We used to say, “to declare a climate emergency.” Now it has become such a common thing to do that people just say “to declare” and expect everyone to know what they mean.
→ You can add your name to the petition here:
www.geelong.climateemergencydeclaration.org/petition
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The purpose of this petition is to show Council that they have support in their community to drop the politics on climate and do what the science is demanding.
Over 550 local councils world-wide, representing over 65 million people in 13 countries, have declared a climate emergency. The ACT has as well, and so has the UK, Irish and Welch governments.
They have done this in response to many reports, mainly the latest IPCC and UN reports, which explain in unprecedented stark terms just how serious the situation we face is.
As residents in Geelong, when we come together and speak with a strong, unified voice, we can empower the City of Greater Geelong Council to go down a similar pathway and join this rapidly growing network of local governments.
We have everything we need right now to face up to this emergency, except one thing: responsible leadership among our elected representatives.
Council can lead by example. Considering the danger and existential threat our collective carbon emissions represent, this ought to be any Councillor’s duty of care to his or her constituents.
Change is coming, whether we like it or not. In every decision we make, we all have to ask ourselves: “How is this decision going to affect the climate?”
We call on Council to fund and implement initiatives that will guide, assist and inspire and drive the Geelong community to “do our bit” and reduce Geelong’s emissions by at least 50 per cent in the coming decade, and if possible even more.
GEELONG RESIDENTS
Sign here:
→ www.geelong.climateemergencydeclaration.org/petition
SURF COAST RESIDENTS
If you live in Surf Coast Shire, a similar petition has been started there, petitioning the Surf Coast Shire Council:
→ www.surfcoast.climateemergencydeclaration.org/petition
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Messages to Geelong’s councillors
Responses and comments quickly ticked in after we launched a Facebook post about this petition. Some examples of what people have written:
Toby:
Please Councillors, We are in a climate emergency. If we keep going the way we are going, our future will not be what it is today – and not for the good. I’m not saying to spend our entire budget on climate science but instead declare climate emergency, be one of the largest cities to declare it and help save the country and city that we all love.
Suzie Brown:
We need urgent action to address the climate crisis and it’s Council’s responsibility to take the lead on this. Show leadership to the community. It’s more than just cutting Council emissions. You and we need to act urgently to cut GHG emissions everywhere in the city and prepare for climate impacts now. And we need to start protecting our natural ecosystems urgently before we lose all our insects and other species we rely on for survival.
Caitlin:
Please declare a climate emergency
Sharon Bush:
Please declare a Climate Emergency!
You have been chosen to listen to the people of Geelong, and many people from this area love the natural wonders and want to keep them safe.
Please help us.
James Bush:
Dear Councillors,
I would like to bring to your attention a climate emergency. The science is there, this has been proven. The world knows we’re at a tipping point at this present time of 2 degrees. Our politicians have their heads buried in the sand, especially with the current LNP government. The politicians are not listening, though the people are. And it’s time the Geelong City Council started to listen too. Please start listening to the people of Geelong who elected you
Kind Regards, James Bush. Belmont, Geelong.
Sue Keating:
How can anyone deny that our country is not ok?
Think of the future; and future generations. Extinction is forever.
No-one can live or survive on a dead planet
It’s time to act on climate emergency.
Ruth Weston:
Please discourage any intensive animal agriculture in our region. It uses enormous amounts of water and methane given off by ruminants is a very potent greenhouse gas. We have low lying areas which are already being inundated with higher water levels.
Nicole Craig:
Climate change needs to be taken seriously…NOW! We need to declare a climate emergency and take urgent steps to repair/lessen the damage. I don’t want my children and future generations to live in a world ruined by ignorance and lack of action.
Jacki Jacka:
Listen to the the youth who would like a future. Act on climate change NOW.
Naomi Adams:
We are in a climate crisis and the newly re elected federal government needs pressure! Act now!!!
