From Tim Flannery - Climate Council: Dear Anna, We’ve known about greenhouse gases for a very long time. But I believe history will look back on these short, frenetic years as the turning point where humanity finally began to change course on catastrophic climate change. Here’s why. 1.The dam of denial is breaking. World leaders standing in the way of climate action are increasingly isolated, as we saw of our own government at last week’s G20 in Brisbane. The US President put climate change on the agenda, warning that no region in the globe has more at stake on climate change than the Asia-Pacific. He rightly nominated increasing bushfires, flooding, extreme storms and rising seas; as well as the destruction of the majestic Great Barrier Reef as dire consequences for Australia. 2.China and the US have just signed a truly game-changing agreement to curb emissions. According to breaking analysis by Climate Interactive and MIT, these new commitments could keep some 640 billion tons of CO2 emissions out of the air – thats more than all fossil fuel emissions on the planet from 1990-2013. 3.China also just announced that they are planning to build as much clean energy in the next 15 years as their entire coal fleet. The Chinese President called it an energy revolution. That’s what it will be, and not just for China. 4.China’s existing renewable energy push has reduced the cost of solar 80% in just six years. Another huge push like this will further change the economic equation, renewables will get cheaper and cheaper. 5.Major economies pledged more than $9 billion to the Green Climate Fund to help developing countries tackle climate change. This is an important step to make sure that the countries who are driving climate change do their fair share to support countries, like Pacific Island nations, who are bearing the brunt of climate impacts. Australia is yet to contribute. Here at home, we know we still have our work cut out for us. That’s why all of us at the Climate Council are so committed to making sure Australians have the facts on climate change from an independent and accurate source. And as a financial supporter to the Climate Council you’re part of all this in a very direct, powerful way. Anna, on behalf of everyone at the Council, I want to say a huge thank you. To date we’ve generated more than 12,000 media stories from on our reports, with a reach of 130 million people. We’re reaching another 4 million people each month through social media. As the dial heats up this summer, we’re planning a series of reports on extreme weather. I’m so proud of my team, and all our Founding Friends, for making this possible. Together we’re driving a different media debate: •We framed the media story about the G20 as a conversation about Australia lagging behind. •We’re changing public opinion on extreme weather events. •We exposed the bias of the government’s Warburton Review into renewable energy, undermining its credibility. •We’re keeping climate change front and centre for the public. Many days it’s back-to-back interviews. Everyone at the Climate Council knows we simply wouldn’t exist without your generous support and demonstrated commitment. I urge you to please keep giving, reading and sharing at this incredibly important time. Because your contribution to changing the debate in Australia is also helping to change history. Thank you once again. Yours, Prof. Tim Flannery Chief Climate Councillor
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:45:50 +0000
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