Report on the original presentation of a Declaration of Climate Emergency in 2020. To go straight to our tips and contact details for letter writing to councillors and politicians, click here: Letter Writing Tips sheet for more info & addresses
Protect the people and places we love
In their Take 2 Climate Pledge made in 2017, East Gippsland Shire Council stated, “We’re committed to tackling climate change.”
But in 2019 EGCAN wanted a stronger commitment from our local government.
In the 18 May 2019 Federal election, more than 100 of the candidates signed the Climate Emergency Declaration petition. In March 2020 Independent Zali Stegall introduced the Climate Change Bill – it was rejected. Later in 2020, the coalition federal government also rejected a Climate Emergency Declaration Bill proposed by the Greens’ leader Adam Bandt (63 against – 58 for)
In 2020 East Gippsland Climate Action Network PETITIONED the East Gippsland Shire Council to declare a climate emergency.
- Members of EGCAN delivered a presentation to Councillors in early 2020. (Crs Ben Buckley, Dick Ellis, Marianne Pelz, Natalie O’Connell, Mark Reeves, Joe Rettino, Jackson Roberts, Colin Toohey, John White)
- A letter-writing campaign was initiated
- The petition containing over 1,600 signatures of residents and visitors in January 2020 was presented to the East Gippsland Shire Council in April 2020.
Our petitioners signed to:
- 1. acknowledge that dangerous climate change is happening now, and accelerating,
- 2. demand action at a pace far beyond business and politics as usual to reduce climate risks, and
- 3. hereby petition East Gippsland Shire Council to:
a. take a stronger leadership role within the East Gippsland community for urgent action on climate change,
b. include in all reports to Council climate implications for Council’s own operations and for the broader East Gippsland community, and
c. declare a climate emergency
And the result, April 2020- was….. unsuccessful
To access Council Minutes and Agendas for April 21, 2020 in response to submission of petition by EGCAN members to council on 10th March:
From our EGCAN meeting notes
21/4/2020 EGCAN member’s reaction “Petition to Council – (acknowledged) the combined effort that many people have put towards this huge achievement over the past 12 months. Even though the result was not one that members were hoping for, some positives can be gleaned and in such a conservative council we may be pleased that we have maybe shifted the laggards along the curve a little bit. (We can see this) as the end of the first chapter, and that the aim of having a Climate Emergency declared in East Gippsland Shire will not be abandoned. Discussion followed re what our next steps should be, (with the caution) that it may take a long path of gentle persuasion as many people are terrified. “
11/5/2021 Call on Council to declare a climate emergency… continued
Discussion around revisiting the idea to push for the council to Declare a Climate Emergency campaign at this stage now we have a new council & staff, and they are formulating Environment Sustainability Strategy 2021-2030.
Three ways of initiating a renewed push
- Letter writing campaign to councillors & CEO of individual personalised impact statements
- Book a 20 min appointment at a weekly councillor group session (Tuesday afternoons)
- Attend monthly council meetings to use the 5 minute Q time slot
What should be our specific focus in this particular local government area?
- councillors have a responsibility to LEAD our community – promote climate awareness
- the science is beyond debate, it is irresponsible to ignore science
- taking advantage of new opportunities for jobs, transitioning to a wider base economy
- the cost of NOT acting
- highlight the positive social and economic benefits to council
- insurance issues, personal liability of councillors
- tourism – using our amazing natural features in creative ways to develop a flourishing tourism economy
Questioning the use of the term “Emergency” ??? a hot topic especially as we know how the last council reacted, but by following established Climate Emergency protocols and using the term emergency, we demonstrate that we will follow the SCIENCE on climate, and that we stand solidly with the 1,935 other jurisdictions around the world representing 826 million citizens that have already made the declaration. “
29 October 2021- as we awaited the COP26 proceedings, 2,033 jurisdictions in 35 countries have declared a climate emergency. Populations covered by jurisdictions that have declared a climate emergency amount to over 1 billion citizens.
In Australia, where the climate emergency declaration mobilisation and petition was launched in May 2016, over 100 jurisdictions representing 9 million people – over a third of the population – have declared a climate emergency, including the government of the Australian Capital Territory, based in the capital Canberra, and South Australia’s Upper House.
AND TODAY 18 April 2023
As EGCAN gets on with our letter writing theme Climate Emergency….
2326 government bodies around the world including 118 in Australia have declared climate emergencies. The latest is the South Australian Local Government Association (LGA) has declared a Climate & Biodiversity Emergency.
These two following sites have excellent information on the success of the Climate Emergency movement, lots of tips and supporting information. CEDAMIA is great for tips on writing
Climate Emergency Australia
https://www.climateemergencyaustralia.org.au/
Climate Emergency Declaration and Mobilisation in Action (CEDAMIA)
https://www.cedamia.org/category/climate-emergency-declarations/
This second site has lots of info …on why/why not … and having a second attempt … great things achieved by councils who have made the declaration etc etc.
Council Action in the Climate Emergency (CACE) was set up after the successful Climate Emergency declaration campaign in Darebin.
Also see our Letter Writing Tips sheet for more info & addresses
Climate News 