Global Climate Change Action Group - .. the fate of the earth is in our hands ..
Petition
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• Congratulations Australia
  

  Congratulations Australians!

  Congratulations ALP!

  Ratify Kyoto as promised and provide sustainable renewable energy supplies for your people Mr Rudd.

  With your leadership, Australia can now truly become "the lucky country".

• Joint Declaration (2)
  

  Update: Joint Declaration
  note: click "read more" for list of endorsing groups.

  To: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd MP
  Kevin.Rudd.MP@aph.gov.au
  PO Box 6222
  Kingston ACT 2604
  Parliament House
  Fax: (02) 6277 8495

  26 November 2007

  Dear Prime Minister Kevin Rudd

  Congratulations on becoming the Prime Minister of Australia. We are very pleased that you will be making climate change a top priority of your first 100 days in office.

  A joint declaration from the citizens’ Climate Action groups of Australia

  We are writing to you as one voice from the abundant citizens’ climate change action groups that have formed across Australia. The existence of our many groups is the result of mounting anxiety in the population about the lack of effective action delivered so far on reducing our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.

  Our members are drawn from the spectrum of this country’s people, from urban, rural and regional areas. They include small and large business operators and directors, parents, students, grandparents, farmers, migrants, and public service and other employees. Diverse and often dissimilar, we all share a common wish to see far more effective measures undertaken by our leaders to avert the dangerous climate change that scientists across the globe predict.

  We applaud your stated commitment to tackling climate change. Unfortunately, it is clear to us that the climate change initiatives proposed by your Party, at the time of writing, will not bring about the necessary reductions in emissions to keep global warming below a dangerous threshold.

  The critical upper limit was previously agreed by the IPCC to be 2°C above pre-industrial levels by the time our young children reach adulthood. Now, with the release of the fourth IPCC report that reveals that global warming is happening much faster than was previously thought, this tipping point is very likely to be much lower.

  Your new government’s policy and initiatives need to be reconciled with the emerging respected science and IPCC recommendations so that we avoid risking catastrophic climate change.

  There is a wealth of knowledge in the public domain regarding climate change, its current and predicted effects, its causes and, increasingly, the necessary steps and options to curb Australia’s contribution to this global crisis.

  The existence of our many climate action groups across the nation demonstrates a widespread understanding about the need for sweeping, legislated changes to industry and society to tackle climate change effectively.

  We are writing to clearly express to you that:

  A. Many Australians are prepared to make the necessary changes to our lifestyles to avert threatening climate change, including paying more for electricity.

  B. We expect our government to swiftly impose measures that will cut greenhouse emissions from industry and domestic society to safe levels, and we will support and respect such leadership on this critical matter.

  C. We are very much aware that there are substantial numbers of highly credible research papers and reports that demonstrate the viability of currently available, clean, renewable energy sources as being able to deliver the bulk of the energy needs of this country.

  D. We are acutely aware of the significant contribution of the coal industry to climate change, both here and overseas, and are not convinced by the clean coal pathway. Exports of Australian coal contribute more to global greenhouse gases than all of Australia's emissions combined. Worldwide, there is no proven, working model for sequestering greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. The technology to provide ‘clean coal’ may never come to fruition, yet time is of the essence. We feel that any government that consents to the expansion of such a dangerous industry in this age is not acting responsibly, or in the public interest.

  E. We remain opposed to the expansion of uranium mining and the nuclear industry for all the risks it continues to pose globally and locally.

  On behalf of the undersigned Australian citizens’ climate action groups, we ask that your government:

  1. Legislate a greenhouse emissions reduction target of at least 30% below 1990 levels by 2020, to put this country on track for an emissions reduction target of at least 90% below 1990 levels by 2050, aimed at keeping the global mean temperature increase from pre-industrial levels to below 2°C.

  2. Legislate a renewable energy target of at least 25% by 2020.

  3. Cease the approvals of new or expanded coalmines, coal-fired power stations and coal export infrastructure, and support the development of alternative, sustainable industries in coal-mining regions.

  4. Adopt a target of zero energy growth by 2010 with annual reductions thereafter, through increased energy efficiency and demand management.

  5. Abandon any plans for the expansion of uranium mining and export.

  We have every hope that your government will recognise climate change as a global emergency needing swift and decisive action to immediately curb this country’s escalating emissions, and the emissions that arise from our exports.

  We hope you draw upon the sentiments and asks in this Joint Declaration when representing our nation at the Bali conference.

  We look forward to your response.

  Sincerely,

  Alison Potter

  for
  Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle
  PO Box 890
  Rozelle NSW 2039
  alisonp@datacodsl.com
  6 members, 500 supporters

  Ballina Climate Action Network
  PO Box 787
  Ballina NSW 2478
  tony@eco-options.com.au

  Climate Action Newcastle Inc
  PO Box 2359
  Dangar NSW 2309
  can@climateaction.org.au
  50 members, 500 supporters

  Grey Power Community –
  Eastern Suburbs, Ryde/Epping, Northern Beaches and other areas
  GPO Box 3307
  Sydney NSW 2001
  info@greypower.org.au
  250 supporters

  Glen Eira Climate Action Group
  c/- 3 Claire St
  McKinnon VIC 3204
  abccc@iprimus.com.au
  13 members

  Ashgrove Climate Action Group
  23 Caneby Street
  Ashgrove QLD 4060
  emma@gwhiz.com.au
  200 supporters

  Kyogle Climate Action Network
  c/o 321 Blackhorse Creek Rd
  Black Horse Creek via Kyogle NSW 2474
  anshakti@hotmail.com
  30 members

  Citizens Climate Campaign
  7 Mission St
  Katoomba NSW 2780
  climatez@aapt.net.au
  1084 members in many parts of Australia

  Maroubra Climate Action
  2 Oorana Ave
  Phillip Bay NSW 2036
  gjoesq@exemail.com.au

  Mansfield Environment and Climate Action
  Shop 3, 12-22 Highett Street
  Mansfield VIC 3722
  s_keane1@activ8.net.au
  50 members

  Eat Cake and Save the World
  78 Hope St
  Brunswick VIC 3056
  quietheart@optusnet.com.au

  L.I.V.E. (Locals Into Victoria's Environment)
  22 Young Street
  Albert Park VIC 3206
  deb_hart@bigpond.com
  200 members

  Adelaide Hills Climate Action Group
  PO Box 1145
  Stirling SA 5152
  janet@ngeringa.com
  14 members 69 supporters

  Bayside Climate Change Action Group
  23 Nelson Street
  Sandringham VIC 3191
  forcey5@bigpond.net.au
  450 families

  Melbourne and Batman Climate Action Coalition
  56 Lucerne Cres
  Alphington VIC 3078
  climateforums@gmail.com
  13 members

  Lake Macquarie Climate Action Inc
  6 Corwen Close
  Cardiff South NSW 2285
  gppears@internode.on.net

  WeCan - Western Community Action Network
  PO Box 926
  Williamstown VIC 3016
  wecan@iinet.net.au
  6 members

  Hills Against Global Warming
  41 Solander Rd
  Kings Langley NSW 2147
  hillsagw@bigpond.com

  Climate Change Australia – Hastings Branch
  PO Box 2389
  Port Macquarie NSW 2444
  jem@impactenviro.com.au

  WE CAN - Willunga Environs Climate Action Network
  14 Hill Street
  Willunga SA 5172
  chriselambert@optusnet.com.au