Tony Gleeson:
In the last 6 months, we have received reports from reputable groups in:
– Biodiversity
– The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
– Health
– Economics
– Agriculture
– Justice
and others saying that if we want our earth to be habitable, we must take action right now to stop emitting carbon into our atmosphere and start drawing it down.
To achieve that we need to acknowledge that we do face a climate emergency.
If this is accompanied by a well defined set of actions & acknowledgement that we have all that we need to face up to this emergency, people won’t be paralysed by fear.
It’s council’s opportunity to show true leadership on climate to its constituents and honours its duty of care.
It will be joining a world wide movement of local government authorities which currently consists of in excess of 550 that represent more than 65 million people.
Dylan Mayso:
Declare and do our bit!
Manika Conning:
It’s more than about time!
Caroline Danaher:
It would be wonderful to see Geelong join the hundreds of other councils around the world doing the right thing to acknowledge and enact change for this very vulnerable area.
We need to accept and deal with the climate emergency. Local government is perhaps more important than state or federal.
We must make plans to encourage, indeed legislate about waste, especially landfill and growth, smaller more sustainable houses that do not use good arable land. Green areas for wildlife, which we cannot live without. Sea level rises need to be calculated and worked with, not ignored. We need community solar power for everyone, not just those that can afford or have the right shaped roof. We need local food. I could go on and have probably forgotten important issues.
Monica Winston:
I urge you to tell the public in this municipality the truth and declare a climate emergency so that council will get on with planning an emergency response.
There are hundreds of councils globally who have done this now.
We are heading for extinction unless we do something immediately as the earth is already too hot and we are seeing ecosystems breaking down.
Tell the truth so we can get our priorities right. It’s a Climate Emergency and we need Emergency action
Tabitha Lowdon:
The children all over the world are striking, nonviolently protesting about this!
The first Climate Emergency Declaration in the World was signed in Darebin City Council in September 2018. This is who has followed: Australian Capital Territory, London City, UK, Ireland, Wales, 15 + Australian Councils, 150 + councils around the world.
I call on Geelong City Council and Surf Coast Council to Declare a Climate Emergency, and do what it takes to save our climate, including teaming up with a community group to advise on what needs to be done.
Deborah Punton:
Climate Change has no boundaries such as council districts. It effects our whole biosphere and should be treated as a serious threat to our health and many other species.
Brad Homewood:
The human race is in the midst of a ever worsening climate and ecological emergency, nothing short of an existential crisis, please respond accordingly.
Alexandra Marshall:
We can choose inaction or inadequate action and lead humanity down the path of chaos and catastrophe within my lifetime.
Our atmosphere is the temperature control and contains the air we need to breathe. If we damage it enough, it will be too hot, and we will not be able to breathe.
Our planet is our house, our kitchen, our wardrobe. It provides our clothes, our food our resources. Inaction or inadequate action on the climate emergency will lead to civil and international wars due to these resources being limited and this will happen within my lifetime.
I’m not here to sugar coat it, Climate Emergency mobilisation will take a lot of time, money, effort and collaboration but the diagnosis is clear. And right now, treatment is available.
We have all the capability and resources to address the Climate Emergency while maintaining and improving social peace, prosperity and equity.
That is the truth at this point in time, but I don’t know if I can say the same thing in ten years.
We can choose inaction and therefore catastrophe, or we can choose action, which will be challenging and we will have to be brave and it will result in prosperity and sustainability.
John Taylor:
This is serious and urgent!
Emma Donnellan:
Please declare climate emergency, then act accordingly and urgently.
Miriam Robinson:
The climate emergency will impact us all. Act now. Please!
Guenter Sahr:
Stand up. Stand out. Demand a sustainable future for Geelong. Begin the transition now.
Tim H:
With the beautiful coastal environment we have in Geelong we are going to be substantially affected by climate change. Action on climate change must be taken at all levels and our council must declare a climate emergency to implement the urgent changes required.
John Seal:
We are facing a massive environmental collapse and disaster.
Act now.
