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BRIEF, AUSTRALIA
Climate action not hostage to economic crisis

Simon Butler

25 October 2008

A public statement endorsed by 40 of Australia’s leading environmental scientists warns that the global economic crisis must not be allowed to detract from action to halt global warming. The letter was published on < http://www.A HREF="mailto:crikey.com.au">crikey.com.au on October 21.

The authors, Dr Barrie Pittock and Dr Andrew Glikson, point out that “recent developments in the state of the Earth’s climate [including the] increasing extent of spring melt of Arctic Sea ice, mid-winter break up of the Wilkins ice shelf in West Antarctica, and large methane leaks offshore of eastern Siberia, compel us to call for urgent measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions”.

The scientists call for the fast-tracking of clean energy technologies, a widespread tree planting scheme and moves to draw down atmospheric carbon through soil-carbon enrichment. They dismiss the idea that Australia should wait for an international agreement before seriously reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as argued by the federal Labor government.

“We must lead by example — not asking others to do as we say, but to do as we do. … We need to invest in low-carbon technology and we need to do it now”, Pittock and Glikson argue.

The full statement and list of signatories is at http://www.crikey.com.au.