Newsletter 3: Kayak to Canberra halfway mark, events, petition progress

Kayak to Canberra halfway mark, events, petition progress
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Our campaign calling on the Australian government to declare a climate emergency started in February 2016 when global temperatures spiked past 1.6 degrees of warming. Today, our campaign is supported by over 40 environmental and climate groups, and we have reached 12,000 supporters. But we are very keen to grow these numbers before our petition is delivered to parliament on 25 February.

If you are in Victoria or New South Wales, there are many opportunities in coming weeks to join in events to build our campaign. If you live somewhere else, please help by sharing the online petition with your friends.

 


Coming events in Victoria

1.   Come to the Victorian Climate Action Network meeting this Saturday 4 February, 1.00pm to 4.30pm, at St Vincents Hospital, corner of Victoria and Nicholson Streets, enter from Victoria Parade. Topics for discussion include updates on the emergency declaration campaign and plans for 2017.


 

2.   On Monday evening 6 February at 9:35pm there will be an episode of the ABC’s Q&A show be discussing Trump and climate change. Guests include American climate activist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, Minister for Resources and Energy Josh Frydenberg, and Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews, among others. Help us raise awareness of the need for emergency action during this hour on national TV. See links and suggestions below


 

3.   The Sustainable Living Festival in Melbourne is all about the climate emergency – and if you are in Victoria, don’t miss out on this unique event. We have selected a short-list of climate emergency related events for you – see below. And we need your help to collect petition signatures at the Victorian Climate Action Network stall on the Big Weekend on 10-12 February. Please let us know if you can spend an hour or two on this important work.


 


Newcastle welcome on 21 January at Horsehoe Beach
 

Coming events in New South Wales and Canberra

4.   While many of us enjoyed a well-earned break, engineer and eco-warrior Steve Posselt has been busy paddling his kayak on an eight-week trek to deliver our Climate Emergency Declaration and Mobilisation petition to Canberra. He will arrive at Parliament House on Saturday 25 February. You can check out his epic journey at www.kayak4earth.com. Some highlights and coming events are below.


Sydney welcome on 28 January


 

Petition progress

We are delighted to report that we now have over 12,000 signatures, thanks in part to all the extra signatures from Steve’s welcome events, but also thanks to all of you. We now have exactly one month to reach our target of 100,000 signatures before Steve reaches Canberra on 25 February. Can we do it? We’re certainly giving it our best shot!

With Trump slamming climate measures and emboldening climate nay-sayers here, it is extra important that we show our government the growing community support for immediate, far-ranging, and effective climate policies.

We really do need to get those 100,000 signatures soon, and we think we can with your help!

One supporter is planning to ask all the parents at her kids’ school to sign the petition. Another supporter, the CEO of a large company, sent a memo to all staff saying that he signed our petition and asked them to consider signing too. If you don’t have those options, perhaps you belong to a book club, a sporting club, a CWA group, or… How about printing the poster with QR code and pinning it on a workplace noticeboard or similar?

All it will take is everyone who has signed so far finding 10 more people each on average. One easy way might be to simply share some of our Facebook posts or retweet some of our tweets.

Here are two links you can use to share or retweet right now if you wish:

» Facebook share link

» Twitter: www.twitter.com/petitionSTORM/status/815780707553292289

» Email friends and ask them to sign at: www.climateemergencydeclaration.org/signandshare

Okay, we do know it is not really that easy to get 10 friends to sign the petition, but if you need a bit of inspiration just take a look at Steve’s hands when he shows his blisters to the cameraman at the end of this NBN News clip!

Apparently the blisters have now turned into callouses, and he is an adventurer after all and is actually having fun, but Steve is putting his life on the line every day he is paddling… all in an attempt to convince government that the community wants them to take the necessary actions to protect us all from climate impacts.




Q&A focus on climate emergency

Q&A kicks off the 2017 season on Monday night in Melbourne, broadcasting from ABC’s Docklands studio at 9:35pm AEST

The program is streamed live on ABC iview and on www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

In the panel:
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez – Climate activist and hip-hop artist
Josh Frydenberg – Minister for Resources and Energy
Daniel Andrews – Premier of Victoria
Daisy Cousens – Research Fellow, Menzies Research Centre
Helen Andrews – Trump supporter & policy analyst

» Join the studio audience
Register here to be part of the Q&A audience before Monday morning. Everyone is welcome!
www2b.abc.net.au/AudienceBooking/Client/AudienceRegistration.aspx

» Ask Monday’s panel a written question or upload a video question
www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/ask-question.htm

» See the 200 most recently approved web questions
www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/latest-questions.htm

» See the 200 most recently approved video questions
www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/video-questions.htm

Register for the audience or submit a video question by 9am Monday.

