“We are the last generation with a real opportunity to save the world.”
Laurence Overmire, The One Idea That Saves The World: A Call to Conscience and A Call to Action
Think global act local
Push for Sunshine Coast Council to declare climate emergency
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If we needed reminding that we are already in the midst of an existential global climate emergency, 2020 provided dramatic evidence to most people across Australia:
The Climate Council's latest report: Hitting Home: The Compounding Costs of Climate Inaction outlines the latest science on how climate change is driving more destructive droughts, heatwaves, fires, floods and other extreme events. The report finds that 2019-20 was the most intense period yet for extreme weather, capping off a decade of climate inaction that has cost the Australian economy more than $35 billion. Time is fast running out to take serious action to prevent runaway global heating. If you feel powerless to do anything meaningful in the face of this climate emergency, you are encouraged to join the latest campaign to push the Sunshine Coast Council to join more than 100 other jurisdictions in Australia and declare a climate emergency; set a target of net zero emissions by 2030 (rather than its current inadequate 2041 target); and start implementing policies and actions to achieve this. Local governments have a key role in achieving a nation-wide climate emergency response by demonstrating successful initiatives at a community level through education, mobilisation, mitigation and resilience building. They can also encourage other councils to implement climate emergency responses and lobby the state and federal governments to adopt and fund a full climate emergency response. SCCAN has been instrumental in recently establishing a network of climate-focussed groups on the Coast: Urgent Climate Action Network Sunshine Coast (UCANSC), which is running the climate emergency declaration (CED) campaign. The strategy is to build a groundswell of residents, organisations and businesses demanding Council declare a climate emergency. The first stage is to contact councillors seeking their support for more urgent climate action, initially through an email campaign, then with face-to-face meetings by small delegations. A broad media campaign and high-profile community events and actions may follow. Support the campaign by signing the GetUp petition Contact Fergus FitzGerald at fergfitzgerald7@gmail.com or on 0458 880 572 to become involved, or for more information on the climate emergency declaration campaign. Download the attached file for information to assist concerned citizens write a personal email to their local councillor: 
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Sunshine Coast Climate Action Now joined the Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC) as part of an online World Environment Day festival this year, rather than the traditional community event at Cotton Tree park, due to restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
The festival streamed live on 5th-7th June 2020, with the Renewables Expo featuring on the Sunday afternoon. The viewing audience on Sunday was almost 11,800 via Facebook, YouTube and the live stream platform, and reached way beyond the attendees drawn predominantly from the local community at past WED festivals.
The Renewables Expo was supported by a grant from the Sunshine Coast Council, which included preparing a post event video, which can be viewed below:
Proudly supported by the Sunshine Coast Council's grants program
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Sunshine Coast Climate Action Now (SCCAN) is an unincorporated organisation committed to local action and events to address the urgent social and political change needed to tackle the impacts of the global climate emergency.
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"Demand a Fossil Fuel Free Future" bumper stickers: $2 each or 3 for $5
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NOW is the time!
WE RECOMMEND VIEWING THE FOLLOWING TED TALKS FOR INSPIRATION:
The case for optimism...Why is Al Gore optimistic about climate change? In this spirited talk, Gore asks three powerful questions about the man-made forces threatening to destroy our planet — and the solutions we're designing to combat them. (Featuring Q&A with TED Curator Chris Anderson – Feb 2016)
Paris Climate Agreement...
What would you do if your job was to save the planet? When Christiana Figueres was tapped by the UN to lead the Paris climate conference (COP 21) in December 2015, she reacted the way many people would: she thought it would be impossible to bring the leaders of 195 countries into agreement on how to slow climate change. Find out how she turned her skepticism into optimism — and helped the world achieve the most important climate agreement in history.
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"The only way forward, if we are going to improve the quality of the environment, is to get everybody involved."
– Richard Rogers
– Richard Rogers