Climate emergency: no more business as usual

On October 10, 200 people attended "This is an emergency: an introduction to the real science of global warming". The public forum was also the official launch of a new environmental organisation in Adelaide, the Climate Emergency Action Network (CLEAN).

The forum was addressed by four prominent environmental speakers: David Spratt, co-author of Climate Code Red: the case for emergency action; Professor Barry Brook, a climate scientist from Adelaide university; internationally respected permaculturalist Robyn Francis and sustainable energy expert Mark Diesendorf from the University of NSW.

The event was sponsored by many groups including the Australian Peace Committee, GetUp!, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (SA), the Socialist Alliance, Green Left Weekly, Greens SA, NOWAR-SA and Resistance.

Spratt called the current mainstream climate change debate "delusional" and said it was "not based on the scientific evidence". He called for a return to pre-industrial levels of carbon in the atmosphere as the only safe target. Spratt concluded that if the politicians cannot lead on this then we must lead by building a political movement strong enough to force action.

The audience at the forum was urged to continue the discussion on October 11 at "Climate emergency: no more business as usual", a conference sponsored by the Australian Education Union and supported by CLEAN. The next issue of GLW will include a thorough report of the conference.

The next CLEAN meeting is on October 23 at the South West Community Centre 171, Sturt St, Adelaide. For more details contact John on 0400 754 559.

From GLW issue 770