Deputy Lord Mayor welcomes climate savers
September 13th, 2007
Twenty-one ‘life savers’ surrounded by a huge contingent of police were last Friday welcomed by Deputy Lord Mayor and Greens Cr Chris Harris to the ‘declared area’ in front of the US Embassy in Martin Place.
The 21 climate savers represented the 21 member nations meeting at the APEC summit in Sydney.
With Greens Senator Kerry Nettle, MP Sylvia Hale, and Greens candidate for Sydney Jenny Leong, Cr Chris Harris called on the APEC leaders to stop talking and start taking real action to prevent climate change while they still had the chance.
Chris Harris: “Walking from The Domain to this media conference today we were escorted by ten police on bicycles. While it was distressing that the police felt the need to escort people who believe in peace and non-violence, it was comforting to see that these police were at least on bikes rather than in gas guzzling SUVs.
“However we need to do more than get the police on their bikes if we are to stop climate change. Our leaders must become climate savers and commit to using renewable energy rather than being beholden to the coal and oil industries,” Cr Harris said.
Greens Senator Kerry Nettle: “Climate change isn’t a myth. We are facing catastrophic sea level rises of several metres this century unless our world leaders act now. APEC is their chance to act. Aspirational targets are useless. We need real targets and drastic action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution in the next decade.”
“Agreements on uranium exports and sharing defence intelligence are not going to provide real solutions to dangerous climate change,” Greens candidate for Sydney Jenny Leong said.
Cr Chris Harris: “APEC is the chance for our leaders to become real climate savers and like the lifesavers, who rescue people from drowning in the sea, they have the opportunity to rescue Australia and the world from going under. Let’s hope they take it.”
Below: Jenny Leong (right) with Susan Jarnason, Greens Candidate for Wentworth, dressed as lifesavers at the Martin Place event during the APEC lockdown.
