SYDNEY, 25 June 2019. City of Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore has formally declared a climate emergency overnight in a move welcomed by Greenpeace Australia Pacific.Sydney is the latest local government to declare a climate emergency amongst a rising tide of over 620 jurisdictions globally including the UK, Ireland, Auckland, Vancouver and the City of London.
The declaration has been welcomed by Greenpeace Australia Pacific, with Deputy Director Nic Seton calling the move a bold demonstration of leadership.
“Mayor Moore has called the climate emergency for what it is, and in doing so has thrown down the gauntlet to State and Federal Governments who are still pandering to the fossil fuel industry,” said Seton.
“The global movement of climate emergency declarations coming from a local level proves that change is coming, and it’s coming from the ground up.”
Sydney is the latest of 24 Australian local governments to declare a climate emergency, following last week’s declarations from the City of Hobart as well as the Australian Local Government Association, which represents 537 councils.
Over 620 jurisdictions representing over 80 million people around the world have formally recognised the climate emergency.
“As Mayor Moore’s declaration has shown, we can’t sit on the sidelines any more,” said Alexandra Neville, a member of the Sydney Break Free Climate Action Group.
“In the face of the climate emergency, it’s up to all of us to find the courage to respond with actions that meet the scale of the crisis,” said Neville.
“From the school strike movement to Extinction Rebellion, all over the country and the world, people are finding the courage to stand up and demand meaningful action to address the climate emergency.”
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