(AU) More Than 40 Mayors And Councillors Commit To Jobs And Climate Change-Focused Recovery

SBS - AAP

Some 41 councillors and mayors from across Australia have released a joint statement committing to a stronger economy that tackles climate change.

Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill after bushfires tore through Winmalee in 2013. Source: AAP

More than forty mayors and councillors across Australia have pledged to create a stronger economy that facilitates jobs and tackles climate change.

The joint statement, released on Wednesday, outlines their commitment to supporting industries which invest in a zero-carbon future and help those communities hardest hit by climate disasters and the coronavirus pandemic.

One of 41 signatures, Blue Mountains City Council Mayor Mark Greenhill, said the community was still devastated following last year's Gosper's mountain fire.

"As mayor of a community hit by last season's catastrophic bushfires, which were supercharged by climate change, it's extremely disappointing to see that climate remains a glaringly missing piece on the federal agenda," Mr Greenhill said in a statement.

"The Blue Mountains community, which is heavily dependent on tourism dollars, has largely been cut off since October 2019. Some people simply cannot afford to rebuild their homes, and many have lost their jobs. We can't pay the price of inaction much longer."

The joint statement signed by mayors and councillors from NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, outlines eight solutions to help councils create jobs in clean energy that don't rely on coal or gas.

Sydney's City of Ryde Mayor, Jerome Laxale, said local councils were at the forefront of economic recovery from bushfires, floods, or the pandemic.

“Local governments across Australia can lead communities through a zero-carbon recovery by prioritising local jobs, building sustainable infrastructure and investing in renewables," he said.

Statement From 41 Australian Mayors And Councillors

We aim to embed, and advocate for, the following actions to recover in a way that addresses long term challenges, empowers communities and creates a prosperous future:

1. Drive renewable energy and storage within councils and communities  to lower power bills and increase energy independence and resilience.
2. Accelerate, and advocate for, sustainable transport to future proof cities and connect communities and regions.
3. Roll out energy efficiency measures within council and the community to create jobs, reduce energy costs and create more comfortable homes  and workplaces.
4. Increase revegetation and urban greening, as well as undertake ecosystem restoration to maintain unique biodiversity, clean air and  water and healthy communities.
5. Integrate circular economy principles across council to close the loop on resource use, such as enhancing organic waste collection and processing, to create jobs and cut carbon emissions.
6. Support local businesses to be more sustainable through opportunities like increasing the uptake of renewable energy, aiding energy efficiency upgrades and waste management support.
7. Actively engage communities to provide a clear understanding of the importance and benefits of a sustainable and resilient economic recovery.
8. Prioritise local businesses, skills and suppliers for new or ongoing  projects and ensure sustainability is at the core of council purchasing

Councils, Mayors, Councillors

NEW SOUTH WALES (18 mayors / councillors) Albury City Council, Mayor Kevin Mack Bellingen Shire Council, Mayor Dominic King Blue Mountains City Council, Mayor Mark Greenhill  Byron Shire Council, Mayor Simon Richardson Central Coast Council, Mayor, Lisa Matthews  Dubbo Regional Council, Dep Mayor Stephen Lawrence  Georges River Council, Mayor Kevin Green  Inner West Council, Mayor Darcy Byrne Lane Cove Council, Mayor Pam Palmer Lismore City Council, Councillor Elly Bird City of Newcastle, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes Parkes Shire Council, Mayor Ken Keith Randwick City Council, Mayor Danny Said  City of Ryde, Mayor Jerome Laxale Shellharbour City Council, Mayor Marianne Saliba  City of Sydney, Lord Mayor Clover Moore Tweed Shire, Mayor Chris Cherry  Wagga Wagga City Council, Mayor Greg Conkey QUEENSLAND (5 mayors / councillors) Brisbane City Council, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner Bundaberg Regional Council, Mayor Jack Dempsey Cairns Regional Council, Mayor Bob Manning  Douglas Shire Council, Councillor Abigail Noli Noosa Shire Council, Councillor Brian Stockwell

VICTORIA (6 mayors/councillors) City of Ballarat, Deputy Mayor Belinda Coates Baw Baw Shire Council, Councillor Mikaela Power Mornington Peninsula Shire, Mayor Sam Hearn Stonnington City Council, Mayor Steven Stefanopoulos Rural City of Wangaratta, Mayor Dean Rees City of Yarra, Misha Coleman Mayor  SOUTH AUSTRALIA (5 mayors / councillors) City of Adelaide, Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor Alexandrina Council, Mayor Keith Parkes City of Charles Sturt, Mayor Angela Evans Mount Barker District Council, Ann Ferguson, Mayor The City of Mitcham, Mayor Heather Holmes-Ross WESTERN AUSTRALIA (7 mayors / councillors) Shire of Augusta-Margaret River, Cr Naomi Godden Town of Bassendean, Mayor Renée McLennan City of Bayswater, Mayor Dan Bull City of Cockburn, Mayor Logan K Howlett City of Fremantle, Mayor Brad Pettitt Town of Victoria Park, Mayor Karen Vernon City of Vincent, Mayor Emma Cole

