Hello Australian Friends,

There’s a Climate Act Now petition floating around and I figured it might be helpful if I explain it a bit.

I know so many of us want to make a difference, and I know there are so many petitions and things out there we’re being asked to fund and sign and make cupcakes for. It’s been super bamboozling. Especially over this summer.

So with this petition, I’ve sat back and thought about it and interviewed a lot of the scientists and experts over the past few months and I’ve decided it’s actually the best opportunity we have to be impactful. If we all sign it.

So first, I’ll break it down

To save this precious life we must get to net zero emissions by 2050. 

Net zero emissions means producing zero green house gas (GHG) emissions PLUS sequestering any emissions already present (carbon removal). 

Everyone agrees on this target. It’s the Paris agreement and our government signed it (importantly it was signed by the Liberal Government led by Tony Abbott) . Most of the world signed it.

But, problem is, we don’t have a Federal Climate Change Act that ratifies it in Parliament. This means business is left uncertain (where should they invest, what technology should they be focused on?), and government bills are not put through a “will it help Australia meet the 2050 deadline?” lens…so we go in circles and leaders argue back and forth to no effect. It’s a waste of time, which we don’t have.

The crazy thing? Australia’s States and Territories have Climate Change Acts. And  73 countries around the world have one. It’s just what everyone is doing.

It’s kinda embarrassing we don’t and it’s causing a lot of stupid, tedious drama and… wasting of time!!

Good news! Independent MP Zali Steggall is putting forward a Climate Change Bill March 23 so that our leaders can sign up to it once and for all. It’s political-neutral. Zali is an independent (with a Liberal party background). Farmers, Doctors, the Business Council of Australia, which represents Woolworths, Qantas, and Atlassian’s Mike Cannon-Brookes are all supporting it. It’s a no brainer.

And this Climate Act Now petition? It’s been done up by a bunch of people I’ve got to know through all this activity who’ve arrived at the same decision as me – this is the best way to make a difference and be heard.  We sign it, it takes 2 minutes, you get as many people as you can to do the same.

And then what? Well this is the bit that matters to me.

Basically if we can get, say two million Australians to sign it, we make it easy for the Government to get this Climate Change Bill sorted. They are ham-strung by all kinds of coal industry and national party interests, but if your local MP (particularly if they are a climate supporter but are not doing anything) can point to this petition and say that 100,000 people in their electorate are demanding action on this Bill, they say to their party they have no choice and must support the Bill…and cross the floor in support. The Climate Act Now site has a counter, BTW, where you can see how effective your electorate is being.

…and, well, you can see we enable our leaders to do the right thing.

Which means we feel heard.

Which means we feel like someone – we are all – finally doing something!

We can do this.

This is the easy thing that’s been planted in front of us. It will work if we spread it far and wide with enthusiasm.