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Vanessa Morris
Executive Officer, SEE-Change ACT
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“ This is an emergency, and for emergency situations we
need emergency action”
 Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General
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This emergency will not be solved by traditional political
compromise or incremental change to business-asusual.
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Climate change is the world’s slow motion Pearl
Harbour. We must work together now as we have in the
past in wartime.
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The problem is political, not economic or
technical.
 The denialists and the special interest lobbies
are currently in control of the global response
 The Australian community is concerned but
confused.
 Our federal politicians are responding to the
lobbyists and the confused public, not the
scientific imperatives.
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Current global greenhouse gas concentration is:
 387 ppm CO2 rising 2ppm annually
 455 ppm CO2e - including other gases
Current political negotiating range based on:
 atmospheric carbon stabilisation at: 450 – 550ppm
CO2e
Risk assessment: Based on earlier IPCC modeling
 450 ppm is presented as equating to 50% probability
of a 2 degrees C global mean temperature warming
above pre-industrial
Would you fly in an aircraft with a 50% chance of
reaching it’s destination?
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Current global negotiations are based on outdated science
Latest science suggests 2 degrees C temperature rise will be
catastrophic
Non-linear effects are already occurring at 0.8 degrees C rise
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tipping points may be already committed
we are probably well into the danger zone already
The new objective, for a safe climate
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restore Arctic summer sea ice
 stabilisation target - around 300ppm CO2
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This requires developed world emission reductions of:
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45-50% by 2020
 95-100% by 2050
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The solutions are available, given the will
We cannot wait for clean coal technology or nuclear.
This transition must be very rapid and as equitable
as possible.
 Canberra capable of enormous reduction in energy
use and significant transfer to solar.
 The feed-in tariff mechanism and subsidies can be
grasped immediately.
 Opportunity for Canberrans to be involved in the
transition individually and in cooperation .
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Energy efficiency target of at least 30% in the next
three years, is totally feasible
We should grasp the solar option. It is available
NOW
Homes, schools, religious and public buildings.
The price of electricity will rise as it must.
Economic equity can be managed in many ways.
The greatest imperative is to commence the
transition.
Ambitous targets by time of Canberra’s centenary
2013
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Religious building rooves to become symbols
to the community
Groups using their collective capacity to bulk
buy, install and feed-in to the grid at
competitive cost.
Involving their congregations in discussions
of solar options.
Dealing together with the Heritage Question
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Sponsored by The Australian Youth Climate
Coalition and World Vision.
Open to young people aged 12-29
A choice of 3 world scenarios 550, 450 and
<<450
Voting their preference online this week
Engaging in the science and a consideration
of their future
SEE-Change letter to every school and
college principal in the ACT
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Climate change will disproportionately affect
the poor.
The rich have greater capacity to act now on
solar, and the incentives are right for them.
Solar panels vs luxury cars
We need to involve everyone young and old in a
consideration of the consequences of further
delay.
Mass action on solar by Canberra citizens will
focus political will and help move us towards
carbon neutrality.