Philip Trouse:
I am so concerned about the future of our planet for our grandchildren. I’m willing to pay higher taxes and energy prices now if it helps direct energy where it needs to go.
Phil Baulch:
The correlation between global CO2 emissions and global GDP is almost perfect. We need to plan now for a world beyond the growth economy. Only then, will climate change be addressed in any serious way.
Ruth Weston:
The climate emergency will affect the whole world. There will be climate wars in the next couple of decades. Please take action against climate change and in particular do not approve intensive animal agriculture which is one of the major causes of global warming.
Barker:
There is no Planet B.
Bron Plarre:
The world should have started action in reducing emissions 30 years ago. We haven’t, so we’re in this emergency situation. We must all state telling the scientific truth about this crisis, then ACT.
Irene Madigano:
This issue shouldnt be political. It is much too urgent to be subject to party politics, in fact any politics, it’s a moral human issue . Without the plant no humans!!!!!!
Wendy Cox:
We should all be declaring this.
Enrico Santucci:
Hi I’m siriusly concerned about clament change , so I imploring the Geelong council to declining the state of Emergency on Clament , as we need to make changes to have any possibility to curb the distractive spiral we are creating ! Making action to curb clament change it’s a paramount and now it’s the time ! Making changes to control the negative impact that clament change bringing on are community , can save money on the surt time and on lingo terms as well !!!
Please your responsibility it’s to lead are community of a better out come of living and Colling the state of Emergency on Clament change will be a first step to make the changes we need as community !!!
Steve Posselt:
Please respect the science and do what is necessary
Amber Forbes
Please be on the right side of history and act now! Act for all of us, we need institutional change to support and push forward individuals efforts.
Richard Parncutt
I have children.
Simon Armstrong:
For too long this urgent issue has been taken too lightly
Please do the environmentally responsible thing.
Lou Petch:
The time is NOW!
DECLARE A CLIMATE EMERGENCY!
Let’s be leaders and not just follow when the pressure is on to conform and it’s too late.
Please
Zel Whiting:
We need to declare a Climate Emergency to make it clear what a fire position every living thing on this planet is in.
We need to CED and audit how we are doing things now & create an action plan to reduce CO2, drawdown and create awareness campaigns for resilient communities.
I cannot understate how important this is to do now. We have run out of time
Michael Staindl:
Please show Boroondara how it should be done!
Oliver Westwood:
The sooner we start acting on what is quite clearly an emergency situation, the better off we all will be!
Ingrid Hindell:
It’s ridiculous not to love your children!
Goran:
Our planet is dying.
We have Climate Emergency!
Therefore, we need to act accordingly and stop fossil fuels and protect the nature.
Kate Heffer:
I’m so frustrated by a lack of action at all levels of government. please act on the climate emergency before our kids inherit a dead planet.
Maddi T:
This has literally gone too far. Not enough is being done to protect the environment for future generations. If we don’t do something soon it’ll be too far gone to do anything about it.
It’s SO important we take action NOW! THIS IS CRITICAL. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY
Jo-Anne Britt:
The City of Greater Geelong has a great opportunity to become a true green city. Already you are doing fantastic work with the Malop St Green zone and solar power and water tanks to many COGG buildings. It would be fantastic if you made this a priority with all council property and also planning decisions. Rather than allowing developers to continue to subsume farming land with miles of cheap and nasty housing, make developers take more responsibility for transport infrastructure and green development. Lead the way with the new city precinct with edible green walls and rooftops. The big issue in the future will be a lack of biodiversity and water resulting in a lack of food. Green belts enable water.
Hayley Bennett:
Acknowledge and act on the climate emergency.
Sam Schepisi
The longer we wait, the harder we make it for our children. Please help by acting for the world we live in.
Alan Barlee:
The world-wide response to potentially catastrophic human-induced climate change has been either outright denial or timid and indecisive commitment by most national governments to slowing and halting carbon emissions.
The time to act is now – as a rapidly growing bottom-up movement around Australia, and around the world, testifies. There are now hundreds of cities, a number of states, and now a national government (UK) that have declared a climate emergency.
