29 Organisations across Australia call on the Government to take 350 stance to Copenhagen

The Wilderness Society Inc
Media Release
16 October 2009

Twenty nine of the leading Australian environmental, research and union organisations joined together today in calling on the Australian Government to commit to supporting the stabilisation of 350 parts per million (ppm) greenhouse gas concentrations or lower at the United Nations climate change meeting in Copenhagen in December.

In a consensus statement announced at a press conference at the Sydney Opera House today, the following organisations announced their support:
1. 350.org Australia
2. GetUp
3. The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF)
4. Greenpeace
5. Planet Ark
6. LHMU
7. The Climate Institute
8. The Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC)
9. Nature Conservation Council (NCC) - NSW
10. Million Women Campaign
11. The Wilderness Society
12. Maritime Union of Australia, Sydney Branch
13. Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN)
14. Clean Energy for Eternity (CEFE)
15. Labour Environment Action Network (LEAN)
16. Doctors for the Environment – Australia; and

Fourteen Climate Action and community groups – Climate Action Balmain and Rozelle, Climate Action Newtown, Climate Action Pittwater, Climate Action Manly, North Shore Climate Action, Climate Action Drummoyne, Parramatta Climate Action Network, Clean SA, Climate Action Moreland, Yarra Climate Action Now!, Climate Change Our Future Inc., Alexander Sustainability Group, Healesville Environment Watch Inc., Communities Combating Climate Crisis (C4) Healesville.

COLLECTIVELY, THESE ORGANISATIONS STATED THAT:

The speed at which climate change impacts are now occurring demands that a national and international benchmark for a global climate agreement be established to ensure we reduce our atmospheric CO2 from our current level of 387 ppm to 350 ppm or lower as recommended by the world’s leading climate scientists.

The current draft of the Copenhagen agreement includes language setting a target of reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to 350ppm to avoid catastrophic climate change.

This would require a commitment to reduce global emissions to zero as soon as possible this century.

It is a time for national leadership and an international climate change agreement that goes beyond the interests of each nation, in the interest of all nations.

On 24 October, people across the globe will be adding their voices to the call for 350 as that benchmark. Today, we add our organisational voices to that chorus.

QUOTES FROM GROUPS ATTENDING:

'An ambitious global agreement in Copenhagen will help us unlock the hundreds of thousands of clean-energy jobs here at home,” said Ed Coper of GetUp. 'Australian politicians have a real opportunity to make that a reality by showing the leadership necessary to deliver a clean-energy economy.”

'For too long the politicians have been listening to the polluters and not the people,” said Tony Mohr, Manager Climate Change Program at the Australian Conservation Foundation. 'It’s time for our politicians to step up and support the global goal we really need – 350ppm.”

'Our response to the climate crisis must be ambitious, effective and equitable,” said Louise Tarrant, LHMU National Secretary. 'A fairer society can only be built in a safe climate. This is why we support strong global action aimed at limiting warming to the lowest possible level.”

'Australia is already experiencing an extinction crisis; losing ecosystems and species and climate change will make this worse.” said Sean Barret, Planet Ark CEO. 'The 350ppm target is an ecumenical way of expressing the goal needed to halt dangerous climate change.”

'The Australian Youth Climate Coalition is throwing our full support behind the 350 campaign,” said Josh Wyndham-Kidd of the AYCC. 'Our generation will be the most impacted by climate change, yet youth have the least say in the solutions.”

'Communities across Australia are working to ensure a safe climate future for our children and generations to come, one that will protect humanity an our existing biodiversity,” said Jenny Curtis, Climate Action Balmain and Rozelle. 'We ask that governments the world over work together towards a single target that is dictated by the science......to do whatever it takes to get us back to 350ppm or less. We want them to coordinate a rapid and fair transition away from fossil fuel dependence towards a zero emissions economy. In particular we want Australia to stop mining, using and exporting coal.”

'350 must be the goal if we are to look our children and grandchildren in the eye and say that we did what was necessary to protect the climate and natural world,” said Cate Faehrmann, Executive Director of the Nature Conservation Council of NSQW.

'Some of the solutions to climate change are really simple and can be implemented now,” said Belinda Fairbrother, Sydney Campaign Coordinator, The Wilderness Society. 'Reducing carbon pollution from clearing and logging our forests and woodlands is as straightforward as encouraging farmers to protect bush on their farms and stopping the woodchipping of our native forests.

