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David Ritter

11 Aug, 11 tweets, 4 min read

Just 48 hours after the shocking #IPCCReport dropped, some very good climate news in Australia this morning that shows our biggest businesses are taking action. It is a big deal and here is why:

This morning, Tomago Aluminium Smelter, the single largest user of electricity in Australia, announced that it will be powered by ‘mostly renewables’ by 2029. This is huge and signals unstoppable momentum away from coal which is the number one driver of climate change.

@AGLAustralia

Tomago is the biggest customer of @AGLAustralia which is Australia’s single largest domestic climate polluter, responsible for 8% of Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. AGL owns three coal-burning power stations: Bayswater, Liddell and Loy Yang A.

Liddell is already closing in 2023. Tomago’s shift to “mostly renewables’ will take away more than half of Bayswater’s demand which means that Bayswater is completely nonviable beyond 2029.

The 2029 date is so crucial, because 2030 is the latest cut-off date by which all coal-burning power stations need to close in developed countries according to the International Energy Agency modelling.

On the back of the #IPCCReport and call for action, this is massive, signalling the end for polluting Bayswater coal station - which is one of the worst polluting coal-burning power stations in Australia.

@RioTinto

@RioTinto, the majority owner of Tomago, has been under intense scrutiny and this is a very welcome move. Community expectation is that all responsible businesses are transitioning to 100% renewable energy in line with the Paris Climate goal.

There is a caveat. Tomago has mentioned the use of gas as a backup after transitioning from coal. This is unacceptable and unnecessary given that renewable energy options exist. Rio must exclude climate-destroying fossil fuels like gas.

@AGLAustralia

Meanwhile, the case study of @AGLAustralia as a #businessfail just grows more extreme by the day: independentaustralia.net/business/busin…

@AGLAustralia

The only business future for @AGLAustralia is to commit to closing Bayswater and Loy Yang A before 2030 and to become a pure-play renewable energy provider. $AGL

@AGLAustralia

This is a good moment for the climate and for the people of Australia. Over to you @AGLAustralia … are you going to keep contributing to the destruction of the planet and your shareholders’ value? Or are you going to do the right thing? #IPCCReport $AGL #auspol

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More from @David_Ritter

David Ritter

@David_Ritter

11 Aug

@ScottMorrisonMP

Hey @ScottMorrisonMP, I’ve read and reread the transcript of your presser yesterday responding to the #IPCCReport, and there’s a bunch of stuff you’re wrong about. Time to bust the Morrison Myths about climate change. Here’s a thread.

Australia is making an oversized contribution to the global climate crisis in a few ways. First, when land use change is excluded, our emissions per capita are higher than any other nation, so what we do matters.

Second, coal, oil and gas are the top drivers of emissions - and when exports and what is burned at home are combined, Australis is fifth worst in the world for responsibility for carbon dioxide from extractive fossil industries: theguardian.com/environment/20…

Read 17 tweets

David Ritter

@David_Ritter

9 Aug

@AngusTaylorMP

Hey @AngusTaylorMP last night you claimed Australia's climate record "is one of delivery and achievement".
To use a technical term, that is complete crap.
Here are 14 times Australia’s record has been highlighted as embarrassingly bad on your watch. #IPCC
minister.industry.gov.au/ministers/tayl…

In a UN report released in July 2021, Australia ranked dead last in climate action amongst over 170 UN members analysed: washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/…

In December 2019, an international study found that Australia was the worst-performing country on climate change policy, according to an international ranking of more than countries: theguardian.com/environment/20…

Read 18 tweets

David Ritter

@David_Ritter

9 Aug

In the IPCC report three things stand out as the most important: we know the scale and immediacy of the climate crisis; we know what is causing it & we know how to fix it.
We have agency.
Here’s a thread. #auspol #ClimateAction #IPCC

The number one driver of the climate crisis is the extraction and burning of coal, oil and gas. All decisions our leaders make from today must be informed by this knowledge. The lives of our children depend on this above all.

For decades, emissions cuts have been blocked by the vested interests of the coal, oil and gas corporations. We have to call time on this - on the subsidies, the political protection, the game of mates, the sponsorships - the lot.

Read 10 tweets

David Ritter

@David_Ritter

21 Jul

@UNESCO

As @UNESCO decides whether the Great Barrier Reef is world heritage in danger, it’s crucial to understand the history of the failure of Australian politicians to protect the Reef. Weirdly, it all began with a beautiful promise. A thread: #auspol #ForNature

In 1981 the Great Barrier Reef was declared as World Heritage under UNESCO, and Australia promised the world that “to the utmost of its resources” our nation would “do all it can” to protect the Reef: whc.unesco.org/en/conventiont…

It is important to remember that the Fraser Coalition Government chose to nominate the Great Barrier Reef - and the achievement of World Heritage status was something that we were proud of as a nation. Of course we would protect the Reef!

Read 23 tweets

David Ritter

@David_Ritter

2 Jul

@AGLAustralia

Here’s a business case study for our times.
@AGLAustralia is a huge Australian company with a massive problem. AGL is Australia’s worst climate polluter. Investors are recoiling. The share price is tanking. But there is a solution. Here’s a thread: #auspol #ClimateAction

In the mid-2010s, AGL’s CEO Andy Vesey had a plan: AGL would respond to rapidly changing business conditions, by transitioning away from generating electricity from burning dirty coal and would embrace renewable energy.

AGL made a positive start on Vesey’s plan by announcing the closure of the ageing dirty polluting Liddell coal burning power station. But this brought a backlash from the coal lobby and coal-friendly politicians who attacked the move.

Read 20 tweets

David Ritter

@David_Ritter

24 Jun

@ScottMorrison

Hey @ScottMorrison this week your ministers said they were “stunned” & “blindsided” by UNESCO saying that the #GreatBarrierReef should be listed as in danger. Why? Here's a sample of 15 expert warnings in the last 5 years about the mortal threat to the Reef from #climatechange.

In early 2016, the first of recent mass bleaching events occurred in the Great Barrier Reef. Scientists estimated 22% of coral was killed, clearly linked this to climate change and noted the need for urgent action to counter impacts. nature.com/articles/d4158…

Also in 2016, the UN released a major report on climate change with a key chapter focussing on the Great Barrier Reef. (You might remember that the government intervened prior to its release, objecting that the information would harm tourism).
theguardian.com/environment/20…

Read 17 tweets

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