Groom MP Garth Hamilton is under pressure to keep the community safe by acting on the climate crisis. Locals will protest outside his office every Friday until November’s United Nations Climate Change COP26 Conference.
“We are protesting to show how scared we are about global heating’s impact on Toowoomba’s families, economy and way of life,” Toowoomba for Climate Action spokesperson Alison Fearnley said.
“CSIRO data shows by 2050 our region will have some of the worst temperature rises in Australia. This means more and more drought, life-threatening heatwaves and catastrophic fire conditions,” Ms Fearnley said. “As well as this, Toowoomba’s water supply is also only guaranteed until 2049.”
One of the most important international conferences on climate change – COP26 – is being held by the United Nations in November. Australia is under significant international pressure to commit to cutting carbon pollution at this event,
A recent report scored Australia last out of 193 United Nations countries for action. “With this in mind, we have invited Mr Hamilton to speak to us about what the science says will keep us safe,” Ms Fearnley said. “The Australian Climate Council says we need 75% emissions reductions below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2035” she said. “Use of fossil fuels – including gas – also needs to immediately stop to avoid catastrophic global heating,” said Ms Fearnley.
Last month United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said “the alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk.” He added that the UN’s IPCC climate change report, released last month, “must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet.”
When: 4-5pm, Fridays – 10th Sept until 12 November (last day of COP26 United Nations Climate Conference)
Where: Garth Hamilton’s office, 516 Ruthven St Toowoomba
Submitted by:
Alison Fearnley
