Kevin Rudd Wake Up Call - Perth

Thursday 17 September 2009

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

Kevin Rudd Gets a Wake Up Call on Climate Change in Perth

Global Climate Wake Up Call
Sunday September 20th at 12:15pm
Beneath the clock, front entrance of Perth Train Station

Oxfam supporters in Perth plan a three minute Flash-Mob Action at Perth Train Station where a caricatured Kevin Rudd in pyjamas will be woken.

The action is one of 1000 events to highlight climate change taking place in more than 88 countries under the banner 'tck tck tck'.

The 'tck tck tck' campaign, supported by International aid and development agency, Oxfam Australia, is highlighting the need for world leaders including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to 'wake up to climate change' as the countdown begins to the global climate change talks in Copenhagen in December.

With many Pacific Islands lying just a few metres above sea level, Australia's neighbours are particularly vulnerable to even the smallest changes in global climatic patterns.

"Pacific Island communities are already experiencing increasing food and water shortages, losing land as a result of rising sea levels and coping with more frequent flooding and storm surges," Oxfam Australia Executive Director Andrew Hewett said.

A recent report by Oxfam estimates that by the year 2050, 75 million people could be forced to leave their homes in the Asia-Pacific region due to climate change.

"Climate change is shaping into the biggest humanitarian issue we face this century. World leaders need to wake up to the real threat already being posed by climate change and the pressing need to find a global climate change deal in Copenhagen in December," Oxfam's WA Campaign Coordinator Paddy Cullen said.

Preventing catastrophic climate change in the Pacific means keeping warming as far below 20C as possible compared to pre-industrial temperatures. To achieve this, developed countries including Australia must reduce their carbon emissions by at least 40 per cent globally by 2020.

A successful deal in Copenhagen must also include a commitment of funding by Australia and other developed nations to help developing nations both reduce their emissions reductions and adapt to the growing impact of climate change. Climate funding of US$50 billion annually is needed for adaptation and must be in addition to existing aid commitments, with Australia's fair share calculated as US$1.5 billion.

For further media information on this event, please contact:

Paddy Cullen
Mobile: 0431-925-494
email: [email protected]

Oxfam is a leading international aid agency working with communities around the world for solutions to poverty and social injustice.

SOURCE: Oxfam