Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Member for Clark
Glenorchy City Council Alderman, Kelly Sims, is doing the right thing by her constituents in acknowledging the climate emergency.
Regrettably, her fellow aldermen seem to want to stay in a state of denial about the science and the fact that Glenorchy residents will be impacted by accelerating global heating.
More than 1000 councils, state and federal governments around the world have listened to the scientists and their worried constituents and declared a climate emergency.
While the Liberals and Labor in State Parliament voted against declaring a climate emergency, Hobart and Launceston City Councils have taken this important step towards focussed action in response to the climate emergency.
98% of the world’s scientists agree humanity has ten years to make the changes needed to keep global warming to a minimum.
Refusing to acknowledge the reality is wasting time and there is no time to waste.
I hope Glenorchy aldermen take a moment to reflect on the fact that more than 15,000 people joined the Hobart climate Strike on Friday 20 September. Plenty would have come from the Glenorchy municipality.
The call for climate action is becoming increasingly urgent.
Elected representatives at all levels of government ignore it, not just at their own peril, but the people they represent as well.
All levels of government need to acknowledge the climate emergency and get strong policy responses in place to ensure emissions are lowered and communities can adapt.