Hey, Australia! Scoop Ice Cream, Not Coal!

March 24, 2017

With climate change impacting lives and livelihoods all around the globe, we think we can all agree that the best way forward is to end our reliance on fossil fuels and turn toward clean energy sources. After all, we're not all that keen on losing some of our most important ice cream ingredients to this global menace. In Australia, apparently lawmakers haven't gotten the message. A new coal mine — the largest in the country — is in the final stages of approval, threatening to lock our friends down under into another generation of dirty coal power.

Here's what we think about this atrocious move:

We’re all on board with the fact that climate change is real, and it’s already happening. Scientists agree that to prevent our environment from altering drastically, we need to stop average global temperatures from warming more than 2 degrees Celsius. This means that in order to avoid disastrous impacts to our planet, we need to make sure that 80% of current fossil fuel reserves remain in the ground.

But in Australia, plans are being finalized to build Australia’s largest coal mine in the middle of Queensland. The Queensland and Federal Governments have agreed to every one of Adani’s, the company building the mine, needs – including $1 billion of taxpayer funds and all the free water the mine wants. It’s never been more important for the Australian people to come together and stop this megamine.

 

We Can Beat Our Fossil Fuel Addiction

For a big country with loads of sun, wind and sea, Australia's record on green energy is poor. They set low targets at 2015’s Paris Climate Agreement, and they're set to miss them by miles. And that's without huge new mines like those planned for Queensland.

The Adani Mine, will produce around 60 million tons of coal a year for 60 years. And the mining and burning of that coal will generate an estimated 4.7 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. If Australia wants to stand any chance of keeping the promises made in Paris, then we must act now!

The Great Barrier Reef Is In Trouble, Too

Many of us think of the Great Barrier Reef as a technicolour dreamworld but for much of the reef sadly that's no longer the case. Coral bleaching caused by warming seas is sucking the color and life out of our coral. Not only will the mine’s expanded port be the reef’s new neighbor, but the burning of all that extra coal will lead to increased global warming. Bad news for the reef, the fish, and other marine life that live call it home.

We’ve helped to protect the reef before on our Fight for the Reef Scoop Tour, campaigning to stop mining companies dumping torn-up seabed in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – and it worked! Now today we must work towards an even bigger goal – to save not just the reef but the planet, too! 

Scoop Ice Cream, Not Coal Roadshow!

Like a scoop of ice cream, we all know that if it is melted, it is ruined. With all this dirty energy, our reef – like our planet – won't stand a chance. To save our precious planet, we have to say no to new coal mines. Join us and our partners at 350 Australia on the “Scoop Ice Cream, Not Coal” Roadshow, to see how you can get involved. It’s our planet, but we’re going to have to fight for it!