---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kamala Emanuel <kamala@...> Date: Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 1:17 PM Subject: Sydney climate emergency rally: organising meeting August 14 To: suactivegreens@yahoogroups.com, climatechange_socialchangeconf_announce@yahoogroups.com, climatechange_socialchange@yahoogroups.com, SAenvironment@yahoogroups.com, climateactiongroups@... You may have seen the call for protest actions to highlight the urgent need for action on climate change that has been doing the rounds of the climate-interested lists (if not, see below). If you want to take part in organising a climate emergency rally in Sydney, September 27, please come to the first meeting: 6.30pm Thursday August 14 UTS We're seeking the involvement of as many groups and individuals as possible, so please forward this through your networks. Supported by Alison Potter, Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle Brianna Pike, Resistance Damien Lawson, Climate Justice Coordinator Friends of the Earth Australia Janet France, North Shore Climate Action Jonathan Doig, Sutherland Climate Action Network Jo Ferris, Sydney Uni enviro collective convenor Jo Spangaro, Ryde Gladesville Climate Change Action Group Kamala Emanuel, Socialist Alliance Maria White, UNSW enviro collective co-convenor Nicky Ison *We need urgent action on climate change!* A call for a national week of protest action beginning September 21 Climate change is already occurring, much faster than the world's scientists have predicted. Recent data including the very real possibility of the arctic sea-ice melting by September this year demonstrate that this is a climate emergency. We are concerned that the Australian government's proposed Emissions Trading Scheme will be full of loopholes and by the government's own admission will allow emissions to continue rising for some years. We believe such incremental measures are unacceptable: We need greenhouse emissions to start to fall immediately and sharply. To begin to solve the problem we need action on many fronts including: * No new coal; * Massive public spending on renewable energy; * More public transport not new freeways; * End logging of old growth forests. We call for a national week of protests across Australia at the Spring Equinox, in the week beginning September 21. This week of action can highlight the summer melt of the Arctic ice and other worrying signs that demand urgent measures to de-carbonise the economy from state and Federal governments. We ask climate change campaign groups and networks and all environmentally concerned organisations across Australia to work together for a co-ordinated and effective week of public protest around these themes. *Call issued by the organising committee for the July 5 Climate Emergency rally in Melbourne www.climaterally.blogspot.com<http://climaterally.blogspot.com> Endorsed unanimously by participants at the final session of the August 2 Climate Justice seminar in Melbourne www.climatejusticeseminar.blogspot.com<http://climatejusticeseminar.blogspot.com\ > Please circulate this message widely.* [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]