May 5, 2014

Annual lecture outlines challenge of coal, climate and nature conservation

Nature Conservation Council of NSW CEO Pepe Clarke outlined a vision to resolve the conflict between conservation and mining as guest speaker at this year’s Allan Sefton Memorial Lecture.

The annual lecture, hosted by UOW’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES) has been held for the past 22 years in recognition of the late Allan Sefton who was well known to Illawarra residents for his work as a naturalist and conservator of the local environment.

Mr Clarke’s address, titled, ‘From little things, big things grow: Coal, climate and nature conservation in the 21st century’ outlined how changes to state environmental policy to designate drinking water catchment areas as reserves or national parks.

“We've got this very unusual situation where if a member of the public walked into a special catchment area, they could be fined; but at the same time, another part of government continues to approve coalmining activities in the catchment,” Mr Clarke told the Illawarra Mercury prior to his address.

His address examined the early years of the coal industry and the conservation movement in the Illawarra region and explored current conflicts surrounding regarding fossil fuel development.

The Nature Conservation Council was established in 1955 and represents more than 120 community environmental organisations from across the state.

For nearly 60 years, the NCC has campaigned to protect our forests, rivers and oceans from destructive development.

SEES Head of School Dr Zenobia Jacobs said: “From humble beginnings in Australia’s early colonial history, the coal industry and environment movement have emerged as key players in a high stakes contest for the future of energy in a world threatened by global climate change.”

Mr Clarke was first exposed to the environmental and social costs of mining when his hometown successfully fought off a mining proposal that threatened their drinking water supply.

The Allan Sefton Memorial Lecture was established in 1993 and is a public occasion where a distinguished Australian scientist speaks on a topic of wide environmental interest.

The lecture is organised annually by the SEES and supported by a fund established by BlueScope, Wollongong City Council and friends of the Sefton family.

It includes the presentation of the annual Allan Sefton Memorial Prize to an environmental sciences student based on academic achievement.

The prize was this year awarded to Advanced Honours Environmental Science student Joshua King.