Links

• Cities Power Partnership
• Mayors commit to clean, local jobs
• Clean jobs for communities: How local governments can create sustainable, strong economies
• Australia’s Coal Cities Commit to Climate
• Community to take ownership of local renewable energy projects
• Statement From 41 Australian Mayors And Councillors

Many Globally Are As Concerned About Climate Change As About The Spread Of Infectious Diseases

Pew Research Center - Moira Fagan | Christine Huang

Climate activists hold a large red balloon representing the Earth on June 11, 2020, in Seoul, South Korea. (Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, people around the world are still concerned by the threat of global climate change. A median of 70% across 14 countries surveyed over the summer say climate change is a major threat to their country. A similar median, 69%, say the same of the spread of infectious diseases.



Of the two issues, climate change is the more commonly selected threat in eight of 14 countries polled, while five name the spread of infectious diseases as a top threat (the Canadian public is split, with equal shares citing climate change and the spread of disease). Majorities in each of the countries surveyed say both global climate change and the spread of infectious diseases are major threats to their country.

The share who say climate change is a major threat in each country ranges from 59% in Australia to 83% in France, Spain and Italy. Two-thirds or more say the same in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Japan and South Korea.

Significant minorities across the countries surveyed say climate change is a minor threat to their country, with a median of 24% expressing this view. A quarter or more say it is a minor threat in half the countries polled. Of these, Denmark has the largest share (34%) calling climate change a minor, not major, threat.

Relatively few say climate change is not a threat: Only in the United States do more than one-in-ten hold this view.

In many countries, the percent who view climate change as a major threat has increased significantly since the question was first asked. This aligns with past Pew Research Center surveys that included countries in Latin American and sub-Saharan Africa. In 2013, a median of 55% across 10 countries said climate change was a major threat. This year, a median of 76% across the same 10 countries say the same.

In France, for example, about half (54%) said climate change was a major threat in 2013. In 2020, 83% say this, an increase of 29 percentage points. However, in nearly every country surveyed, there was no significant change between 2018, when the question was last asked, and 2020.

In all countries surveyed, people who place themselves on the left of the political spectrum are more likely to see global climate change as a major threat to their country than those on the right. Differences between the two sides of the ideological spectrum reach the double digits in 12 of 13 countries surveyed. (Those in Japan were not asked about their ideology.)



This divide is widest in the U.S. (where ideology from left to right is defined as liberal, moderate or conservative): 89% of liberals view climate change as a critical threat compared with 40% of conservatives, a difference of 49 percentage points. Australia and Canada follow with differences of 30 and 29 points, respectively. Nonetheless, at least four-in-ten of those on the right in each country still see global warming as a substantial threat to their country.

Previous international Pew Research Center surveys have found that views on climate change are aligned with ideology. In a survey of 20 publics fielded from October 2019 to March 2020, those on the left were for the most part more likely to say climate change is a very serious problem, that it is affecting where they live and that the national government is doing too little to address its effects.

The summer 2020 survey finds women are more likely than men to say climate change poses a major threat. In Sweden, for example, women are 16 percentage points more likely than men to say climate change is a major threat (72% vs. 56%).

In the U.S., Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are significantly more likely to view climate change as a major threat than Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. While 85% of Democrats say global warming poses a significant threat to the U.S., only 31% of Republicans say the same.

The share of Americans who say climate change is a major threat to the U.S. has increased from 2012, but this rise in concern has come mostly from Democrats (+26 percentage points since 2012). The share of Republicans saying this has increased just 8 points over the same period. This aligns with previous Pew Research Center surveys on Americans’ views of climate change.

Links

• A look at how people around the world view climate change
• Despite Pandemic, Many Europeans Still See Climate Change as Greatest Threat to Their Countries
• Concern over climate and the environment predominates among these publics
• Public Views About Science in Australia
• A look at how people around the world view climate change (2019)
• Climate change seen by more countries as a top international threat
• (USA) How Important Is Climate Change To Voters In The 2020 Election?

