Climate emergency declarations in 558 councils cover 65 million citizens
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Video recordings of climate emergency speeches in chambers and halls
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Discussions about the concept of declaring a climate emergency
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New Zealand: Two regional councils declare a climate emergency
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Australian Capital Territory declares a climate emergency
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Region of Catalonia in Spain declares a climate emergency
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Australia: Greenpeace action on Sydney bridge to call for climate emergency declaration
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Climate emergency in the mainstream: clippings
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Switzerland: Climate emergency declarations critisised for being political rhetoric
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Ireland declares a climate emergency
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Media coverage in May 2019
Examples of news stories and articles
→ Al Jazeera – 25 May 2019:
School students strike worldwide, demand action on climate change
“Thunberg – who has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize – is urging governments to declare a climate emergency as has happened in Britain, Scotland and Ireland, a call echoed by many on European strikes.”
CANADA
→ CBC – 21 May 2019:
Old Crow, Yukon, declares climate change state of emergency
“Officials in the Yukon’s most northern community have declared a state of emergency, saying the traditional way of life in Old Crow is under threat from climate change.”
ITALY
→ Sky TG24 – 20 May 2019:
Environment climate emergency motion approved in Milan (article in Italian language)
“The Milan City Council approved the motion on the “climate and environmental emergency declaration” in the city. The document was presented by the councillor of the Democratic Party Carlo Monguzzi, and was approved with 31 votes in favour.”
POLAND
→ Refresher – 22 May 2019:
Prague 7 declared a state of climatic emergency (Article in Polish language)
“The City of Prague 7th District joins the call for climate protection.”
SCOTLAND
→ The Herald – 17 May 2019:
Glasgow City Council declares climate emergency
“Glasgow City Council has become the third council in Scotland to declare a climate emergency. Councillors debated the work done by young Scottish campaigners and highlighted the need for the Climate Challenge Fund before declaring the emergency on Thursday.”
TAIWAN
→ Focus Taiwan News Channel – 22 May 2019:
Civic groups to ask government to declare ‘climate emergency’
“Over 30 civic groups will take to the streets of Taipei on Friday calling on the government to declare a “climate emergency” in response to increasingly serious climate change.”
AUSTRALIA
→ Government News – 27 May 2019:
Cities at the forefront of ‘climate emergency’
“Local governments across Australia are taking a stand against what they say is federal climate inaction on the back of worldwide initiatives like Morocco’s famous ‘blue city’.”
→ The Age – 25 May 2019:
The environment: Establish a bipartisan ‘war cabinet’ on climate change
“With a climate emergency declared in the United Kingdom and the extinction of species, including pollinating insects which are essential to our food supply, occurring at a faster rate than ever before, it is time to look at emergency measures.”
→ The Age – 24 May 2019:
‘We’re worried the planet is dying’: Thousands of climate protesters bring CBD to standstill
“The protesters want the federal government to declare a climate and ecological emergency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.”
→ The Guardian – 16 May 2019:
Federal election 2019: Bill Shorten says Labor will take climate ’emergency’ seriously – as it happened
“Bill Shorten declares climate ’emergency’. There is a use of a very particular word in this part of the speech. And it is very deliberate.”
→ Newcastle Herald – 16 May 2019:
Shorten vows to tackle climate ’emergency’
“Labor leader Bill Shorten has toughened his stance on climate change, labelling it an emergency he vows he will prioritise if he becomes prime minister on Saturday.”
→ The Advertiser – 14 May 2019:
PM on Adani spat with CSIRO – the climate emergency – and the Harbour Bridge protest (video)
“The Prime Minister Scott Morrison answers questions on the Adani coal mine approval.”
→ The Guardian – 9 May 2019:
Peter Garrett urges Bill Shorten to declare climate emergency if Labor wins
“Exclusive: Former environment minister calls for creation of ‘war’ cabinet committee to plot transition to zero carbon.”
“Surely what is required by the Earth that feeds us and so many other amazing creatures is a war-type, non-affiliated “cabinet”. It would include representatives from all sides of politics and be directed by non-politically aligned experts. (Any pecuniary interests would need to be declared.)
Structurally this could include an environmental wing of our armed forces (for example, the navy helping to clear plastics from our oceans and sewerage and chemical run-off which is destroying our Great Barrier Reef). It could provide school leavers with an interesting, voluntary, “national service” gap year of employment, and perhaps work and skills development for the unemployed.
Through the United Nations, we could suggest a co-operative approach between nations that could enhance eco-tourism and a sharing of innovative solutions.”
~ Steven Sommer, Highton
“This isn’t something we can wait for someone else to fix. We all need to act now. We can be leaders for change. Think globally, act locally.”
~ Ben Andrews – in a Facebook comment