'The groups here today represent millions of Australians who want real leadership to get us back to 350 ppm and a safe climate future,” said 350.org Australia CEO Blair Palese. 'And Australians are not alone – more than 150 countires are taking part in the 350.org Global Day of Climate Action on 24 October to call for action in Copenhagen.”

QUOTES FROM GROUPS WHO HAVE SIGNED ON IN SUPPORT:

'Our atmosphere already has dangerous levels of carbon pollution and we need to turn that around as soon as possible, that’s a challenge requiring urgent global action from business, politicians and the community,” said Climate Institute CEO John Connor. 'Getting on with that challenge can help make Australia competitive in the emerging, global low carbon economy and cooperative in achieving an effective global agreement in Copenhagen.”

'The 1 million women campaign and 350.org share a commitment to setting incredibly ambitious goals for action on climate change,” said Natalie Isaacs, CEO, Million Women campaign. 'Unless we have ambitious targets we are not responding to the immensity of the challenge and the speed and scale of change that we need to transform our society.”

'The health impacts of change are increasingly apparent; the bottom line is health and survival,” said David Shearman, Doctors for the Environment Australia.

'Clean Energy for Eternity strongly supports the 350.org international movement to bring the world closer to a safe climate,” said Dr Matthew Notts from CEFE. 'Our organisation works closely with Emergency Services crews across our region, all far too aware the real threats that Australian communities face from the impacts of unchecked climate change”.

'The Maritime Union of Australia Sydney Branch supports ‘350’ and its call to international leaders to make courageous decisions to ensure catastrophic climate change is not the legacy that this generation passes onto future generations,” said Paul McAleer, Maritime Union of Australia, Sydney branch. 'The choice is simple; governments enact legislation to reduce emissions drastically and invest in clean energy or suffer the ecological and economic crises that will result from inaction. Dangerous climate change and its consequences are being felt now and will only deteriorate the living standards and economic interests of the world’s people without strong policy objectives and outcomes. The MUA Sydney Branch calls upon all in the community to support ‘350’ and the activities that are being organised in the interests of the entire planet.”

A RANGE OF QUOTES FROM SOME OF THE 14 CLIMATE ACTION GROUPS WHO SIGNED ON IN SUPPORT:

'When I asked our school kids what they thought 350 stood for the answers were simple: 350 for our food, 350 for our seas, 350 for our trees, 350 for our health, 350 for our air. It’s so simple that even the most hardened politician should get it,” Helena Read, Castlemaine parent and member of the Alexander Sustainability Group.

'The upcoming International Day of Action is a great opportunity for the grassroots level to show our governments that we want to live in a safe environment – Climate Action Pittwater is organising a ‘350’ human sign on Mona Vale Beach,” said Linda Haefeli of Climate Action Pitwater. 'Copenhagen must wake up to this message and set safe climate targets for us now and our future generations.”

'350 is then most important number we need to know. Our survival depends on it,” said John Rice, Clean SA.

'Returning to 350 ppm will not be easy, but it is necessary,” said Steve Meacher, HEWI Chairman and C4 spokesman. 'Too much time has been wasted and the longer we wait the harder it gets. The time to act is now!”

'A vision of progress to undergo the transformation to a safe climate economy and culture includes recognising that 350 is the reality that we must strive for,” said Tom Halbert, Climate Action Parramatta. 'We call on business and government to work together to make this transition at the emergency speed that is required according to the undeniable reality of the science.”

'There’s a simple choice between keeping our climate safe, and deliberately aiming for dangerous disruption of the natural systems we depend upon,” said Cameron Tampion of Climate Change Our Future. '350ppm is the line in the sand between those two choices.”

'Hope floats on the North Shore as we launch 350 paper boats into the harbour at Northbridge Baths at 3.50pm on 24 October, the 350.org Global Day of Climate Action,” said Janet France, North Shore Climate Action. 'Each boat will have a message of hope about the future written on it by local school children.”

ABOUT 350.ORG

On 24 October, a Global Day of Climate Action calling on world leaders to act for 350 ppm at the upcoming Copenhagen meeting will take place around the world. There are more than 175 events taking place in Australia including a flagship event at the Sydney Opera House at 2 pm. Globally, there are more than 3,000 events planned in 158 countries.

• Visit www.350.org/australia and www.350.org for information.
• Learn more about the Wilderness Society 350.org events in your state >>