CLIMATE EMERGENCY RALLIES 13 JUNE
CLIMATE EMERGENCY RALLIES ON 13 JUNE AS CPRS HEADS INTO SENATE
Climate Action Canberra along with Friends Of the Earth, The Wilderness Society, Greenpeace and hundreds of climate action and environmental groups around Australia are holding midday rallies in all capital cities on Saturday, 13 June.
In Canberra, there is a rally and festival in Garema Place, Civic, starting at 12.15 with entertainment, and rally speakers at 1pm.
CAC spokesperson Emma Kefford said today “political leaders have done little to contain emissions.”
“The Federal Government’s CPRS is based on out of date science and thus aimed at the wrong problem”
“CO2 concentrations in the 450-550 ppm range, with emission reduction targets of 5-25 per cent by 2020, and 60 per cent by 2050, won’t work”.
“The world’s best climate scientists are calling for stabilisation around 300 ppm. This means emission reductions of 45-60 per cent by 2020 and 95-100 per cent by 2050” to achieve a safe climate”.
“The CPRS emission reduction targets can’t fix the problem and will lead to a climate disaster”.
“The Rudd Government has failed to come up with an effective policy. That’s why ordinary Australians are taking action in all Australian Capital cities on 13 June”.
“Climate action organisations around the country demand that:
• The Government must frame a new policy that reflects what the climate science is now telling us.
• Australia must take the lead at the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December to forge a strong international agreement capable of preventing catastrophic climate change”.
• At the centre of this policy must be a shift from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy from wind, solar and other available technologies within a decade creating thousands of new jobs, and immediate protection of old growth forests.
According to Prof Andrew Glikson who will be a speaker the rally,
“Further increases in CO2 above the current level of 387 parts per million, rising at 2 ppm per year, will lead to intensified melting of polar ice, sea level rise, ocean acidification, migration of climate zones, droughts and cyclones.”
“The Rudd government’s ‘stabilization’ of atmospheric CO2 at levels such as 450 ppm, or 550 ppm won’t stop global warming. Deep and urgent emission cuts, much greater than those proposed by the Rudd Government, are imperative”.
Other speakers will include, Richard Denniss from the Australia Institute; Greens MLA and speaker of the ACT House of Assembly, Shane Rattenberry; Kim Sattler from Unions ACT; Tim Birch from the Wilderness Society; and Emma Kefford from Climate Action Canberra.
The CPRS legislation will be debated in the Senate next week.
CONTACT Geoff Lazarus, 0419 369 206
FOR MEDIA COMMENT Emma Kefford 0431 444 802
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