(USA) High Stakes For Earth's Climate Future In US Vote

CNA - AFP

Global warming, which reduces the part of the Arctic Ocean that is permanently covered by ice, puts at risk species such as polar bears. (AFP/Kt MILLER)

PARIS: The United States presidential election will be "make or break" for the planet after four years during which Donald Trump frustrated global efforts to slash emissions, climate experts warn, fearing his re-election may imperil the world's chances of avoiding catastrophic warming.

In a year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, increasing signs of the brutal impacts of climate change have come into view, with record temperatures, sea ice loss and enormous wildfires scorching parts of the Arctic Circle, Amazon basin and the US itself.

Scientists say the window of opportunity to contain Earth's warming is narrowing fast.

This deadline magnifies the global significance of American voters' choice between Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden to lead the world's second-largest emitter for the next four years.

Trump, who has described climate change as a hoax, has doubled down on support for polluting fossil fuels and revoked or rolled back a host of environmental standards.

And just a day after the US vote on Nov 3, the country will formally withdraw from the Paris agreement, the international accord aimed at restraining emissions and averting runaway warming.

Trump has rolled back environmental protections. (AFP/SAUL LOEB)

Trump's signature act of climate disruption has "already diminished our moral standing, taking us from a leader to the rear of the pack", climate scientist Michael Mann told AFP.

Without US climate leadership "I fear that the rest of the world will not take seriously enough their obligations to reduce emissions in time to avert the worst impacts of climate change," he said.

"That's why I've called this a make-or-break election when it comes to the climate."

"Ultimate Stress Test"

Earth has so far warmed on average by one degree Celsius above preindustrial levels, enough to boost the intensity of deadly heatwaves, droughts and tropical storms.

Climate change, driven by the greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, has accelerated in recent decades.

The 2015 Paris Agreement was meant to start putting the brakes on.

Under the deal, nations agreed to cap global warming at "well below" 2 degrees Celsius.

The US undertook to cut its emissions by 26 per cent to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2025.

In 2016, Trump's election heralded the unravelling of those pledges, culminating in the vow to withdraw completely from the Paris deal.

It was the nightmare scenario to lose the support of one of the world's biggest polluters that has emboldened other nations to slow-walk their climate commitments, analysts say.

But Mohamed Adow, the director of climate think tank Power Shift Africa, said Trump showed the accord was actually "much stronger than many of us feared".

Climate change amplifies extreme weather like droughts, which create ideal conditions for wildfires. (AFP/Samuel Corum)

"He has been the ultimate stress test and despite his full frontal attack, no one else has followed his folly and quit the agreement," he said.

In fact, with an end-of-year deadline to upgrade their commitment to curb greenhouse gas emissions, other major emitters have begun to fill the climate leadership void.

The European Commission now wants emissions in Europe cut 55 per cent by 2030.

But it was China's recent vow to go carbon neutral by 2060 that has the potential to be a "game-changer", according to Lois Young, Belize's envoy to the UN, although she noted the plans unveiled by the world's largest emitter were still light on detail.

Young, who chairs the Association of Small Island States and has accused Trump of "ecocide", said countries like Brazil and India are "waiting and watching".

"If they come on board and leave America behind, following the China lead, I think it will minimise the damage," she told AFP.

But the US is still crucial.

Laurence Tubiana, who was a key architect of the Paris deal as France's top negotiator, said the rest of the world simply "cannot compensate" for the country's emissions.

While US states and businesses have independently acted to cut carbon, Tubiana predicted their efforts would fall short without new government policy.

In this context, she said a second Trump term would be "very bad news".

In contrast to Trump, Biden has pledged to return the US to the Paris accord.

He wants the US to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and has announced a US$2 trillion climate change package to revamp the country's energy sector.

"There's no more consequential challenge" than climate change, Biden has said.

Increasingly, this position chimes with public opinion.

Biden has vowed to rejoin the Paris deal. (AFP/JIM WATSON)

Some 60 per cent of Americans think climate change was a major threat to US well-being, the Pew Research Center said this year, the highest proportion since the first survey in 2009.

And taking into account the drop in emissions linked to COVID-19, the group Climate Action Tracker has estimated that the US could meet its 2025 Paris targets.

"Ultimately, the transition to a zero carbon world is now unstoppable, the question is can it happen fast enough to protect the world's poorest people," said Adow from Power Shift Africa.

"The stakes for the planet could not be higher."

Links

• Climate change means more weather disasters every year
• Europeans fear climate change more than terrorism, unemployment or migration
• Commentary: The troubling truth behind China’s carbon neutrality pledge
• China pledge and Biden win could move climate goals into view, scientists say
• Last month warmest September on record globally: EU
• LISTEN: Getting down to the big picture science of climate change