24 October – Day of Climate Action

More than 160 events – from a concert on the Sydney Opera House steps and divers on the Great Barrier Reef – are planned as part of Australia’s participation in the 350.org International Day of Climate Action on 24 October. “The ABC of Carbon” shares the stage with “The Age of Stupid”.

160 Australian events planned in all states and territories for 350.org International Day of Climate Action

More than 160 events – from a concert on the Sydney Opera House steps and divers on the Great Barrier Reef to a mass bike ride in Melbourne and 350 Frisbees being tossed simultaneously in Brisbane – are planned as part of Australia’s participation in the 350.org International Day of Climate Action on 24 October.

Australia’s will join thousands of people and organizations in more than 150 countries aimed at

providing a public voice in the call for strong climate action at the next crucial United Nations

meeting in December in Copenhagen.

With the majority of expert scientists now calling for a reduction emissions from our current 385 parts per million (ppm) to 350 ppm, 350.org is calling for our political leaders to agree on a target of 350 ppm of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.

By virtue of our time zone, the keystone Australian event at the Sydney Opera House will kick

off the global movement, followed by over 1,800 events around the world.

“Australian’s have really taken up the 350.org call with more than 155 events in the works in

communities across the country,” said 350.org CEO Blair Palese. “We are working with a wide

range of local, environmental, student and business groups who want to add their voices to the

call for a move to 350 ppm as we head toward Copenhagen.”

Some of the events taking place on 24 October around Australia include:

• Sydney ‐ Human spelling out of 350.org on the steps of the Sydney Opera House with expert speakers – ABC’s Robyn Williams and climate scientist Ann Henderson‐Sellers – music by Felix Riebl of the Cat Empire, The Beautiful Girls and the choir Café at the Gates of Salvation, 2PM.

• Sydney Harbour: 350‐masted tall ship will cruise after the Opera House Event, 3PM

• The bells of St Mary’s Cathedral will toll 350 times on the day to call for 350.

• Clovelly Beach: Lantern Walk spelling out 350 with lanterns on the beach, 7PM

• Newtown: Ice Sculpture at The Hub plus community climate festival – NOON

• Melbourne ‐ Critical Mass Bike ride of hundreds of cyclists through Melbourne

followed by huge human 350 sign in a local park, 10AM

• Brisbane ‐ 350 Frisbees flying in the air simultaneously with participation of University of

Queensland and Queensland Frisbee Association

• At Indooroopilly (Brisbane) from 2pm, author Ken Hickson give a talk about “The ABC of Carbon”, followed by a showing of ‘The Age of Stupid’ (1.5 hrs).

• Caloundra ‐ Kite flying event on the beaches of Caloundra with a huge variety of at least

350 kites

• Wagga Wagga ‐ 350 wind turbine display and other creative actions being coordinated

by local Wagga Climate Action groups

• Canberra – Comedian Rod Quantock to perform his comedic skit about climate change

on the steps of Parliament House

• Styx rainforest, TAS ‐ 350 banner in the rainforest to highlight the value of forests as

carbon sinks worth protecting

• Hundreds of others around the country.

350.org is an international climate change campaign calling for a strong global climate change

treaty. According to leading scientists, 350 ppm is the safe upper limit for greenhouse gases in

our atmosphere in order to avoid runaway climate change.

Source: www.350.org/australia and www.350.org