Global Climate Change Action

Richard Downs and Harry Nelson
NT Intervention - coming together - standing together

Greens Propose:

Rather than locking‐in the weak targets proposed by the CPRS, potentially until 2026, the Greens propose a two year fixed carbon price at $20 per tonne, based on the Garnaut Review proposals, as an interim measure in the transition to a functional and effective emissions trading scheme.

From Australian students to social movements, affected and indigenous peoples: in solidarity for climate justice
To people’s assemblies in Copenhagen and around the world,

We are writing to express solidarity and support for the major principles outlined in the Peoples’ Protocol on Climate Change, including the principles of social justice, sovereignty, respect for the
environment and an equitable, just response to climate change.

Australian Students Environment Network (ASEN) acknowledges in particular the sovereignty of First Nations Peoples from around the world, and the historical and ongoing injustices borne by Indigenous communities.

We recognise that climate change is inherently a social justice issue. It is a problem that has arisen from a fundamentally unjust global system, and its effects on the people of the Global South are disproportionately large in comparison to the contribution those people have made to climate change.

In taking action on climate change, we feel that it is important potential ‘solutions’ do not perpetuate the injustices of the systems that have contributed to the climate change problem.

Additionally we recognise that the costs of addressing climate change should be equitably distributed, reflecting the historical debt owed by those who have profited from the causes of climate change.

In Copenhagen, the Australian Government and Australian corporations are pushing low and unfair targets; supporting big polluters and an expansion of coal mining and exports; and false and unjust projects of carbon trading, ‘offseting’ and technofixes. We condemn their efforts; and instead are acting – as part of a global movement for climate justice – to keep remaining fossil fuels in the ground, and for effective, just and participatory solutions.

ASEN is committed to ongoing solidarity with communities experiencing the impacts of climate change and of unjust ‘solutions’ to climate change; such as carbon trading and ‘offset’ schemes, nuclear power and large‐scale geoengineering ‘technofixes’.

Alongside others in Australia, we are organising with Indigenous peoples; participating in solidarity protests for climate justice in the Global South, hosting climate justice forums, taking direct actions through Climate Camps targeting the expansion of the Australian coal industry.

We seek direction from and collaboration with communities facing the injustices of climate change as to how we can best continue to support you in the struggle for climate justice. We look forward to strengthening the links between ASEN and the global grassroots climate justice movement.

Yours in solidarity,
Loki and Ann‐Marie from the Australian Student Environment Network

The Australian Student Environment Network (ASEN) is a grassroots network of students from 38 university campuses around Australia, who are active on environmental and social justice issues.
i...@asen.org.au
www.asen.org.au

Dear Climate Change Minister Penny Wong,

What incredible power you hold in the palm of your hands.
Power that was given to you by the people of Australia, who you must honourably represent.
A very large and important responsibility.

I ask you to lead Australia to a sustainable future, one of clean energy supplies and jobs for all. I ask you to NOT CAUSE the extinction of millions, perhaps billions, of species. Please do not commit premeditated murder.

What road will you take Climate Change Minister Penny Wong?
The road of honour, or the one lined with gold...?
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Walk Against Warming march in Melb... accounts vary between 10,000 - 40,000 marchers. See and hear the people Penny Wong...
REPRESENT THEM!
http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/WAW09pix
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Finally, are you aware of the Climate Justice Fasters?
Please ensure these wonderfully brave young people will grow old and fat.
Paul's Blog Day 36 - only water:
http://www.climatejusticefast.com/blog/entry/day-36-paul/
Day 30 - only water:
http://www.climatejusticefast.com/blog/entry/day-30/
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Thank you for your attention.

Huge thanks and acknowledgement to Peter Campbell for sharing his wonderful images.
Full set of images from http://picasaweb.google.com.au/peterc.150/20091212WalkAgainstWarmingMelb...