This opens up the way for elected community leaders to engage their communities in a focused and widely shared commitment – to first acknowledge that we are facing a critical issue, and then to mobilise the community all of us – to start taking immediate action.
Emma Duncan:
Can we please have action, no greenwashing or empty conversations. We need positive, tangible and inclusive action. What a great opportunity to be a leader in Australia, inspiring other councils to act!
Chris Fox:
Implement change now please!
We are all willing and able to facilitate change now, this must happen before our world is ruined for ever.
Jeremy Klitzing:
The people living within the CoGG and the council itself will be substantially affected by climate change and as a ratepayer I want the council to be as ready as possible. Early preparation will be the key to avoiding huge costs.
How do you want you legacy remembered?
Abigail Elder:
Please be brave and use your power for good.
David Jefferson:
Be the leaders we expect and approve the declaration
Birte Knaus:
It’s time to start taking action not just talking about it.
Caroline Bate:
Please declare a climate emergency and help us to create a better future for everyone.
Kirsten McKechnie:
Please act for the future
Erica Vernon:
Climate change is real we must do our part to alleviate this dire situation for the planet.
Sally Clarke:
the more that join quickly the better..ACTION & ENCOURAGEMENT from Govt badly needed! THANKYOU!
Dan Munt:
Please implement a climate emergency plan.
Gillian Blair:
Taking action on climate change has many advantages: it will generate many thousands of jobs in renewable energy, such as in manufacturing, installation, export markets. Europe is now moving to a circular economy, whereby no non-recyclable plastics will be used. Packaging and products are being redesigned to be able to be re-used and have another life after they have become damaged or out of date for any reason. Take note: So-called Waste-to-Energy is also being pushed out of existence in Europe, Britain and the USA, as high temperature incineration prevents the recycling of products at the end of their useful life. In fact incineration produces large amounts of greenhouse gas and has over the years been proven to pollute the air, soil, and the food chain with dioxins and furans and other toxic substances. The incineration industry covered up emissions for years, but the pollution was eventually revealed. It is disturbing that this industry, which has shown itself to also be uneconomic and extremely expensive, requiring large inputs from government in order to keep going, is now being viewed favourably by local and state governments in Australia. The so-called educational workshops for municipal decision makers were not balanced by input from scientists from outside the industry who would have alerted municipalities to the problems of what the Europeans call “Waste OF Energy” technology. As we will need another seven planets if we continue to either land fill or burn resources instead of developing a real circular economy, then we will not only continue to pollute our environment but will add substantial amounts of C02 to the atmosphere.
Larissa Kasian:
The climate crisis is happening now. It is not a problem for the Federal or State governments. It is a problem for each of us. I urge the councillors to consider the requests of this petition and act swiftly in the best interests of the people of Geelong. Our city and its residents depend on climate security for our future.
Brenda Hunter:
Stop burying your heads in the stand and get behind working to minimise the issues climate change will reek on our Earth
Charlotte Duncan:
Take some action! Short term pain for long term gain. Thanks.
Dr Nahlia Bell:
Please acknowledge and act to stop climate change.
Alex:
The climate emergency is so serious that action is required immediately.
Please take action before it is too late.
Rich:
Watch ‘Our Planet’ and tell me you don’t think we shouldn’t act on our destructive ways.
Jude Garlick:
Such a declaration would inform people of the urgency of climate action and galvanise into action those who are fully aware but were waiting for a community action opportunity. the Council should be leading the way, but a declaration should be accompanied by a meaningful plan of action including the role of communities.
Jessica Hickmott:
Let’s act now and lead the way.
Margie Abbott:
Please consider declaring a climate emergency. We all need to act now.
Simone R:
The community demands you take climate change seriously and declare a climate emergency, so your policies and consequent actions reflect the urgency of the issues we face.
