From bushfires to floods, extreme heatwaves to wild storms, Victorians are already feeling the impacts of climate change.
July 2024 saw the hottest day in the planet’s history – a record that was broken again the following day.
Unfortunately we’ve seen that our leaders aren’t acting to stop climate-wrecking corporations – they keep approving new fossil fuel projects, pouring more fuel on the fire. It’s clear that they won’t stop unless we make them.
That’s why the Greens have introduced a Bill to the Victorian Parliament to legally enshrine our right to a safe climate into Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.
This would require the state government to consider whether any new legislation or decisions would make climate change worse, particularly for young and future generations.
Will you add your name to the open letter calling on the government to support the right to a safe climate?
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Open letter to the Premier of Victoria
CC: Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change
CC: Minister for Resources
Dear Premier Allan,
Young Victorians are staring down the barrel of total climate collapse.
The United Nations Environment Programme last year found that, even under all current climate pledges, Earth is set to hit a catastrophic increase of 2.9 degrees above pre-industrial levels this century.
Young people – disproportionately young First Nations people – are already living this catastrophe.
Floods devastated northern Victoria and parts of Melbourne last year, while recent fires in Pomonal and Gippsland delivered a stark reminder of the horrific Black Summer bushfires.
Although Victorian Labor has taken positive steps on renewable energy, your government continues to approve new coal and gas projects that continue to fuel the climate emergency.
We deserve a chance at a future. We do not deserve to grow up in a world where we are under constant threat from another bushfire, flood, or extreme weather event fuelled by the decisions of our so-called leaders.
While the Albanese Government continues to rebuff calls for a federal ‘climate duty of care’, I am calling on the Victorian Labor Government to step up and add ‘the right to a safe climate’ to Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.
Because the right to live in a safe climate must be guaranteed for all current and future Victorians.
Already, leading international and local jurisdictions have legislated equivalent rights, including South Korea, the Philippines, Colombia, the US state of Montana – even the ACT in Australia.
Please put politics aside and support the Victorian Greens’ Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Amendment (Right to a Safe Climate) Bill 2024.
We all want a safe and healthy planet, for ourselves, our children, grandchildren and future generations.
Please show climate leadership and legislate a new Victorian right to a safe climate.
Yours sincerely,
Anjali Sharma, climate activist
Jesse Dass, 26, Co-Founder of Victorian Parliament's Youth Advisory Group
Lucien Greville-Mac, 12, Friends of the Earth
Sophie F., 15, student and climate activist
Thomas (Toyo) White, 22, Monash University Greens Society
…and Victorian Greens MPs on behalf of all young and future Victorians