Dear NEVILLE,

Today, Australia’s top independent climate scientists released information guaranteed to have the mining lobby on the attack tomorrow: “we simply have to leave about 80 per cent of the world’s fossil fuel reserves in the ground. We cannot afford to burn them and still have a stable and safe climate.”¹

There’s more. New information in today’s report confirms what many of us already know: the climate science continues to strengthen, and we’re already seeing and feeling impacts of climate change all around the country – which pose substantial risks to our continued health, infrastructure, agriculture and prosperity.

In a nutshell: we’re living in the critical decade for action on climate change, and everything, and everyone, will be affected.

Know anyone who still needs convincing? Here’s something that might help: this video shows how Australia will be impacted by climate change if we continue to expand our fossil fuel industry investments and don’t reduce emissions.

Click the image to watch the video

The impact of climate change isn’t limited to any one part of Australia. If we don’t act now the effects of climate change will be felt nationwide, including:

• Reduced rainfall in the Cotter and Googong catchments will threaten the ACT’s water supply.
• A changing climate will see the cane toad spread further south along the northern coast region of NSW, posing a significant threat to biodiversity.
• Increases in temperatures in the Northern Territory will affect beef production, due to heat stress in cattle.
• Queensland will see tropical cyclones become more intense as a result of climate change.
• South Australia’s wine regions, such as the Barossa Valley, will be affected by increasing temperatures that will negatively impact wine grape production and quality.

This is certainly sobering information, but we still have a chance to change it. Amongst all the fact and figures surrounding climate change, the most important number to remember is the number of Australians continuing to demonstrate strong support for climate action.

We can grow that number.

We know that tomorrow will bring a barrage of anti-climate media from the mouths of the big polluter lobby and vested interests. But friends and family are still the number one trusted source of information for most Australians. As a massive movement of everyday Australians, we can counter tomorrow’s conservative spin by sharing this video far and wide:

www.getup.org.au/the-critical-decade

Thanks,
the GetUp team

PS. No matter who wins the next election, our movement will continue to be key in promoting climate action and driving investment in renewable energy. Just last week hundreds of GetUp members gathered around the country to speak with and learn from environmental pioneer Bill McKibben who ‘did the maths’ on what we’re facing if we continue to expand fossil fuel production in a warming world. Tomorrow, GetUp members will be rallying in Canberra to support renewable energy and tonight we can take the fight online and spread the facts in the hope that we’ll inspire others to wise-up before it’s too late: www.getup.org.au/the-critical-decade

[1] Climate Commission says majority of global fossil fuel reserves must be kept in the ground, Professor Lesley Hughes on ABC radio, 17 June 2013

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GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you’d like to contribute to help fund GetUp’s work, please donate now! If you have trouble with any links in this email, please go directly to www.getup.org.au. To unsubscribe from GetUp, please click here. Authorised by Sam Mclean, Level 2, 104 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.