Peak and transition

With rising oil prices hitting home across Australia, I completed another Earth Matters radio show on Australian responses to peak oil. You can download the MP3 here and subscribe to the podcast here (host was experiencing website issues at the time of publishing, hopefully resolved soon)

Together with climate change and financial crisis, the phenomena of peak oil is one of many factors causing strains across the globe. It’s linked to everything from food riots in Africa to increased living costs in Australia’s mortgage belt.

Many analysts argue the recent escalation in oil prices is evidence we are close to a peak in global oil production which would bring the world into an unprecedented era of declining energy availability. In a society where everying from transport, food and consumer goods needs a steady flow of sweet black crude, the consequences are likely to be enormous.

Many people have Mad Max type visions when thinking about peak oil. But on today’s show we will explore some proactive responses at the government and local level. In fact, some of the strategies for dealing with peak oil and climate change lead to beneficial social and environmental outcomes.

Earth Matters first discusses the Queensland Government’s 2007 McNamara report, which was Australia’s first high level acknowledgement of the peak oil problem. The report calls for a “war-time mentality” to address the issue.

Elliot Fishman from the Institute for Sensible Transport warns of major vulnerabilities in Australia’s car-based social and physical infrastructure and raises policy alternatives being adopted around the world.

We then hear from Sonya Wallace, coordinator of the Sunshine Coast Transition Region which has joined the growing global “Transition Movement”. Sonya talks about creative and empowering strategies for developing community resilience in response to peak oil and climate change.

More information on the transition movement is available from http://transitionculture.org

Read an analysis of the McNamara report by Stuart McCarthy.

The lessons of Cuban peak oil

I interviewed visiting Cuban environmentalist Roberto Perez for Earth Matters.

You can download the podcast from the 3cr website.

With oil hitting $110 a barrel, Cuba provides a powerful example of how an industrialized country can survive a so-called “peak oil” scenario, where oil availability goes into an inevitable decline.

When the soviet union collapsed, Cuba lost a huge percentage of its vital oil imports.

The country also lost important trading partners which provided the country’s food needs and important export revenue.

Cuba was pushed into an immediate food and energy crisis, a situation compounded by long-standing US embargoes.

After responding to the crisis with a more localised economy and organic food production system, Cuba is now being celebrated as a model of self-sufficiency.

It was the only country in the 2007 World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet report that met a set of criteria for sustainable development.

Roberto Perez is a cuban biologist and permaculturist who is currently touring Australia.

He’s been telling audiences about Cuba’s experience and what it means for oil-dependant countries like Australia.

More information about Roberto’s Australian tour is available at http://www.permaculture.com.au

Saving the seed and fighting the new GE feudalism

Just finished Earth Matters for this week. The show focusses on genetically engineered canola and the many risks associated with GE crops.

It also takes a look at seed saving with one of Australia’s pioneers in the field, Jude Fanton pictured here with a mildew resistant Professor Mary Sheahan’s cucumber.

I interviewed Louise Sales, genetic engineering campaigner with Greenpeace. Louise discusses what’s been an eventful month in relation to GE crops.

Moratoria in Victoria and NSW will end in February while South Australia took a more cautious approach on GE crops deciding to extend its moratoria.

February also saw several Canadian farmers visit Australia to warn about the perils of adopting GE-canola. I interviewed Canadian National Farmers Union Vice-president and a canola grower, Terry Boehm who talked about how GE seeds and biotech companies are forcing farmers into a relationship he likens to “feudalism”.

Jude Fanton, co-founder and director of the Seedsavers Network talked to me about the importance of saving the seeds of hierloom and rare varieties to combat the consolidation of the seed ownership and the ecological risks of genetic monocultures.

You can download the show (after Sunday) or subscribe to the podcast at www.3cr.org.au/podcasts.