 

» Retweet this tweet from @QandA here:
www.twitter.com/QandA/status/826724777142472704

» Read more about Xiuhtezcatl Martinez here:
www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/coming_up.htm#XIUHTEZCATL_MARTINEZ3

» Xiuhtezcatl Martinez was interviewed in The Sustainable Hour just before Christmas:
www.climatesafety.info/thesustainablehour153/#xiuhtezcatlmartinez

 

Inspiration for tweets on Monday night

We are petitioning for what is necessary to protect us all: #ClimateEmergencyDeclaration #QandA @XiuhtezcatlM @JoshFrydenberg @petitionSTORM

Lives are at stake. We need to accept the science, ask governments to declare a #ClimateEmergency, and immediately mobilise resources #QandA

Ask Australian Parliament for a #ClimateEmergencyDeclaration and mobilisation. Please sign the @petitionSTORM | #ClimateEmergency #QandA

The fact that we are not talking about climate solutions every single day is a great moral failure of every leader in this country. #QandA

Big problems require big solutions. Please sign this: www.climateemergencydeclaration.org/sign  #Kayak4Earth #ClimateEmergency #QandA

@DeutscheBank will no longer finance coal. Why would anyone waste public money on polluting climate-disruptive coal? @JoshFrydenberg #QandA

Fossil fuel companies donated more than $1m to the three major parties prior to last year’s federal election @market_forces #QandA

Already climate impacts are killing people. Every kg of greenhouse gases we emit causes greater damage #QandA @JoshFrydenberg @petitionSTORM

We must get below net zero carbon emissions absolutely as quickly as possible! #QandA @JoshFrydenberg @petitionSTORM

Australia’s transition: Annual tourism generates $47b as compared to coal exports of $41b #QandA @JoshFrydenberg

Greed, not the environment movement, is the greatest threat to freedom and prosperity for all in the modern world #QandA @JoshFrydenberg

They went on playing politics until the world collapsed around them. Stop the madness @petitionSTORM #QandA @JoshFrydenberg @DanielAndrewsMP

 


 

Climate emergency focus at Sustainable Living Festival

Climate emergency highlights
Not to miss at the Sustainable Living Festival in Melbourne:

Sunday afternoon 12 February at Under the Gum:
• How Councils Can Reverse Global Warming
• Climate Trumped
• The Climate We Need

Wednesday evening 15 February:
• Tim Flannery: Why We Must Declare A Climate Emergency

 


Examples of climate emergency relevant SLF events:

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Nature’s Apprentice presents:
Psychology For A Safe Climate
Friday 10 February at 4:00 pm at Under the Gum
Feelings rather than facts move us to act. What’s a rational response?
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/psychology-safe-climate

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Centre For Sustainability Leadership presents:
Leadership Rewired & Reimagined
Friday 10 February at 5:00 pm at Under the Gum
In these (climate) changing times, the world needs to reimagine leadership
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/leadership-rewired-reimagined/

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Peter Singer – Festival Great Debate
Friday 10 February at 6:30 pm at The Greenhouse (Cost: $25)
Peter Singer is a signatoree of the Climate Emergency Declaration petition
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/peter-singer

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Lighter Footprints presents:
Right On! Talking To Conservatives
Saturday 11February at 1:00 pm at Under the Gum
A conversation with John Hewson on climate change and conservative thinking
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/right-on-talking-to-conservatives

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Think Inc. & SLF presents:
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez: Why I sued the U.S. government
Saturday 11 February at 3:00 pm in ACMI Cinema 2 (Cost: $43)
We are standing here to fight and protect everything that we love
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/xiuhtezcatl-martinez

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Safe Climate Alliance presents:
How Councils Can Reverse Global Warming
Sunday 12 February at 2:00 pm at Under the Gum
Exploring the critical role local councils can play in reversing global warming
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/councils-can-reverse-global-warming

