The Democrats today signed on to the Safe Climate Declaration and joined the call for Australia’s climate emergency transition.
The National Climate Energy Summit, held in Melbourne on 14-15 February, initiated the declaration and the following call to action, saying it is in Australia’s self-interest to demand far greater global action on climate change, and to lead by acting itself.
“It makes no sense to build our economy on fossil fuel resources, practices and technologies which are unsustainable, particularly when Australia has sonme of the best clean energy resources and opportunities in the world.”
This requires leadership which understands the challenge and the opportunities, and is totally committed to accelerating the emergency transition to a safe climate economy. This will not happen with leaders who do not even accept climate change as a priority.
As a signatory, we have agreed to:
- Emphasise the importance of a non-partisan approach that embraces people of all political parties and sectors of society who are committed to science-based policies that make climate a first priority of government and of the community;
- Emphasise the value of a non-partisan government of national unity on climate;
- Hold current political leaders to account if they fail to protect the Australian people;
- Take action to empower Indigenous voices and leadership;
- Take action to strengthen democracy and citizen rights;
- Give priority to engaging with the business community to build understanding of the real nature of the risks and the pace of change required;
- Work to mobilise and connect all sectors of civil society to make a powerful contribution;
- Work to reinvigorate public administration and governance skilled and willing to drive the political and economic transition;
- Advocate tirelessly in public to build understanding and community capacity to drive change;
- Support the formation of a specialist taskforce to set out a road map for Australia’s emergency transition to restore a safe climate.
See here for more on this and to sign on yourself.