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About us. Rising Tide Australia is a grassroots Newcastle group taking action against the causes of anthropogenic climate change and for equitable, just, effective, and sustainable solutions to the crisis. We are committed to the principals of Non-violent Direct Action. We are part of the global Rising Tide climate justice movement. We live in the biggest coal port in the cosmos.
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Open letter to Labor Party representativesThe proposed letter to be delivered to State and Federal Members for Newcastle during the upcoming Street March - say no to coal, on July 31st.
The Australian Labor Party c/o Jodi McKay and Sharon Grierson State and Federal Members for Newcastle
Tuesday, 31st July, 2007
Dear Ms McKay and Ms Grierson
We have come to your office today to urge you and your party to take a stand against Australia's principal contribution to climate change – the mining, burning, and exporting of coal.
The Labor Party has correctly identified climate change as one of the most important issues facing Australia and the world. However, we are very concerned that the policy response has manifestly failed to grasp the urgency of the problem, and has refused to tackle it's causes.
It is impossible to take action against climate change without taking action against coal. Every tonne of greenhouse pollution we produce in Australia is matched by a tonne of pollution from our coal exports. Coal exports are our country's biggest contribution to climate change, by far.
Incredibly, at this time of global climate crisis, Australia's coal exports are undergoing a massive expansion. All along the eastern seaboard coal ports are beefing up their capacity. With State Labor Government approval, coal companies are gearing up to double exports here in the world's biggest coal port, Newcastle. We are determined to stop these plans from proceeding, and we demand that Labor Party reverse its support.
The distant and dubious promise of so-called “clean coal technology” in no way justifies this expansion. Every tonne of coal that is exported from Australia now, and for the forseeable future, is converted to carbon dioxide and dumped into the atmosphere, fuelling global climate change and endangering life on earth.
For the sake of all people on this planet, and for all species, the Labor Party must find the courage to say “no” to the coal lobby. We need an immediate ban on new coal mines, and on new coal export projects, and we need a plan for a just transition for coal affected communities like the Hunter to a sustainable future.
If we fail to kick the coal habit, we fail to avert dangerous climate change. We cannot let this happen.
Sincerely, Concerned members of the community.
Submitted by admin on 23 July 2007 - 9:24am.
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