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Saturday, 12th December, 2009, register here:
http://www.walkagainstwarming.org/

Sixty six million years ago in a land called Gondwana the dinosaurs on
earth were facing a catastrophe. The scientific dinosaurs had been
researching the possibility that an asteroid could swing in from outer
space and cause catastrophic change on earth. However due to the
limitations of dinosaur science, the scientific dinosaurs couldn't prove
that such an event was imminent. As time went on, signs that an asteroid was entering a near-earth orbit were becoming increasingly apparent, such as an increase in meteor showers and occasional flashes in the night sky as the asteroid tumbled in space and reflected light down onto earth. The scientific dinosaur community was becoming increasingly worried about the signs that catastrophe was imminent but still they could not give a definitive time or place for the catastrophic event.

Meanwhile the dinosaurs continued to flourish as the top life-form on
earth. Life was good overall and many dinosaurs attributed the situation to divine providence, having been taught that they were the chosen beings to rule the earth and all other life forms, including a relatively new group called the mammals, only existed to be subservient to them. Other dinosaurs however began to get a little edgy at the increasing rate of scientific dinosaur research indicating a catastrophe was imminent. They formed a global alliance to investigate possible ways to mitigate the effects of the (still unproven) imminent catastrophe. The scientific dinosaurs recommended that all dinosaurs band together and dig tunnels throughout the earth stocked with provisions so that if the catastrophe that was imminent but as yet unproven did materialise, the dinosaurs would be saved, albeit at some cost to all the dinosaur species.

As the research continued and the science grew more compelling, most
dinosaurs had accepted the need to give up some of their food and leisure time to contribute to this plan to save the dinosaurs as a life form in the event of the as yet unproven catastrophe coming to pass.

There still remained a sizeable percentage of dinosaurs who believed that contributing to the dinosaur saving efforts was an unnecessary burden on their lifestyle as the science had not yet been proven. Other dinosaurs tried to convince the sceptical dinosaur minority with the need to at least come on board as an insurance policy, but most would not be swayed, in particular the powerful sectors of the dinosaur economy that controlled the vegetation franchises around Gondwana.

Meanwhile, deep in the forgotten corners of the jungles, in hollows in the rocks, and on precipitous cliff faces, the mammals had noted with alarm the scientific dinosaurs' research and not having many vested interests in the dinosaur economy of Gondwana, began to prepare for the predicted catastrophe by setting aside a portion of their small mammalian economy to dig tunnels and set aside a stockpile. As most mammals agreed, the efforts were only insurance, and if the catastrophe did not happen, their efforts would actually be useful in times of drought or flood. A surprising thing began to happen in the mammalian economy that had not been forecast by even the most eminent mammalian economists. As the mammals dug into the earth
and began to stockpile resources, life improved for all mammals.

Despite the quite significant drain on the old mammalian economy, a new mammalian economy was opening up and the two economies were runiing side by side, all mammals were gainfully employed and they began to nip at the heels of the dinosaurs as a result.

The dinosaurs held conference after conference to thrash out how to deal with the yet unproven imminent catastrophe, and although small groups of dinosaurs were reaching consensus, overall the dinosaurs as a group could not usurp the power of the vested interest dinosaurs who would not accept the imminent catastrophe science without more proof, and who believed that diverting resources into insurance against the catastrophe would be an untenable burden. Even as reports of how the mammals were benefiting from their experiments in actually doing something constructive were filtering in, the old guard was still convinced that the imminent catastrophe research was nothing more than an underhand plan to wrest economic control
from the righteous owners of the planet.

Eventually after years of wrangling, compromise and promises, all the
dinosaur species agreed to attend a Gondwana-wide conference to finally take positive unified and irrevocable action to nut out ways of
proportioning efforts by each dinosaur species towards a common goal of drawing up plans to start the process of getting ready to dig tunnels under the lush green and warm landscape ready for habitation if the as yet unproven imminent disaster did come to pass. Before the conference some of the species had their share of the work promised and enshrined in dinosaur legislation, while others, in particular the major species, were having trouble with their own vested interests hell-bent on sabotaging the whole process.

