Renew WA is the broadest, most diverse collaboration of WA organisations and individuals in history to come together on climate change. This includes unions, churches, farmers, doctors, scientists and environmental groups. With more than 40 signatories to our consensus, we are calling on all parties and candidates to commit to climate action and a clean energy future in the lead up to the state election in March 2017. This February we will be hosting a range of events targeted at politicians and the public to educate and inspire action and extend a warm welcome for you to attend. Please also consider signing our petition asking candidates and the new government to commit to a clean energy future.
The signatories to this climate consensus statement:
– Understand that climate change is happening now and is already affecting the health and well-being of WA communities through extended heat-waves, increased bushfire risk, reduced rainfall and increased frequency of storms. It threatens those most vulnerable within our communities: the young, old and poor, but also our outdoor workers, fire-fighters and other emergency personnel. It places at risk regions with unique biodiversity, impacting on our tourism industry, along with areas of water catchment and food production, affecting farmers and dependent communities.
– Acknowledge that Western Australia is highly vulnerable to further climate change. To make a proportionate contribution to preventing more global warming we need urgent effective action from all sectors of our community, businesses and government to rapidly reduce energy consumption and transition to renewable energy sources.
– Recognise that a global transition to renewable energy is underway. Action on climate change provides unprecedented business opportunities in a state with abundant renewable energy resources such as wind, solar and wave. Coupled with a skilled workforce, WA could be a leader in sustainable energy and zero-carbon manufacturing, attracting new investments and providing ongoing meaningful employment.
– Recognise that in moving to a zero-carbon economy, we need a fair transition with government-led support for those sectors of the community previously reliant on fossil fuel industries and those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
The petition is available here http://renewwa.good.do/renewwa/renewwa/ Our consensus statement is available here http://renewwa.good.do/renewwa/pages/about/