Launceston demands government commit to 350

The Launceston community will converge today on the Regatta Lawns at Royal Park to plant hundreds of paper origami windmills in the ground to form a gigantic 350. The number corresponds to a future where CO2 emissions are reduced down to the safety of 350 parts per million and the windmills represent one of the ways we can get there.

The event comes just six weeks before the world’s nations convene in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Change Conference where the new international climate treaty will be decided. Australia must support the 350 target and join the 89 countries who have already endorsed it.

Today the people of Launceston are sending a strong message to our leaders: a just transition to a low carbon safe climate future with a strong investment in renewable energy.

“The electorate of Bass is always an important seat nationally – what happens here can influence the rest of the nation. GetUp and Launcston is asking Jodie Campbell MP to champion our message back in Canberra,” said Regina Lane, GetUp ReEnergise Australia Community Organiser for Bass.

The Tasmanian Office of Climate Change predicts that by 2030 Tasmania could be fully energized by renewable energy and exporting 60% of our energy across the basslink. Currently we import a whopping 20% from dirty coal.

“Climate Change is global but many of the solutions to meet the 350ppm target are simple and can begin right now, here in Tasmania. We can start to reduce our emissions by stopping the woodchipping of our native forests and working with farmers to protect forests on their farms” said Gemma Tillack, Climate Change and forest Campaigner for The Wilderness Society Tasmania.

Federal candidates for the upcoming election have been invited to speak about their parties’ climate change policies at the event as well as spokespeople from GetUp, The Wilderness Society, Oxfam and the local Community.

“They’ve heard from lobby groups and the big polluters, this event is to make them listen to what their electorate wants,” WAG member Lisa Searle said.

Visual documentation From the Day of Action will be delivered to the United Nations on Monday. Images of the events from around the world, including the Launceston event, will be featured on giant video screens in Times Square in New York as part of a 350 countdown, and are accessible at request.
Coordinated internationally by 350.org the event has been locally organised by Launceston Wilderness Action Group and supported by GetUp and The Wilderness Society Tasmania.

ABOUT 350.ORG

Founded by author and environmentalist Bill McKibben, 350.org is the first large-scale grassroots global campaign against climate change. Its supporters include leading scientists, the governments of 92 countries, and a huge variety of environmental, health, development and religious NGOs. All agree that current atmospheric levels of CO2—390 parts per million—are causing damage to the planet and to its most vulnerable people, and that government action at the Copenhagen climate conference is required to bring the earth’s carbon level swiftly down to 350 ppm.

350.org is member of TckTckTck – a global alliance of faith groups, non-governmental organizations, trade unions and over a million individuals calling for a fair, ambitious, and binding international climate change treaty.

For more information, visit www.350.org.
Amy Tyler