Even before the conference started, the Stegosaurus surprisingly announced they would not commit to any tunnels until the T-Rex had announced their tunnels, the Brontosaurus promised to build one km of tunnel for each 10 km of tunnels built by all other species, and the Allosaurus flatly refused to come to the conference as they had 'killing to get on with'. The Allosaurus revolt prompted the Brachiosaurus to delay their commitment until they had proof that the Diplodocus were reaching their targets, and so on and so on.

As sixty five million years ago approached, Gondwana was a divided
continent, with small groups of dinosaurs making rather pathetic attempts to dig a series of life saving tunnels, while the majority of dinosaurs, particularly the large species that had grown fat and lazy through their control of the vegetation franchises, were making desultory attempts to quieten the incrtheir easingly vocal scientific dinosaurs.

Then the unthinkable happened.

The scientific dinosaurs were proved to have been right all along. A massive asteroid swung into earth's orbit and as the evidence mounted, it became obvious that it would strike the earth in a matter of
years.

Then all dinosaurs, even the powerful vested interests, realised
that something had to be done, and began to pour a massive effort into 'saving the planet'. What they didn't realise in their little dinosaur
brains was that the planet was fine, it was they who were in trouble.
The mammals noted the dinosaur's research and retreated into their
well-prepared bunkers and tunnels and waited.

On the morning of the 6th of Glock in the dinosaur year 180 million, the main asteroid slammed into the earth off the coast of India followed shortly thereafter by a smaller fragment that wiped out the Yukatan Peninsular in present day Mexico, and the rest, as the mammals like to say, is all history.

The vast majority of dinosaurs were wiped out by the massive climate
changes that followed. The few dinosaur species that had made enough preparations to survive were sorely weakened and were finished off by the mammals. As the earth recovered slowly, the mammals were able to take over a world that had previously been such a paradise for the massive dinosaurs.

Sixty five million years later, the earth faced another imminent
catastrophe. One selfish group of mammals had taken over the planet and were in imminent danger of falling victim to their own laziness and
stupidity.

Just as the dinosaurs had experienced, there were calls for rapid action, but once again the vested interests were able to stymie any
meaningful action until it was too late. If only the dinosaurs had been
able to pass their history on down through the aeons, and if it had been available at the Copenhagen conference in 2009, life on earth might well be markedly different to what it is today.

Extracted from "The Rise and Rise of Our Species Through Human's Misfortune and Happenstance" by Senior President Gloogo Xzzsetriv, Land Dolphin Supremo, published tidal year 125894 in the New Bahamas.

Interview with The Australian Ambassador & Phil

Phil: What are the expectations of the Australian Government around a legally binding deal?
Louise: We want a binding deal. We will put our all our effort behind the Danish government. They have a bold strategy.
Phil: So the Government is still hopeful of a legally binding outcome from Copenhagen?
Louise: No. Not a legally binding agreement at Copenhagen. We expect a high level political endorsement, a set timeline to cement a new treaty and fast start funding for adaptation and mitigation in the developing world

Phil: Some people have noted that the negotiations have reached the conditionality for us to increase our bottom range target from 5% on 2000 levels to 15%. Does the Government plan to increase its lower range?
Louise: That is a cabinet decision. I cannot speculate. The Australian Government is working hard to achieve the most ambitious outcome we can get collectively.

Phil: There is lots of talk about the Prime Minister being a ‘friend’ in the negotiations. Who exactly is he a friend of, a political agreement? Our neighbours in the Pacific who stand to lose much from the impacts of climate change?
Louise: The Prime Minister is a friend of the Danes. He is working very hard to help them ensure they get a great outcome. He is, of course, a friend of our neighbours as well. .........

posted to QEAN YahooGroup by: Eleanor Smith
Sun Dec 6, 2009
Inspiration for the Walk Against Warming next Saturday...
x e
- - -
http://liammacuaid.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/climate-change-demonstration...

For a long time the gap between the size of the movement against climate change and the scale of the issue for humanity has been a real
contradiction. Previous demonstrations in London pulled numbers in the
low thousands and the trend over the past three years had been down.