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Friends Of The Earth presents:
Climate Trumped
Sunday 12 February at 3:00 pm at Under the Gum
Or a chance to reshape climate strategy for success
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/climate-in-a-time-of-trump

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Climate Emergency Declaration & Mobilisation Campaign presents:
The Climate We Need
Sunday 12 February at 4:00 pm at Under the Gum
Getting a Climate Emergency Declaration
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/the-climate-we-need

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Breakthrough presents:
Paul Gilding – Great Disruption to Great Transition
Sunday 12 February at 4:00 pm at The Greenhouse
​Paul Gilding knows it’s ​​time to face the climate ​reality, and sees that​ only a WWII scale of mobilisation will lead to climate victory.
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/paul-gilding

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Bayside Climate Change Action Group presents:
Tim Flannery: Why We Must Declare A Climate Emergency
Wednesday 15 February at 7:30 pm at Brighton Grammar School
Is it now or never as we near the end of the critical decade?
Tim Flannery is a signatoree of the Climate Emergency Declaration petition
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/tim-flannery

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The Royal Society Of Victoria & Science In Public present:
Breaking News
Thursday 16 February at 5:45 pm at The Royal Society of Victoria
An Insider’s Guide to the New Media Climate
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/breaking-news

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Beyond Zero Emissions presents:
#ZeroIn10 – The Zero Carbon Australia story
Three days of talks featuring at the BZE Big Weekend stall
» Read more: www.slf.org.au/event/zeroin10-1

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» See list of climate related events:
www.slf.org.au/tag/climate

» See the full festival program:
www.slf.org.au/events

 

 


Kayaking progress – coming events

Kiama, Feb 2, 6:00pm, Kiama Welcomes Steve Posselt Kayak4Earth

Nowra, Feb 4, 4.00pm, The Shoalhaven Welcomes Steve Posselt Kayak4Earth

Nowra, Feb 5, 8:30am, Nowra send-off for Steve Posselt Kayak4Earth

Hyams Beach, Feb 5, 4.30pm, Shoalhaven Transition Welcomes Steve Posselt to Hyams Beach

Ulladulla, Feb 7, 6:00pm, Ulladulla Welcomes Steve Posselt Kayak4Earth

Moruya, Feb 14, 12 noon, 350Eurobodalla Welcomes Steve Posselt Kayak4Earth

Moruya, Feb 17, 6.00pm, Steve Posselt’s Climate Story – his Kayak Odyssey

Canberra, Feb 25, 10.00am, Kayak4Earth Canberra finale


Beach welcomes and interviews

On Steve’s first four weeks he had fabulous welcomes from local supporters at Yamba, Coffs Harbour, Nambucca Heads, Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Terrigal and Sydney. They’ve been welcoming him with flotillas or beach welcomes and collecting petition signatures, including from the Mayors of Ballina and Coffs Harbour.

We’ve lost count of the number of radio interviews and articles in regional newspapers, and NBN News has broadcast news clips of three of the events – Ballina, Coffs Harbour, and Newcastle. You can view these on our website at www.climateemergencydeclaration.org/kayak, and see numerous photos in Steve’s online diary at www.kayak4earth.com/category/diary.

Kayak links

Video interview with Steve Posselt:  www.nbnnews.com.au

See all the media coverage

350 Melbourne recently decided to step in and now fully supports and promotes the petition

Steve Posselt received this message from Bill McKibben


Ballina Mayor David Wright signing the petition at Steve’s Ballina send-off


Coffs Harbour Mayor Denise Knight signing the petition


350Eurobodalla collecting petition signatures at the Moruya Show


Download this poster if you’d like to display it at a venue where you are collecting hard copy petition signatures.


Download this poster and display it on a workplace noticeboard or similar so colleagues can sign the petition using their phone.


“You know what inspires me? People who are willing to put their own comfort aside and go to extraordinary lengths because they believe in their power for change. Steve Posselt is one of these amazing people. Google him. Then, please sign this: www.climateemergencydeclaration.org/sign  – then, once you are also in awe of The Determinator, please consider taking a snap of you and your letter of thanks to Steve. Don’t forget #Kayak4Earth   Thanks for all you do Steve!”

Jodi Magi, 350 Melbourne

www.facebook.com/photo.php

 


Regards,
The Climate Emergency Declaration petition team

 

 

 

 

 

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