(AU) Extinction Rebellion Grandparents Fighting For The Future Of Their Grandchildren

ABC News - Claire Moodie

These Extinction Rebellion members say they're just grandparents raising awareness of the growing threat from climate change. ABC News: Claire Moodie

They have been labelled "ferals", "anarchists" and "dole bludgers" but older members of the  activist movement, Extinction Rebellion, say they are just ordinary people moving out of their comfort zone to protect their grandchildren from the devastating impacts of climate change.

"I don't have a choice," says Heath Greville, a 67-year-old grandmother of three who works at the University of Western Australia as a researcher in public health.

"If you see your loved ones coming into harm, you step up to protect them.

"When you understand the severity of what we are looking at here … you can't unsee the science."

Extinction Rebellion is planning to disrupt "business as usual" in cities across the country from Monday.

'People do get angry'

Ms Greville is preparing for the prospect of being arrested again when she joins other Extinction Rebellion grandparents at the Perth rally.  

It's not something she takes lightly.  She gets nervous, worrying about the safety of others, rather than herself.

Heath Greville says she joined Extinction Rebellion after exhausting all other options to bring the Government's attention to the climate crisis. ABC News: Claire Moodie

She has been arrested twice before at previous rallies for refusing to move on.

 But she sees it as a last resort.

"People do get angry," she said.

"It takes courage to say I'm sorry, I'm disrupting your day but this is how bad things are.

"The normal routes available to a citizen like going to see an MP or signing a petition or going on a peaceful march or writing a letter are not working.

"So our theory of change in Extinction Rebellion is we have to engage in civil disobedience and what that means is breaking the law."

Many members of the group say they are prepared to be arrested at the rallies. Supplied

Asked what kind of example that sets for her grandchildren — who were all born within the last year — Ms Greville gives a considered response.

"I want to be able to stand up to my grandchildren and say 'I did the best I could'."

Ms Greville points to a recent Climate Health WA report that exposes the effect climate change is already having and how much worse the situation could get this century.

The report says extreme temperatures are likely to increase so much that the number of days over 40 degrees Celsius in Perth is expected to increase by 150 per cent by late this century.

In Broome, days with temperatures above 35C could be experienced for around a third of the year in the same timeframe.

The bushfire season is expected to become even more extreme and longer, having already lengthened from the traditional period of December to February, to November through to May.

The report points out that sea levels along the west coast of Australia have been rising at double the global average.

Even Perth's Elizabeth Quay, on the Swan River, which was only opened five years ago, could be underwater by early next century, according to the inquiry's report.

Elizabeth Quay is under threat from climate change according to a new report. ABC News: Jessica Warriner

The document then goes on to detail the impact all this is likely to have on human health, increasing everything from deaths from bushfires to the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases.

For the grandparents of Extinction Rebellion the reality of climate change is devastating.

Some objected to being referred to in WA's recent election campaign as "anarchists" and "professional protesters".

The group comprises professionals and retirees from all walks of life, everything from social workers and teachers to psychologists and veterinary surgeons.

Rae Price, a retired librarian, was among five grandparents who super-glued their hands to the windows of Chevron's Perth headquarters last year, in protest against the company's carbon emissions.

Rae Price was among a group of grandparents who glued their hands to the windows at Chevron's headquarters in Perth during a protest. Supplied: @milestweediephotography

She has been arrested three times so far and paid a total of $1,000 in fines, trying to fight for action to protect the future for her two grand-daughters, aged six and 12.

"It's quite unforgivable that we are not caring for our future generations," Ms Price said.

"We have 10 years to act and no-one is acting."

That view is dismissed by the federal Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylor.

Australia performing strongly: Emissions Reduction Minister

Mr Taylor has repeatedly said that Australia is on track to meet and beat its 2030 climate target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels.

"Look, we're 19 per cent down on our 2005 levels, on the way to our target of 26 per cent for 2030," he said.

Angus Taylor has defended the federal government's environmental policies.

"It's overall emissions in the economy that counts. Five per cent reduction in the last four months in the electricity grid for instance.

"We are seeing very strong performance in Australia."

Target claims 'government propaganda'

But Bill Hare, a climate scientist with 30 years' experience in the field, said the federal government's claims Australia would meet and beat its target were "government propaganda".

"It's not supported by the underlying analysis in the government's own projections," he said.

Climate scientist Bill Hare says Australia’s climate policy is at a standstill. ABC News: Claire Moodie

"The government likes to say that we are indeed reducing emissions, but if you look at the underlying trend in emissions from the burning of coal, oil and gas and industrial activities, they are still heading upwards, actually."

Mr Hare, who is also the founder of non-profit climate science and policy centre Climate Analytics, said 2021 was a big year for climate change, with an international summit planned for Glasgow at the end of the year.

"Australia's level of ambition is really low, compared to other countries, other comparable countries," he said.

"Twenty-six to 28 per cent reduction by 2030 … others are making much deeper reductions.

The protesters say many of the usual mechanisms to get a message across to governments are not working. Supplied

"We would need to be getting emissions down to 60 to 70 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030."

Mr Hare said that target was manageable, and warned that Australia's economy would fall behind if it did not act, as the world moved towards net-zero emissions by mid century.

'We do have power in the people'

For Julie Marsh, a parent of two adult sons from Denmark in WA's Great Southern region, the need to address climate change is so urgent that she is driving up to Perth for this week's rally, preparing to be arrested and charged for the first time in her life.

"I think I may have had a parking ticket at some point," she said.

"But we've been a very compliant family.

Julie Marsh (far left) of Denmark is preparing to be arrested and charged for the first time in her life as part of an Extinction Rebellion protest. Supplied

"So, I think I really do want to show that we do have power in the people.

"That we can make change.

"It's about sustaining our effort to the point where we can't be ignored."

With protests expected across Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane from Monday, Mr Taylor warned Extinction Rebellion to keep the demonstrations peaceful.

"Protest is an important right in Australia," he said.

"But, there is no place for intimidation and harassment in our community."

Extinction Rebellion a 'peaceful movement'

Heath Greville said Extinction Rebellion was a peaceful movement, with members receiving training in "non-violent direct-action training".

"I think we're very misunderstood," she said.

"We are genuinely sorry to have to disrupt people's day, but we say the disruption that our kids and our grandkids are going to experience is going to be so much worse."

The WA rallies come as the re-elected Labor state government appoints a new Environment Minister, Amber Jade Sanderson, who has also been given the new Climate Action portfolio.

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