That changed today with the series of events organised by The Stop
Climate Chaos Coalition http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/the-wave.
Press reports of 20 000 are rubbish. It was not easy to gauge but a
figure of over 50 000 seemed more realistic.

It could be that today’s demonstration in London marked the arrival of
climate change activism as a mass movement. There were large numbers of contingents from universities, churches and NGOs. There was a small but visible trade union presence and it was evident that many of the people there had been brought by organisations of different sorts, in a way that was reminiscent of the early days of the Stop the War demonstrations. The litmus test of how broad a movement’s reach is might be the fact that the organised left makes up only a tiny fraction of its participants and that was true today.

Unhappily I had left my spangly blue wig, boa and face paint on a bus yesterday and so wasn’t able to participate in the blue theme of the
day. Yet countless thousands of people had daubed their faces or were
wearing blue clothes or boas. It’s one way of giving a sense of belonging to a large group and shows that there was a high level of organisation and coordination in a way that was different from most
other demonstrations.

The demands of the official demonstration reflected the politics of the
coalition and have a distinctly NGO flavour. “Protect the Poorest, Act Fair & Fast, and Quit Dirty Coal now, to inspire the deal the world needs.” These are more abstract than what the Campaign Against Climate Change was raising for in its rally at the start of the event. It calls for a million green jobs and 10% cuts in carbon emissions by the end of 2010 and neither pretend to offer a critique of capitalist productivism.

Yet you can’t help thinking that for most people on that demonstration
these nuances are pretty irrelevant. At the moment they are simply
thinking “climate change is real and serious and the world’s rulers are
not doing anything about it.” That’s why they took to the streets.

We can predict with near absolute certainty that the deal that is stitched up in Copenhagen next week will not rise to the challenge of
what has to be done to prevent capitalism’s changes to the planet’s
climate. The positive thing is that it finally looks like that a movement on the scale necessary emerged from its chrysalis today.

Oh and the Climate Camp has set up in Trafalgar Square
http://twitter.com/ClimateCampLdn.

Climate Justice Fast! enters week 4.
Dear friends,

See more information about our team here:
http://www.climatejusticefast.com/about-us/

Senator MILNE (Tasmania) (1:55 PM) -As I rise to speak today, the earth, its people and its ecosystems are facing a planetary emergency driven by global warming and the Rudd government has demonstrated not only that is it not up to the task of addressing a global emergency but also that it has deliberately, willingly and knowingly turned its back on this generation, future generations and in particular all of those people in developing countries who are already suffering from climate change.

It is extraordinary that in human history one generation of humans has the power to impact overwhelmingly on all generations to come after. What we have seen here in this parliament today is a government thinking that a superficial political deal will suffice as a response to climate change.

Taking $6 billion away from Australia's households and handing it across to the coal industry-to coal-fired generators-is not an appropriate response to climate change. ...

Run for a Safe Climate
2pm Sunday 29 November
St Kilda Sea Baths, St Kilda

Run for a Safe Climate
is a 6000 Kms run, from Cooktown to Melbourne. Twenty-five emergency workers, policemen and fireman, are running to raise awareness of the need for a strong government response to climate change. They are also running to highlight the solutions that already exist to deal with the problem. The run commenced on 2 November, and will finish at the St.Kilda Sea Baths, St.Kilda Beach, at 2pm on Sunday 29 November. Here, until 5 pm, there will be a free celebration, with bands, entertainers, celebrities and children's entertainment. Details at runforasafeclimate.org. Please RSVP if attending.

Walk Against Warming
12pm Saturday 12 December
State Library, Swanston Street

Walk Against Warming is Australia's biggest day of community action on climate change. The Melbourne event will begin at 12pm, Saturday 12 December at the State Library, Swanston Street. As World Leaders are gathering to discuss what action they are prepared to take on climate change, we'll be walking down Swanston Street to Princes Bridge, where we'll form a giant human sign to send them a message that Australians want a safe climate future. Details at waw.org.au. Please RSVP if attending.

