Blog Action Day: What are you doing about climate change?

Today is Blog Action Day, when bloggers all around the world write on the same topic to raise awareness about how an issue affects our world. This year’s theme is: climate change!

Because climate change is a subject I write about regularly, I hope my regular readers will forgive me if I don’t go into detail explaining what it is! If you’re a new visitor, definitely check out the Australian Conservation Foundation’s What’s the problem? post for an excellent guide to climate change and why we should care about it.

The latest on climate change action

To reverse the effects of climate change, we have to seriously cut back on the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. The latest science says we need to get it down to 350 parts per million in the air, but we’re currently over 390ppm and rising.

If you have ever wanted to do anything about climate change, now would be a really good time!

There are hundreds of thousands of people taking action every day to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. They’re riding bikes, insulating their houses, buying local, and so much more.

But it’s not enough – individuals can’t fix a global problem by themselves. We’ve got to look at our energy sources, our urban planning, our treatment of forests and oceans, and for that we rely on governments to do the right thing. This is where international agreements come in, and this year we’re waiting for the biggest one so far: Copenhagen.

From December 7 to 18, representatives from every country will be gathering in Copenhagen to create the successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012 and only applied to some nations. The Copenhagen agreement will be more ambitious, and will include the whole world (we hope!).

It should include a way for developing countries to get funding for reducing their GHG emissions, and hopefully some binding targets for the developed nations as well, or at least an agreement to set them properly next year. You can find out more about the event at the BBC, or at Crikey.com.au.

The European Union has come to the party already with promises to cut emissions by 25% from 1990 levels. Japan has promised 30%, and Norway has been far and away the best with a 40% reduction target. Australia is still waffling and considering a 5% target, which is honestly embarrassing.

How can you have a say at Copenhagen?

As individuals, you and I don’t get to make decisions for the Copenhagen agreement. But politicians only do the right thing when absolutely forced to by public opinion.

So our path forward is clear: we have to make it completely, unavoidably obvious that the Australian public wants cuts that match Norway’s (if not better – nothing wrong with a little one-up-manship for this cause!). We have to be louder than the coal companies, louder than the oil companies, louder than the naysayers.

• Write to your local MP, whether they’re Labor, Liberal, National, Greens or whatever. Or give them a call. Let them know that you are counting on them to bring their party to do the right thing. Check my previous how-to write a letter post, or this Greenpeace guide to making phone calls to politicians. Tell them you want 40% cuts by 2020 at least. I’m writing a letter to my MP right now, I’ll post a copy here for you all to see on the weekend.
• Get involved with GetUp, Greenpeace, the ACF or any group that’s got a campaign aiming to get a good political result in Australia or in Copenhagen. They need your help!
• Add your name to the Hopenhagen map – show the world how many of us want real action. We’re not alone here, and we don’t have to sit silently.