Jo Taylor:
Please acknowledge the climate emergency now so we can work together as a community to ensure a just transition in Geelong to a low carbon, sustainable future. I am particularly concerned about my children’s future, especially for my son who lives with disability and would be poorly equipped to adapt to the breakdown of society in the very real possibility of ecological collapse.
Kate:
In the 80s the scientists told us the facts about the ozone layer depletion… they won a Nobel prize for their discovery. The global community came together and banned CFCs by law. The ozone layer is now healing as a result of this global action. The world’s scientists have spoken up again. We have 12 years to reverse our CO2 levels. The federal government is lying that we will meet our Paris Climate targets. We need to step up where they won’t pull their weight. Help! Declare a climate emergency and help stop Geelong City CO2 levels. Every…bit…helps! It shows the federal government we will not be taken for fools, that we can come up with independent and intelligent plans to transition jobs from fossil fuels to renewable energy jobs. It’s time.
Sharon Munt:
We need urgent policies in place to try to reverse this crisis.
Melissa Tinney:
Lets make sure there is a future for our children and their children make the changes now!
Lauren Monteleone:
I beg you, heed to the warnings and the evidence on Climate Change. Help spread the message and lead the way in preventing the most enormous crisis of our age, our own existence. Please declare a Climate Emergency and start taking the steps to get Carbon Emissions to net zero by 2025. I do not want my children to suffer because of our mistakes. Thank you.
Megan V:
We’re already do late to this story. Yet the time is still now, and now, and now again. Maybe we truly can create a safer future for our children and their’s to come. We must start now.
Stephanie Vernon:
Act now. This is it.
Stuart Rosson:
Act now.
Cherise McLean:
Given that climate impacts are already causing serious loss of life and destroying vital ecosystems, global average temperature, atmospheric greenhouse gases, and ocean acidity are already at dangerous levels, and wartime economic mobilisations have proven how quickly nations can restructure their economies when facing an extreme threat, it is inexcusable to continue with climate-damaging policies that put us all in even greater peril.
Kirby:
Please publicly acknowledge the climate emergency
Laura Dumont:
Dear Councillors,
For the sake of future generations, climate change needs to be taken seriously. So much is as stake, our environment, our quality of life and the deminishing animal species. Please be strong leaders and act on this. Let’s put Geelong on the map and show the rest of Australia and the world how it’s done.
Thank you.
Michelle Abbott:
Fearful of what the future will look like for my kids. A pro active Council that recognises that their is a climate emergency gives me faith for the future
Tina Thorburn:
This is not an issue can be ignored. To do nothing is to condone the actions that have brought about and continue to bring about the extinction of so many different flora and fauna species that sustain life. None of us are exempt from the consequences of inaction.
Daniel Monteleone:
Be Brave. Use your Power for Good.
Jen:
I just read an article about Sweden having literally no rubbish due to their recycling scheme. Why are we so behind in this???? I constantly colllect rubbish on my walks and my daughter is meeting with her principal in regard to improving the way we do things. Something has to change, l have grave fears for the future
Jennifer Klitzing:
There is still a window to act and overcome this climate emergency.
I don’t understand why action hasn’t been taken on a world wide scale.
Richard Smart:
There is no time to spare, the climate emergency is apon us NOW!
Clare Walton:
It is about time you actually listened and walked the talk instead of pretending to listen and then just playing lip service. If you actually care about more than your own back pocket (then again no environment no way to cash in right) and the world we want to leave for future generations then please take action instead of pretending to. Green wash is no longer acceptable and Geelong as an opportunity to actually embrace green technology and not just have slogan that is nothing more than a catch phrase, which currrently is all that it is.
Catherine Jones:
Our kids deserve to live and breathe in the environment we took for grated. There are no jobs on a dead planet
Kylie Whyte:
We need to act on Climate Change now. Please support the request to declare a Climate emergency – we need our local council to help solve the problems caused by climate change and to provide leadership on this issue. Thank you.
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You can add your signature and write your comment to the Geelong Councillors on geelong.climateemergencydeclaration.org/petition/
#ClimateEmergency #ClimateEmergencyDeclaration