This Tuesday.
16 December.
9am.
“An historic failure deserves an historic response.”
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong will announce Australia’s 2020 emissions reduction targets on Monday in Canberra. Word is the targets will likely be a range between 5 and 15% cuts from 2000 levels… with a slim possibility they might go as high as 25%.
Australia has acted disgracefully at the Poznan climate talks this week and last — we have kept the old Howard Government negotiators who have kept to the old obstructive mentality. Despite a clear acknowledgement in Bali last year that the IPCC recommends a 25-40% reduction target for all developed nations, word is the Aus. delegation has attempted to block the inclusion of this range in the negotiation text. They have also joined with New Zealand and Canada to block the recognition of indigenous rights in the negotiation text for REDD (reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation.)
This lead to Australia getting first and second place in Climate Action Network’s “fossil of the day” award on the same day and our behaviour also prompted criticism from a chinese climate advisor for pretending that we are not rich and successful enough to afford these minimalist cuts.
Meet at UNSW’s main gate on Anzac Parade at 9am.
To get there, catch any of the buses supplied on this map. It’s stop #1.
We will then pick up props and catch a bus together to Peter Garrett’s office in Maroubra:
806-812 Anzac Parade Maroubra
There we will perform ‘the last dance of the Barrier Reef’ to some live music, and enter Peter Garrett’s office.
Plan A:
Enter office – we won’t leave until our demands of peaking carbon by 2010 and removing free permits to the heaviest greenhouse polluters.
Plan B:
Enter in pairs and stay for 12 minutes each – signifying 12 months til the Copenhagen climate negotiations – humanity’s last chance to avoid catastrophic climate change.
This is part of a nationally co-ordinated response to the tragic weakness of Government climate policy, the ‘Step it Up Australia’ campaign. ‘Step-ins’ will be happening in more than 15 key seats around the country. In addition to this, The Greens have coordinated rallies in every capital city, and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition will head to Canberra on Monday to condemn inadequate targets.
Be a part of history!
See you there 🙂
Regards,
Tessa Dowdell
0424808639