The Coal Seam Gas Video: Be Part of It!
A few months back we published a story about the serious potential consequences of the expanding Coal Seam Gas (CSG) industry in Queensland, Australia. In March, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation) made a special visit to Queensland to find out why the Australian Government was allowing such massive expansion of an environmentally harmful industry right in the middle of the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.
Some of the key environmental concerns that have been raised by many people from community members to UNESCO include:
• CSG (Coal Seam Gas) exploration is supposed to be ‘cleaner’ than traditional coal mining but it is still highly hazardous to the environment; its impacts go beyond just its C02 emissions because of the methods (including shale gas fracking) required for extraction. It is estimated that by 2030, there will be 40,000 coal seam gas wells in Queensland alone.
• The Mackay Conservation Group’s research suggests that at its peak, Queensland coal will be responsible for more than 12% of WORLD C02 EMISSIONS. Think about that for a moment.
• In the next five years, the sea-traffic moving through the Great Barrier Reef will increase massively – with more than 3,000 tankers a year inside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. To enable these huge tankers to get into Queensland’s shallow ports, dredging will have to be done – endangering fish, turtle, and dugong populations
• The ground-water in the region has already been contaminated by waste-water leaching out of facilities – this impacts fish and bird life
• A plan to protect the nationally listed wetland that is near the Abbot Point CSG site was created, but very little funding has been provided to carry it out
• Very few biodiversity surveys have ever been completed in the region – this means that while there’s evidence of some rare and endangered species in the area, they are not protected because not enough has been done to clearly identify them.
So, our Aussie MOBSTIRR, Hope, got together with our Aussie Youth Content Coordinator, Cat, to send a message to the Australian Government about this major environmental issue. With the participation of our awesome ISF family, we believe that we can make our voices heard to help protect the Great Barrier Reef and the planet as a whole from such uncontrolled expansions of CSG as what we’re seeing in Queensland
Here’s where YOU come in!
You DON’T have to be from Australia to take part – this is truly a global environmental issue. If you want to be involved, send us a picture of you holding a poster or sign with your message about this issue. Maybe something like:
‘Protect the Reef – stop the Coal Seam Gas expansion!’
Or
‘Cut pollution – choose renewables instead!’
Or
‘Protect marine animals – stop the fracking!’
Or
‘My future is in your hands – lower carbon emissions from CSG.’
...you get the idea! If you want to ask us for some more suggestions, please get in touch via Twitter: @CathrynStephens, @ISFYOUTH1 or @ISF_KidsArmyAUS (Hope). When you have taken your picture, email it to us at ISFYOUTH1@gmail.com
Participation is for those 13yrs and older. All participants, please make sure that your sign is easy to read and creative! Once we’ve put the video together, we’ll place the link of the Youth Page of the ISF Website so you can watch and share.
JUNE UPDATE: We're EXTENDING the deadline to make sure that as MANY OF YOU AS POSSIBLE get involved in this CRUCIAL VIDEO! Please send in your pic as soon as you can - we can't extend the deadline after July 1! This is a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to take action in such a simple, easy way!
Thanks so much!
Cat and Hope
References:
Great Barrier Reef facts courtesy of www.greatbarrierreef.org
AustralianMining.com
Interview with Patricia Julien of Mackay Conservation GroupPorts Corporation of Queensland:
‘Coal Port Expansion Sparks Pollution Fears’ by Jennifer Huxley (from Agricultural News)
Each participant agrees to release and hold the Ian Somerhalder Foundation (ISF) harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind in connection with or resulting from participation in this activity including, without limitation, personal injuries, death, property damages and any claims by third parties or otherwise based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy. I give permission to have my picture displayed to the public in a video, the ISF website and Twitter accounts in connection with any and all events coordinated with or by ISF or to have the image reproduced for fundraising and publicity purposes. I agree to have parental permission and guidance when participating in this activity. By participating in this project you agree to the terms above.