If we side-step the debate regarding the significance of anthropogenic contributions to global warming, and give the consensus of scientific opinion the benefit of any doubt and concede that we must immediately begin reducing CO2 emissions in order to avoid catastrophe, then we have an insoluble problem. We're in deep trouble and I can see no practical way out of our dilemma short of some revolutionary technological break-through in the efficient production of clean energy.

Dear Friends,

We hope to see you next weekend at Climate Camp '09 at Australia's oldest coal mine: where actions speak louder than words.

From Friday October 9 – Sunday 11th, pitch your tent alongside hundreds of others at Climate Camp '09 – or stroll in for an afternoon – for great workshops, music, art, food and positive climate action.

http://www.climatecamp.org.au
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THE DETAILS

When is it?
Friday October 9th (set up from 9am, Welcome to Country at 12 midday); to Sunday October 11th.

How do I get there?
Helensburgh Park, Helensburgh (40 mins south of Sydney). Check out the map http://bit.ly/4j3Qci

It's easily accessible by train and car, see climatecamp.org.au/get-ready for details and directions. We'll have huge marquees, toilets, showers, decorations, kitchens, tents, solar panels galore, and a whole lot more.

How much?
Anyone is welcome to come to Climate Camp '09, and entry is by donation. We're suggesting a range of $5 per day (for low-income folks / students, incl. some food) to $20 a day (for waged folks, incl. food all meals). For more details, see here. Kids are free.

Can I bring the kids?
It's school holidays, and we're ready for a flood of kids at Climate Camp. Bring them along! We're preparing a big Art Space and a Kids' Tent, with great volunteers co-ordinating heaps of hands-on activities, crafts, and fun learning about climate change and sustainability.

What's on?
There is an exciting and packed program for Climate Camp '09. Kicking off with a Welcome to Country from Uncle Dootch (Dharawal Traditional Owner and Chairperson of the Illawarra Aboriginal Land Council), then workshops on new media, climate justice and coal expansion. On Saturday, there'll be practical workshops about taking action and learning your legal rights, great forums on political donations, sustainable transport, and planning for a vibrant community action on Sunday. Download the Climate Camp Program at climatecamp.org.au/program09

Check out the www.climatecamp.org.au/get-ready page for more details.
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THE ACTION

Join the Climate Camp '09 community rally and walk-on at Australia's oldest coal mine

Join hundreds of parents, youths, locals and workers in a community rally and peaceful walk-on to the site of Australia’s oldest coal mine in Helensburgh.

The Climate Camp '09 action is on Sunday 11 October starting 11am at Charles Harper Park (cnr Walker and Parkes St, Helensburgh). Please wear blue and be creative around the theme of water, climate and jobs.

The NSW Government has recently approved an extension of the Metropolitan Colliery coal mine for a further 23 years. The mine uses a process of ‘longwall’ mining that involves removing coal from long shafts, then allowing the earth above it to collapse. The Metropolitan expansion will mine directly underneath southern Sydney's main drinking water supply, threatening Woronora Dam, and polluting more than 10 million tonnes of CO2 every year.

Speakers at this climate justice action include Uncle Dootch Kennedy (Traditional Owner of Dharawal land, Chairperson of the Illawarra Aboriginal Land Council), Graham Brown (retired coal miner), Julie Sheppard (Rivers SoS) and Lee Rhiannon (NSW Greens MP). There will also be a number of entertaining performers supporting this powerful community action.

Don't miss this important opportunity to wear blue and be part of the flood for climate justice. When it comes to water, climate and jobs, actions speak louder than words.
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WHAT YOU CAN DO

How can I help?
You can invite your friends with this Facebook event; organise with other parents to bring along the kids for a school holiday treat; get together with a bunch of your mates to camp together; or just come along for the powerful and peaceful community action at Australia's oldest coal mine on Sunday October 11th. For the keen beans, we'd love help setting up on Thursday Oct 8th (packing down on Monday Oct 12th) in Helensburgh from 9am.

