When it comes to taking real action on climate change, the grassroots of Australia is all over it – literally.
Four protesters from the grassroots group Rising Tide are locked on to the main coal conveyor of Bayswater power plant, shutting down the supply of coal to Australia’s single biggest point-source of carbon emissions. Outside, more than thirty others are occupying the coal-piles that feed the station with messages calling for Australia’s carbon emissions to peak by 2010. A pretty reasonable ask, I would have thought, when the environmental damage we’re already seeing from climate change tells us that the issue is slipping out of our grasp.
It’s worth reminding ourselves that despite nightly screenings of politicians telling us how important climate change is, the Government is still allowing emissions to soar. If you want to prevent runaway climate change, I believe standard procedure is to get emissions going down, not up. If the Government needs some ideas for how to make this happen, I’m sure the grassroots movement of Australia can lend a hand.
This protest sets the scene for a week of community action on climate change. Australians from all walks of life will be stepping in where the Government has failed. If you see a group of people from your neigbouhood withclimate change placards, go and join in your local action. If you don’t, gather a group of locals and show our political representatives what real climate change action looks like.
Want to know where you’re nearest climate action group is? Click here for a website used by Australian climate action groups.
