2019-07-24
At the Australian Greens National Conference last weekend, the Australian Greens moved and passed a motion declaring a climate emergency, and a motion calling on people to join in the September 20 climate strike. Greens Deputy Leader and climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said it was now time for other parties and parliaments across Australia to join the Greens by demonstrating their unequivocal recognition of the scale of the crisis facing us.
“A climate emergency requires an emergency response. It means putting the climate crisis at the centre of all policy and planning decisions and mobilising the whole of government and society to protect Australia’s people and ecology,” said Mr Bandt.
“The Greens have declared a climate emergency and now the Australian Parliament must follow suit.
“If our politicians refuse to acknowledge we’re in a climate emergency, we’ll never act with the urgency and speed required to avoid this existential threat.
“Even BHP has acknowledged the climate crisis. When a multinational mining giant and one of the world’s top polluters shows climate leadership, the Australian Parliament can no longer refuse to act.
“By the end of the year, we hope to pass a motion through Parliament acknowledging the climate emergency.
“The Greens are also proud to support the growing climate strike movement and the September 20 strike in Australia and across the world.
“Greta Thunberg and the students all around the world who have joined her are demanding action from politicians and there’s no doubt that the mob in power in Australia are failing them.
“Over the weekend, the Greens reaffirmed that we back these climate strikers all the way.
“The Greens are encouraging as many people, students or otherwise, to turn out for the global climate strike on September 20.
“We are running out of time. On September 20, we will speak truth to power about the climate emergency and push for the action that the science and the students are demanding.”