Today protesters gathered on Tweed Valley Way next to the Condong Sugar Mill to show their opposition to what they say is the burning of trees to power the grid which is going on right in our own backyard.
During the International Day of Action on Forest Biomass Energy, the Biomass Action Group (BAG), who staged the local event, say that Cape Byron Power is attracting government subsidies to make it profitable, while incentivising deforestation.
Spokesperson Shaunti Kiehl said this international mass action day will flow around the world. ‘The focus is an important petition that needs to attract many thousands of individual signatures to make a big impact.
‘It calls for an end to subsidies and incentives for burning forest wood, for it to be excluded from renewable energy targets, and for the protection and restoration of forests to be prioritised for our health, the climate and biodiversity.
Ms Kiehl said she feels more and more people are becoming aware of this ‘Bioscam’ and are showing outrage that our public tax dollars are paying for burning are most important carbon and water storage technology systems. ‘Forests are meant to be homes for animals, not reduced to “waste” to be fed to the grid. This is a total perversion of “renewables” that is ramping up in Australia and worldwide.
‘We showed up today at the local Cape Byron Power plant that is taking advantage of this scam to say there is no public license for this dirty energy that is 50% worse than coal.
‘The target is the European Union and its member countries, but this message must come from everywhere affected by Europe’s unacceptable large scale biomass burning and poor leadership – from forests and communities suffering the impacts, to other jurisdictions that are following in Europe’s footsteps – currently leading to a global escalation of this false and damaging climate solution.
‘This includes Australia, which is ramping up this industry set to gobble up our forests.
‘We are encouraging people to post a photo of themselves to their socials with a poster saying #forestsarenotfuel
The petition can be found here: https://you.wemove.eu/campaigns/the-eu-must-protect-forests-not-burn-them-for-energy.
Absolutely disgusting. But everything the Feds do on ‘carbon abatement’ is a complete travesty, such as paying farmers to store more carbon in soil or encouraging aborigines to burn the bush in order to claim carbon credits. Not only is it a lie, it is counter-productive and misleading the public into believing that the government is doing anything to limit their highest levels of carbon pollution in the world.
this is a madness.. why destroy forests that nature lives in too fuel this.. no there has to be a better way! loss of tree habitat for animals is not an ongoing option.. lets think smart and change how we power our world . for the sake of nature!
I can see the bull-dust coming out of each & every fed’s mouth.