Calls for greater action to address climate change were front and centre at this week’s Mount Alexander Shire Council meeting.
There was a packed public gallery and most were there either with, or in support of, the Mount Alexander Climate Emergency Team that was there to lobby the council to join the growing number of municipalities to declare a climate emergency.
First up was a special mayoral presentation to local teenage climate activist Harriet O’Shea Carre for her participation in the United Nation’s recent Youth Climate summit in New York.
An independent film crew was there to capture the moment that was followed by public question time during which members of the Climate Emergency Team – and others – made impassioned presentations to council calling on it to declare a state of climate emergency and take urgent action to address the global issue.
Members of the team then presented the council with a document that summarised their petition as carrying 1644 signatures, informing councillors also that this was further supported by a further pledge of personal action signed by 754 people with an online version of the petition also available. Full story in today’s Castlemaine Mail (Friday, October 18, 2019)