We are starting build up some momentum. I thought it might be worthwhile sharing my original letter to the Armidale Express, back in early April 2019:
Already, since that article, a further 175 councils have added their voice worldwide. In Australia, a further 7 councils have declared climate emergencies in their regions, and a further 32 petitions Australia-wide are in place to encourage other councils to share their concern. To see the 605 (and still growing) councils who have already committed to making things happen in the climate change arena, check out cedamia.org.
My original letter:
"As Armidale faces its first water restrictions since the construction of Malpas Dam in the early 1970s, it is time to reflect on what is happening to our climate, and, as a result, many aspects of our daily lives.
We are becoming more reliant on artificial cooling, as well as the traditional heating.
Food is becoming more expensive as it becomes harder to grow. We are forced to spend more time indoors during summer, due to the intense heat. Traditional energy production methods are failing due to extreme heat, matters made only worse by people retreating to increased cooling in their homes.
More globally, our rivers are drying, our snowcaps, glaciers and poles are retreating, our waters are warming, our own Great Barrier Reef is dying, our remaining vegetation is being destroyed, our flora and fauna are heading for extinction at an enormous rate.
Already in our short time in Australia, we have removed 80 per cent of our forests.
Don't all these things, and many more, form the basis for classification as an emergency?
I would like to introduce the concept of a Climate Emergency Declaration to our Armidale Regional Council, to make the urgency we are facing more apparent.
Climate change is no longer something that we might face well into the future. It is with us and the rest of the world right now. We all need to do our bit if we hope to contain climate change to tolerable limits
Globally, 425 council regions have heeded the call to take things more seriously. These councils represent 37 million people.
In Australia, 15 councils, with populations ranging from 12,000 to 162,000 people, encompassing 962,000 people all up, have declared their areas as facing an emergency.
Don't all these things, and many more, form the basis for classification as an emergency?
If you would like to find out more about the action that wised-up councils are taking, and why, and what the Armidale Regional Council could do under a Climate Emergency Declaration, please check out the www.cedamia.org website.
In particular, check out what the Darebin City Council in Victoria has achieved to date. If you would like to go further and participate in some way to make our council area more environmentally aware, and take actions to help reverse the trends noted above, please contact me via energy@slaati.org
It would help us if you would like to add your voice when we approach Armidale Regional Council."