Follow us around: follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/climatecampnsw and check out our website for updates throughout Climate Camp '09.

Donate: You can make a donation to Climate Camp '09, by sending a cheque (to 19 Eve St, Erskineville NSW 2043), pay online via our website, or deposit directly into the bank account (Climate Camp Australia, Account Number: 984525802, BSB: 650 000).

Check out exciting news from Climate Camps around the world. When we pitch our tents next week we will not be alone. We will be part of a global movement of tens of thousands of people attending Climate Camps to push for change and climate justice.

Last week, North Americans at the West Coast Climate Convergence took on Chevron and big oil; 1500 people in Copenhagen taking action to shut down a coal-fired power station; and South Australians staged their first Climate Camp, taking community action against coal-fired power. For information about the flood of community climate action, check out the links at www.climatecamp.org.au or listen to this great radio/podcast series Camping all the Way to Copenhagen: http://climateradio.blogspot.com/2009/08/camping-all-way-to-copenhagen.h...
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JOIN US AT CLIMATE CAMP '09

Climate Camp is for all of us – because when it comes to water, climate and jobs; actions speak louder than words. We hope you'll join us at Climate Camp '09 - with our kids and parents, our neighbours and friends - so we can begin building solutions together.

For climate justice and a kick-arse Climate Camp,
Holly and James

For the Climate Camp '09 Organising Collective i...@climatecamp.org.au

P.S. Check out http://www.climatecamp.org.au and join hundreds of folks next weekend from October 9 – 11th at Climate Camp ’09: three days of sustainable living and community action in Helensburgh, at Australia’s oldest coal mine.

Can't make it for the whole weekend? Just come along to the Climate Camp '09 action at 11am on Sunday October 11th, at Australia's oldest coal mine, for water, good jobs, and climate justice. For details see: www.climatecamp.org.au/action-legals-info

To all in the Brisbane area-

Uncle Dootch, Chairperson of the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council, is offended and disappointed by NSW Planning Minister Kristina Keneally’s decision to ignore Traditional Owners and approve a mining extension under Woronora dam.
http://www.climatecamp.org.au/get-your-butts-there-climate-camp-09-dhara...
Video: http://www.climatecamp.org.au/video/climatecamp09-dharawal-land
“They are well aware of the damage that mining can do, and they go and approve something like this. We’re talking about millions and millions of litres of water, and they’re going to put a mine underneath it.”
“More people need to stand up. People need to be aware what’s good for their Country. Do we want to destroy it, destroy Mother Earth? That’s really what it’s all about.”
More info:
http://www.climatecamp.org.au/helensburgh2009
Share and invite friends to the Facebook Event
Follow climate camp on Twitter
Switch off Hazelwood, Victoria - September 12-13
http://www.switchoffhazelwood.org/
South Australia-Climate Camp = 24 - 27 September 2009
see http://climatecampsa.org/map.html

Mainstream media links:
1. Protesters force WRC rally cancellation - Gold Coast.com.au
2. WRC stage abandoned after track sabotaged - the Australian
3. Protesters bring halt to World Rally Championship - The Australian
4. Protestor Arrested - Australia.TO News

See attached files -
(A) IMPACTS ON MATTERS OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL
SIGNIFICANCE EXPECTED TO BE GENERATED BY THE
PROPOSED REPCO RALLY (PDF)
(B) Comments On The Ecological Impact Assessment Of The Proposed World Rally Championship (Repco Rally Australia) In The Northern Rivers Region Of NSW by Ambrose Ecological Services Pty Ltd for the Indigenous Justice Advocacy Network (PDF)

Clayton Thomas-Muller, of the Mathais Colomb Cree Nation also known as Pukatawagan in Northern Manitoba, Canada, is an activist for Indigenous rights and environmental justice. With his roots in the inner city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Clayton began his work as a community organizer, working with Aboriginal youth.

Currently, Clayton is the tar sands campaign organizer for the Indigenous Environmental Network.

Watch as he addresses the crowds at Power Shift '09