City of Sydney councillors will vote next Monday 24th June on whether to declare that climate change poses a serious risk to Sydneysiders. Moore insists that reducing emissions should be treated as a serious and national priority.
“Successive federal governments have shamefully presided over a climate disaster, and now we are at a critical juncture – we face a climate emergency,” Moore said this morning.
“Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions have increased for four consecutive years. It is clear that the current Federal Government’s policies are simply not working and I call on council to declare a climate emergency, step up our efforts to hold the Federal Government to account.”
Moore wants to see the reintroduction of a price on carbon to meet the Paris Agreement emissions reduction targets and the establishment of a Just Transition Authority to ensure Australian employed in fossil fuel industries can transition into appropriate alternative employment.
“On January 24 this year, 91 of the hottest 100 places on earth were in Australia. Heat waves on our continent are not only five times more likely, they start earlier, last longer, and are hotter than ever before,” Moore said.
“With 96 percent of NSW still drought affected, our farmers and rural communities are being decimated by drought, suffering from water shortages and extended bush fire seasons, witnessing unprecedented fish kills and the death of once mighty river systems.”
According to the International Climate Emergency Forum, over 600 jurisdictions in 13 countries have now declared a climate emergency.
The Climate Emergency Declaration campaign in Australia is supported by over 50 climate action groups, including the International Climate Emergency Forum, Extinction Rebellion, and Greenpeace Australia.
More than 108,000 people have signed a petition on change.org calling on Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison to declare a climate emergency and act accordingly.