CCBR in 2009...
Dear CCBR Supporters,
Having got off to a big start by joining hands with 2500 people to encircle Federal Parliament, on it's first sitting day in 2009, we are excited about what we can hope to achieve in this; a pivotal year on climate change.
this email is divided into 3 sections:
1. Invitation to get more involved: A get-together to kick off CCBR in 2009
2. Report back on Inaugral Australian Climate Summit Jan 31 - Feb 3 '09
3. What an Australia wide Community Climate Network means for CCBR
1. Invitation to get more involved: CCBR "kicks off" for 2009
We invite you to come along to an informal social event next Tuesday evening at the "Three Weeds"
Tues 24th, 7.30pm - Evans Street, Rozelle.
This is an informal get-together, share with us how you think you'd like to get involved and ask us questions to see how we work, what we do and have done. If you like what you see, you can think about how you might like to be involved with CCBR in 2009! So please think about coming along - let's get to know each other!
2.Report back on First Australian Climate Summit Jan31 - Feb3 '09.
5 members of CCBR's working party attended the summit in Canberra. It brought together over 600 people from over 160 Climate Action Groups from all over Australia and was an amazingly constructive example of deliberative democracy at its best. Workshops worked concurrently on these 2 key areas: Campaign Strategy and Network Development and over the 3 days all participants actively contributed to teasing out a set of goals and objectives that could be agreed upon by all - a trully amazing process to observe.
There were also lectures and workshops available for those wanting to sharpen their skills and broaden their knowledge.
For a summary of the summit outcomes please go to: http://www.climatesummit.org.au/summitoutcomes.
For an article by CCBR's Alison Potter on the event and the Parliament House Demonstration go to: http://newmatilda.com/2009/02/10/canberra-red-ring
Some YouTube from the Summit http://www.youtube.com/user/youbegreen
David Karoly - Climate Scientist http://www.vitalplanet.com.au/categories?view=3_22
3 What an Australia wide Community Climate Network means for CCBR....
Since CCBR began we have had two main objectives....
• Stopping the expansion of the coal mining industry in this country.
• Helping all members of our community switch to green power.
CCBR is now re-evaluating these, due to the dynamic nature of the challenge we face. These changes reflect our ability to respond to latest science and current breakthroughs in new technologies. They also respond to the movement's need to build a strong cohesive grassroots movement that can influence the political landscape that is currently prohibiting swift action towards a safe climate future.
To increase the effectiveness of what Climate Action Groups (CAGs) are doing it is clear that we need commonly shared goals and objectives to come together and speak as many voices from every corner of Australia.
At present there are over 200 groups like ours of varying sizes - 160 of these were represented at the summit where we agreed by consensus to work towards the following objectives in 2009:
• To prevent the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) from becoming law (in it's current form because because it would lock the government into inadequate targets for years to come.).
• Build community-wide action to demand green jobs, a just transition and 100% renewable energy by 2020.
• To build community support for a goal of stabilisation at 300ppm CO2 and strong international agreement in line with what science and global justice demands. To communicate this position to Copenhagen Conference of Parties, and advocate for the Australian government to adopt that position.
CCBR would like to actively work in 2009 to support these objectives.
Given this, the summit recognised that CAGs like CCBR need to maintain their autonomy and any network that is developed must support the needs of CAGs and create a structure that ensures we maintain our autonomy while helping us to easily communicate with each other and co-ordinate our actions when necessary. An Opt-in structure was agreed to in principle which allows good ideas to flourish and preserves the integrity of a diverse movement that is made up of a huge variety of communities.
We would like to be clear that these changes do not constitute any major change in direction - only a sharpened focus on what needs to happen in 2009 if we are going to convince our leaders of what is required.
Please let us know if you have any comments on this. ccbrmail@aapt.net.au
and lastly.... Be assured that central to everything that we do is our policy of political non-alignment. The "supporter base" of CCBR (people like you) represent a wide variety of different people in our community who are deciding, despite their political leanings, to stand united on Climate Change solutions.
CCBR will not endorse any party...but we will continue to engage with all politicians and leaders to help them see that good decisions on Climate Change will garner positive support from our community.
Hoping to see you at "The Weeds" next Tuesday
cheers,
The CCBR team.
