WELCOME THE POLLIES - PARLIAMENT URGED TO ACT NOW ON THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY

Demands for urgent action on the climate emergency will greet Federal politicians when they return to Parliament on 24 August for the first day of sitting since the COVID-19 crisis.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) will be lining the streets (at a physical distance) to remind politicians that the climate emergency has not gone away and cannot be forgotten.

According to XR ACT spokesperson, Ms Jenny Clement, the challenges posed by COVID-19 have highlighted opportunities to re-set the way we organise our society and build back a renewable, zero emission economy.

“This means, instead of further cooking the planet with gas as a so-called ‘transition’ fuel, our ongoing focus and investment should be on renewable energy. It makes economic sense as well as environmental sense,” Ms Clement said.

“As politicians have listened to the experts on COVID-19 – they need to listen to the experts on the climate and ecological emergency. They need to tell the truth and take action now.”

“The political response to the devastating pandemic has redrawn the boundaries of the possible. We are now pushed to an unprecedented mobilisation of resources and civic participation.”

“And as we head into another early bushfire season with potentially catastrophic consequences, time is running out to avoid the most destructive effects of the climate crisis.”

“History shows that, collectively, people have the power to change things. Already we are seeing citizens, state and local governments and businesses taking the lead on renewable energies, despite inaction by our Federal politicians.”

Encouraging them to take action will be the aim of XR ACT and other groups and members of the public when our politicians return to Parliament House from 7am on 24 August. XR ACT will be joined by the People’s Climate Assembly, Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC) and Stop Adani.

XR is a global movement demanding that governments tell the truth about the climate and ecological emergency, act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025, and be guided by the creation of Citizens’ Assemblies on climate and ecological justice.

20 August 2020

XR ACT Media Contact: 0404768851

XR ACT Website: xract.org

XR ACT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/XRACT

XR ACT Instagram: @xr_act