global forum to discuss the development of carbon capture and storage (or CCS) technology.

Prepare yourself for some glowing media bout how CCS is the answer to the greenhouse emissions that are generated by burning coal. Expect (at least some) politicians to wave the idea of ‘clean coal’ around. The reality isn’t quite as positive.

CCS is one of the false ‘solutions’ to climate change that is routinely peddled by the coal industry and some politicians. A considerable number of conservative politicians (and even a handful of progressives) support it, in the hope it will give us a ‘get out of jail’ free card that will allow us to burn coal without bringing catastrophic global warming down on us.

The Story So Far...

River Country has long campaigned for river red gums along the Murray.

Our Story in 2018 is one of connecting with grassroots in Victoria and further a field, building momentum and bringing creative flare to the water debate.