Read the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/opinion/28gore.html?pagewanted=1

Join the AYCC in the Walk Against Warming this Saturday — December 12, 2009
This weekend a huge global day of action is happening to tell our world leaders to seal a fair, ambitious and binding deal at Copenhagen.

Our politicians in Copenhagen need to see how huge our movement is – come along with the AYCC to this Saturday’s Walk Against Warming:

RSVP on facebook here.

Please read below for an update on the activities of the PSP team, written in the charmingly chatty prose of a sleepily excited Kirsty.

When I took on the role of PSP COP15 team coordinator, I felt so daunted and worried at attempting to connect a team from across Australia and the Pacific that could work strategically and effectively at COP15. But, after just one day at the conference, it is quickly becoming the most rewarding experience of my life. The PSP team is incredible, our objectives admirable and clear and we are achieving these goals more rapidly than we could have ever imagined.

The goals of PSP are just to raise the voice of the Pacific at the international negotiations, to reframe the climate debate internationally around survival and to build a youth climate movement in the Pacific. We believe these fit snugly with the AYCC objectives of achieving short-term political change, long-term cultural change and a vibrant, strong and just generation-wide movement that is working together to solve the climate crisis.

The last four days have been a whirlwind of eleven Pacific and fifteen Australian youth arriving in Copenhagen, the two-day Conference of Youth and the beginning of the Copenhagen Climate Conference. We were lucky, just the fact that we all arrived was a huge achievement for our team. It is the first time that youth from the Solomons Islands have been represented at international climate negotiations and it is, by far, the largest Pacific youth delegation present at a COP. Our team worked long, hard hours to make this happen and it has paid off – the Pacific delegates are diverse, passionate and ready to work together to raise the Pacific voice and build a Pacific youth climate network.

At COY, our Pacific delegates built relationships with Maldivian and Caribbean youth, to form a young AOSIS group and are currently working together to create a joint statement from the youth of Small Island States. These conversations, the realisation of a shared story, and the support for one another was incredibly moving. It was the first time I felt that the Australians in our team could finally play a supporting role, instead of a driving one, within Project Survival Pacific.

PSP hit COP15 in a storm of brightly coloured Pacific shirts and badges sporting ‘1.5 to Stay Alive’. These badges proved the perfect opening to a conversation and many great networks were formed, including Luana meeting the Vice-President of the IPCC. Our vibrant team caught the attention of many passers-by, before we knew it our team had been interviewed by American, Danish, Finnish, Fijian, Solomon Islands and Norwegian media! We started collaborating stories and messages to tell the media. It was so powerful to hear their messages first-hand “for you, these discussions are about changes in lifestyles, for us, they are about our lives”, “Islanders feel a connection to the land, when we are forced to move we lose our roots, young Islanders are losing their identity” and “Australia is our big brother, we need to work together to make sure we survive”.

Our first day ended with a bang: Christina Ora, our youngest delegate at 17 years of age, addressed the opening plenary as the YOUNGO representative. She adapted the speech herself to end with: ‘You hold our future in your hands, survival is not negotiable’. Her heartfelt words were received warmly by the Pacific government delegations and the Chair and with great excitement from our team!

For me, the most exciting part of today was seeing each individual within the team, Australian and Pacific, expanding their skills and networks, to become the inspiring and dedicated youth climate leaders our generation so needs. Before my eyes, a once impossible-seeming dream is being realised: youth, from the most affected regions of the globe, becoming part of our momentous youth climate movement.

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• Copenhagen Team Update: Conference of Youth (aycc.org.au)
• Anna’s Speech at Conference of Youth Plenary (aycc.org.au)

Young volunteers will be out in force at polling booths across the electorates of Higgins and Bradfield this Saturday to remind residents to vote for a safe climate.

Members of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition will talk to voters at a number polling booths and hand out the AYCC’s Tomorrow Test, a scorecard that rates each candidate’s climate change credentials.

