<
https://theconversation.com/battle-for-the-bush-ignore-the-noise-most-farmers-like-renewables-264680>
"Reaching net zero in Australia relies on the bush. That’s where the land, sun,
wind and freshwater resources are.
But as the clean energy build accelerates, some landholders are pushing back.
Unfortunately, their legitimate worries have been magnified by media coverage
and vested interests.
The recent series of News Corp Australia Bush Summits promoted farming and
mining while mining magnate Gina Rinehart took aim at the damage she claims
renewables and the “net zero ideology” were doing to farmers already struggling
with “devastating droughts, fires [and] floods”.
Clean energy – key to mitigating climate change – is growing rapidly, driven by
projects in rural areas. In just five years, Australia has almost doubled how
much clean energy goes into its main grid, reaching 40% this year.
The speed of the rollout has caused fractures in regional and rural areas as
the “presumed benevolence” of renewable energy comes face-to-face with the
realities of large-scale infrastructure development. In Victoria, controversial
new laws mandating access for transmission line builders are likely to inflame
relations with host landowners. The carrot of increased payments seems barely
enough.
Farmers worry more and more about changes to the climate. Most quietly support
renewables and many benefit directly from the reliable income of solar and
wind. But rapid change can create real tensions, especially when change is seen
as being done to a community, not with it.
What should be done? Policymakers, project developers and landowners should
focus on finding ways of equitably sharing the very real benefits of the clean
energy transition with the communities who will host them."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
