Media release Monday Feb 27 - Climate Emergency Declaration

Climate Emergency Declaration at Parliament House Canberra Today

Media are invited to attend the following event today at the front forecourt at APH – Monday Feb 27 for:

1. 12 Noon SHARP 15 minutes only – Photos and statements by Dr John Hewson, Ian Dunlop, Adam Bandt MP and Pat Conroy MP on the occasion of the hand over of a petition calling on the Australian Parliament to declare a climate emergency

AND/ OR

2. 10.30 – 12.30 pm – Photos and interviews with the Climate Emergency Declaration Yellow Sea Kayak at doors of Parliament House Monday Feb 27

CONTACTS

Jodie Green 0450 520 303 jodie.green@bze.org.au on site
Steve Posselt 0438 138 982 steve@kayak4earth.com
Lyn Thomson (Steve’s support crew) 0410 319 311 lynthomson17@bigpond.com
Petition comment: Margaret Hender 0413 639 592 mhender@westnet.com.au

STATEMENT

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Former leader of the Opposition Dr John Hewson and federal Members of Parliament for Melbourne Adam Bandt MP and for Shortland New South Wales Pat Conroy MP will today join with engineering kayak adventurer Steve Posselt at the front door of Parliament House in Canberra to deliver a petition containing over 18,000 signatures calling on the Australian Parliament to declare a climate emergency.

After 1150km of ocean paddling along the New South Wales coast from his home in Ballina, Steve Posselt – engineer, grandfather of 5 and ocean-kayaking ecowarrier – has now also completed 180km of dusty hot trekking on foot to arrive at last at the front doors of Parliament House in Canberra.

The petition Posselt will deliver asks Parliament to declare a climate emergency and mobilise resources to restore a safe climate. It can be signed at http://climateemergencydeclaration.org/sign.

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EVENT DETAILS

12 Noon Monday February 27 2017

Dr John Hewson, former leader of the Opposition will hand over the petition to Adam Bandt MP at noon SHARP at the front forecourt of APH. Contact on site team Mob 0450 520 303 for info

Speakers at the event in order will be:

1. Philip Sutton co-author of Climate Code Red and event MC

2. 12 noon Greg Morgan Acknowledgement of country 1min at approx 12 noon or soon after, or as soon as when Adam Bandt MP and Pat Conroy MP arrive

3. Philip Sutton 2mins

4. Adrian Piani Engineer 2mins

5. Steve Posselt Kayak4Earth 2mins

6. Dr John Hewson, former leader of the Opposition

7. Ian Dunlop former chair of the Australian Coal Association

8. Adam Bandt MP, member for Melbourne

9. Pat Conroy MP member for Shortland NSW, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy

10. All other MPs and Senators present will also be invited to speak

PHOTO OPPS

Dr John Hewson, Ian Dunlop, Adam Bandt MP, Pat Conroy MP and kayak and kayaker Steve Posselt

LINKS

Kayak4Earth Facebook and climate emergency mobilisation Facebook pages for details – and look for the yellow kayak.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1822743721344138/

https://www.facebook.com/kayak4earth/

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QUOTES

‘Engineers have always been at the forefront of providing solutions to humanity’s most pressing problems. But sometimes engineers have to do more than just respond to a design challenge. They need to lead. And Steve is doing just that with his climate change journey. A great inspiration to all of us.’—-Adrian Piani, Environmental College of Engineers Australia

‘Given the latest evidence, it is almost impossible to now keep the temperature increase below 1.5°C or even 2°C with the current approaches,’ says Ian Dunlop, former chair, Australian Coal Association. ‘We have left it too late to solve the climate dilemma with a graduated response; emergency action, akin to placing economies on a war footing, remains essential.’—–Ian Dunlop, former chair, Australian Coal Association

‘If everything promised at Paris is delivered, the planet will likely see global warming exceed a three degree rise above pre-industrial temperatures. Three degrees means no Arctic or Antarctic ice, no glaciers, and very likely no humans.’—–Steve Posselt, a fellow of the Australian Institute of Engineers

‘In World War 2, faced with an extreme threat, countries mobilised their economies for action in years not decades. Now, faced with the accelerating catastrophic impacts of climate change we need to act equally decisively and at the same huge scale – to deliver ‘victory’, that is the restoration of a safe climate. The Climate Emergency Declaration petition is putting this approach on the agenda for the community and governments.’—-Philip Sutton, co-author of Climate Code Red

‘The Climate Emergency Declaration and Mobilisation petition is a tangible expression of the growing public demand for an effective full-scale response to the climate reality.’—-Margaret Hender, one of the organisers of the petition

CONTACTS

INFORMATION

http://kayak4earth.com

http://climateemergencydeclaration.org/kayak/

IMAGES

http://climateemergencydeclaration.org/media/#hiresphotos

To sign the petition:

http://climateemergencydeclaration.org/sign