The annual and growing Walk Against Warming is happening again this weekend in cities across Australia.
Coastwatchers president, Mark Fleming says, “Walk Against Warming provides a platform for all Australians to be united in calling for greater government action on climate change. If we don’t do something now to halt human-induced climate change, then who will?”
Sunshine Coast Environment Council spokeswoman Keryn Jones says: “If we don’t do something to stop climate change now, it will be too late for our kids.”
National walk organiser Cate Faehrmann says, “Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time. Without community pressure our political parties will not take the action needed to make real cuts to our greenhouse gas emissions."
The 2007 Walk Against Warming will highlight the need for laws in place to reduce Australia’s greenhouse pollution, through:
Coastwatchers president, Mark Fleming says, “Walk Against Warming provides a platform for all Australians to be united in calling for greater government action on climate change. If we don’t do something now to halt human-induced climate change, then who will?”
Sunshine Coast Environment Council spokeswoman Keryn Jones says: “If we don’t do something to stop climate change now, it will be too late for our kids.”
National walk organiser Cate Faehrmann says, “Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time. Without community pressure our political parties will not take the action needed to make real cuts to our greenhouse gas emissions."
The 2007 Walk Against Warming will highlight the need for laws in place to reduce Australia’s greenhouse pollution, through:
-a reduction in energy use
-increased energy efficiency
-a shift to renewable energy
-better public transport systems
-an end to land clearing and logging of old growth forests
-a price being placed on carbon pollution
This isn't the most radical action ever, but what the hey if you're down under it's worth the walk.
The following is from the Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald.
80,000 to descend on Sydney
Organisers call it Walk Against Warming but, ahead of a federal election, it could prove a useful public opinion poll on climate change.
Sydney's Domain on Sunday will be the setting for a public rally calling on the Federal Government and the Opposition to take tough action to tackle climate change. More than 80,000 people are expected to turn up, according to the organisers, the Nature Conservation Council.
The environment movement has criticised both parties for falling far short of the commitments needed to address Australia's rising level of greenhouse gas emissions and the damage the pollution will do to global temperatures and sea levels.
In an environment debate between opposition environment spokesman, Peter Garrett, and Federal Environment Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, yesterday, both failed to outline how Australia would cut its climate change pollution by 2020, said NCC's executive director, Cate Faehrmann.
"There was no commitment from either side of politics to a short-term 2020 target to reduce Australia's greenhouse emissions," said Ms Faehrmann.
"The last chance either side has to meet the community and scientific community's expectations on setting a 2020 target is now this Sunday, in front of tens of thousands of voters at Walk Against Warming," she said.
"Scientists both here in Australia and those behind the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change all point to the need for deep cuts to emissions by 2020 if we are to have any chance of preventing the worst impacts of global warming later this century," she said.
The Climate Institute's latest polling of about 900 voters in marginal seats, conducted between November 3 and 5 in NSW, Queensland and South Australia, showed the influence of climate change on voting intentions had increased to 73 per cent from 62 per cent since a similar poll taken before the election campaign.
However, the standing of both major parties had slipped, the poll found.
Of those questioned, 54 per cent said they would be more likely to vote for a party that ratified the Kyoto Protocol and "more than half of voters in these marginal seats believe that Australia should sign an international climate change treaty regardless of whether or not it is signed by India and China".
"Just 22 per cent believe that Australia should not sign an international treaty until it is signed by India and China," said the institute.
Organisers hope to attract up to 250,000 to Sunday's nationwide event. In Sydney, Mr Garrett and Mr Turnbull were invited to speak to the crowd but so far only Mr Garrett has accepted.
Other speakers include Australian Greens leader, Bob Brown, political activist group GetUp's Brett Solomon and John Connor from the Climate Institute.
The walk starts at 1pm, and will be duplicated in 24 other towns and cities in NSW, including Grafton, Port Macquarie, Bowral and Lismore.
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