Join us on November 29 to Sit-Down in Solidarity with those impacted by the bushfires and the climate crisis

Friends,

My name is Patrick Rudd and I live in Port Macquarie. Last week, I couldn’t go to school because of catastrophic fires, fuelled by the growing climate crisis. And I wasn’t alone. Across NSW, over 500 schools shut down last week in response to the fires. This week, more schools are closed across Australia.

The smoke blanketed our community and I could barely see 100 metres out my window. The pollution in the air was 21 times the safe amount and the sky was a dark orange – you may have seen the pictures. It was almost apocalyptic.

Experts have been warning Governments for a long time that this would happen - but they have been ignored. And now the Government is trying to deny that climate change is making the bushfires worse.

But as former NSW Fire Commissioner Greg Mullins said: "If it’s not time now to talk about climate change and what’s driving these events, when is?"[1]

Twenty-three fire commissioners[2] are among the many experts telling the Government that climate change is contributing to this bushfire crisis. And yet our Government continues to bury their heads in the sand, leaving communities like ours to deal with the consequences.

When lives are on the line, all of us need to act. Which is why on November 29, school students across the country are holding a national day of #ThisIsClimateChange Solidarity Sit-Downs.

Join or host a Sit-Down near you in solidarity with everyone impacted by this crisis.

Together we will sit down to hear from those on the frontlines of this crisis, fundraise for the Bushfire Appeal and call on politicians everywhere to increase support for indigenous land management[3], the Rural Fire Services and urgent climate action.

It’s time to start talking about why we’re seeing these unprecedented disasters. The mining and burning of coal, oil and gas is the leading cause of climate change which is increasing the intensity of the bushfires.

Summer has not even begun. In NSW, the fires have already burnt an area the size of the past three fire seasons combined. It’s time for action not words.

See you next Friday Nov 29th.

With hope,

Patrick Rudd from Port Macquarie for the School Strikers 4 Climate Action

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References

[1] Ex-fire chiefs accuse government of unofficial gag on climate change, SBS, 14 November 2019 (Facebook version)

[2] Ex-fire chiefs accuse government of unofficial gag on climate change, SBS, 14 November 2019 (SBS online version)

[3] Indigenous leaders say Australia's bushfire crisis shows approach to land management failing, ABC, 14 November 2019.