“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: 
The campaign to have the Sunshine Coast Council declare a climate emergency is gaining traction! In response to pressure from UCANSC, Council is hosting an internal workshop, including presentations from four external experts to discuss options for further action in response to the climate emergency.
One of the guest speakers is Adrian Whitehead, one of the leading experts in the country on climate emergency declarations (CED), who is helping to drive real action. He is a director of Council & Community Action in Climate Emergency cace.org UCANSC is using the opportunity while Adrian is in town to host a community forum: on Saturday 22 May, 2-4pm at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Adrian will be the keynote speaker and will be joined by Dale Martin, creator of the world-leading guide: Local Government Climate Emergency Toolkit climateemergencydeclaration.org. Will the Sunshine Coast Council become the 100th jurisdiction in Australia to make a CED? What are the opportunities and actions that could come from such a declaration, including setting much more ambitious emission reduction targets? Join in a lively discussion about what a CED could really mean for us all on the Sunshine Coast. Details of the event are include in the fliers opposite. | ||
Once again Covid-19 is proving challenging for organisations planning to hold large community events.
Instead, Sunshine Coast Environment Council has decided to hold this year's World Environment Day festival as a series of smaller events hosted by member groups over the month of June 2020 (see flyer).
Without the large public WED festival at Cotton Tree, it is not practical for SCCAN to run a Renewables Expo this year. There is still lots of informative and fun, family-friendly activities to attend, as part of the WED festival.
The Renewables Expo 2020 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