A sign of climate change

Local residents supporting a greenhouse gas target of 350 parts per million will gather at Umina Beach on Saturday, October 24, to form a human sign.

"The event - one of more than 2000 rallies in more than 140 nations - is coordinated by 350.org to urge world leaders to take fast and effective action on global warming," said event organiser Ms Rachel Lonie of Pearl Beach.

"This is the first global campaign ever organised around a scientific data point: 350 parts per million CO2 is the safe upper limit for the atmosphere according to the latest scientific data.

"Local residents are asked to gather at 8.30am on the beach south of the Umina Beach Surf Club where they will help spell out a giant human sign with the number 350."

Photographs of the sign will be placed on the internet with pictures of other events to demonstrate that there is widespread support for urgently addressing climate change.

"The photos will also form a global visual petition to be displayed on huge screens in Times Square, New York City."

Ms Lonie is urging participants to wear red or dark colours for maximum visual impact and to bring along towels and surfboards to help form the sign.

"We can all see how climate change is affecting us," Ms Lonie said.

"Increased and more severe storm events, less predictable rainfall, more extremely hot days and nights, more frequent and intense bushfires, and increased coastal erosion are with us now.

"The predictions for the future are even more severe.

"Scientists tell us we need to limit temperature rises to a maximum of two degrees to stop more catastrophic change."

The global climate action event will come six weeks before the world's nations convene in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Change Conference to draw up a new climate treaty.

"Eighty-nine countries have already endorsed the 350 target, as well as the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Rajendra Pachauri, the world's foremost climate economist Sir Nicholas Stern and Nobel prize-winner Al Gore," Ms Lonie said.

"However, there is a real likelihood that these talks will stall and we will still have no adequate plan in place to address this most serious environmental issue.

"We need to convince them that they need to act now."

The Umina Beach 350.org event is supported by the Central Coast Branch of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Community Environment Network, Peninsula Environment Group and the Climate Action Group Central Coast.

More information about the 350.org movement can be found at www.350.org/Umina350 or contact Rachel Lonie on 0432 567 224.

Press release, 9 Oct 2009 Rachel Lonie, Patonga Designs