“The people of Higgins and Bradfield have an incredible opportunity this week,” said James Goldie of the AYCC. “This is the last election in the developed world before the UN climate talks in Copenhagen. Politicians must know that the time for paying lip-service to climate issues has passed.”

The Tomorrow Test scorecard, developed by the AYCC from interviews with candidates, ranks the candidates’ views and policies on climate change. Candidates were graded on the basis of their position on issues such as emissions reductions targets and Government subsidies for big polluters.

The AYCC believes that young people have the most to lose from climate change, James said. “Young people want all political parties to lift their game on climate change. Armed with the Tomorrow Test, the people of Higgins and Bradfield will know which candidates take climate change seriously and which ones are gambling with our future.”

CONTACT
James Goldie 0421 747 208
james.goldie@youthclimatecoalition.org

We’re not asking them to support or oppose a specific scheme. Our six questions – on climate science, pollution reduction targets, international plans, public transport, clean energy and polluter subsidies – are the framework that any climate policy needs to fulfil to be effective.

We’re also not endorsing any particular candidate. We are asking Higgins voters to vote for a safe climate for our generation, and vote for the candidates that have real plans to solve the climate crisis.

So, here for the first time are the results of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition’s Tomorrow Test!

Coming to a train station and a voting booth near you:

The current framework for the national curriculum isn’t good enough – sustainability education isn’t a priority. For more information see our fact sheet.

The Australian Youth Climate Coalition has met with the Curriculum Assessment and Review Board, and we’ll be presenting this petition at the most strategic time over summer.

Sign the petition here: http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5594/t/5494/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=718

We’re looking for young people to help lead the campaign over summer. Email Jono at curriculum.campaign@youthclimatecoalition.org if you’re interested!

Keep an eye out for this campaign over summer… we’re going to win!

Keep up-to-date with the latest from the team by joining the special e-list. We’ll send you daily digests of the goings on inside the negotiations with ways you can take strategic action.

Stay informed by signing up for our COP Watch list and be “in-the-room” with our delegates at the conference.
Sign up below:

Check out our Copenhagen TV Commercial:

Find out more about our Copenhagen Campaign: http://www.aycc.org.au/projects/aycc-international/

Related articles by Zemanta

• Copenhagen Team Update: Conference of Youth (aycc.org.au)
• Your Youth Delegate: Nick Mueller in The Times (aycc.org.au)

Join the AYCC in the Walk Against Warming this Saturday — December 12, 2009
This weekend a huge global day of action is happening to tell our world leaders to seal a fair, ambitious and binding deal at Copenhagen.

Our politicians in Copenhagen need to see how huge our movement is – come along with the AYCC to this Saturday’s Walk Against Warming:

Around the Nation: http://www.walkagainstwarming.org/

See below for details of the AYCC @ Sydney and Melbourne’s Walks:

Sydney

When: Saturday 12th December, 1pm — Where: Martin Place

Bring: your Powershift/YOUth Decide t-shirt, banners, hat, sunscreen, water, musical instruments to add to the rally.

Contact Rachel Mimmo for more: rmimmo@nccnsw.org.au or 9279 2633

Join us @ 179 Elizabeth St, Sydney CBD (our office) at 12pm to meet up with other AYCC people going!

Melbourne

When: Saturday 12 December, 12 till 2pm — Where:  Meeting near the state library, look for the AYCC banners

Bring: Wear blue (pref. powershift or Youth Decide Tshirts), bring noisy things (percussion-y whistle-y, etc.)

Contact: Call 0438 211 289 (Tim), if you get desperately lost or want to know more!

Brisbane

When: Saturday 12 December, 10am — Where: King George Square, CBD

Contact Ella if you want to walk with some other  AYCCers! 0431243012 or ella_bella_babe@hotmail.com

Join thousands of other AYCC supporters in attending your local walk against warming

Thanks for joining us in (hopefully) the biggest national mobilisation for climate action this year.