- Over 40 Australian embassies and Siemens offices to be targeted
- Nonviolent actions across the world respond to Australian bushfires and those complicit in the devastation
- As Australia’s government does nothing, Siemens to supply signage tech for Australian Carmichael coal mine railway, literally signaling the way to exploitation and devastation
- Extinction Rebellion calls on Rebels around the world to come out in Our Planet’s defense as time runs out
As Australia burns, people of the world are waking up to the realities of the climate crisis, demanding that governments and media tell the truth about the climate emergency and its correlation with the bushfires. People demand that the Australian Government acts now to avoid more devastation and ultimately, extinction and that companies stop putting profit first
January 16th, 2020 (Australia, Germany, India) - As Australia suffers devastating bushfires, Extinction Rebellion (XR) climate activists in over 35 countries are holding solidarity actions with Extinction Rebellion Australia’s Bushfire Rebellion outside Australian embassies and consulates for the second week in a row. Countries, including Nigeria, Zambia, Netherlands, Argentina, Uganda and Spain. Extinction Rebellion India, meanwhile, has been warned by local police not to protest.
The borderless, nonviolent rebellion comes in response to the Australian government’s climate inaction and exacerbation of the climate crisis which has led to the catastrophic bushfire crisis.
The catastrophic mega blaze has already led to what scientists are describing as an ecosystem and species apocalypse in Australia. Some estimates state that up to 700 animal species have had their populations decimated - with many species likely to be pushed to extinction including the Long-footed potaroo, the Greater glider, the Kangaroo Island dunnart, and the Black-tailed dusky antechinus, being obliterated from the face of the Earth. “It would seem the only people willing to dismiss the scientific correlation between the bushfire crisis and the climate crisis are those massaged by the fossil fuel industry in the Australian government and those who believe the propaganda of fossil fuel-interested media,” said Extinction Rebellion Sydney spokesperson Larissa Payne.
While we are on the verge of triggering a climatic point of no return, German company Siemens agreed to participate in the development of the world's largest coal mine. Siemens will supply the signage technology for the railway line of the Carmichael coal mine in Galilee Basin, Australia, quite literally signaling the way to the destruction of life on the Planet. “Instead of demonstrating climate leadership and turning its back on one of the many culprits, it chooses to of quite literally fuel fires around the world, despite warnings from several environmental groups, ongoing protests, and over 60 companies pulling out of the project. Siemens undoubtedly places profit over the planet,” explains XR Germany spokesperson Annemarie Botski.
Meanwhile, companies from around the world display similar callousness for life on Earth, even as the island continent’s species go extinct, “In the same line, the Adani business group has obtained approvals for extracting coal from the Carmichael coal mines in Australia. Fighting to saving our planet has rightly turned global because the impact of forest fires in Brazil, floods in Indonesia or fires in Australia are already being felt all across our Earth. Such tragedies will only increase in intensity and in terms of numbers,” says Extinction Rebellion India’s Jeevesh Gupta.
“It is believed several animal and plant species have been rendered extinct in the past few weeks. An estimated over half a billion animals have died in this disaster. Much of the severity of conditions in the southern parts of Australia can be attributed to massive amounts of land clearing in the past century, leading to loss of rainfall, and no consultation or respect by governments of the original Australians’ intact knowledge of caring for and maintaining the land,” laments Australian First Nation spiritual leader Nick Tree.
The fires sweeping the country have also pumped out an estimated 400 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, further fueling climate change that has already intensified Australia’s devastating fires. The is equivalent to the total combined annual emissions of 116 low-emitting countries and nine times the amount of carbon produced during California’s record-setting 2018 fire season.
“The climate crisis cares nothing for borders. We need coordinated, international action to combat this mess. The Bushfire Rebellion is only the beginning. Two thirds of Australians want the government to declare a climate emergency and mobilize at World-war scale. We are living through the tipping point that the scientists have been warning us about - anything less than an emergency response condemns out children to an unlivable future,” concludes XR Australia spokesperson Jane Morton
Actions to be held on the 16th and 17thJanuary as a continuation of actions on the 10thJanuary in the following countries:
Gambia
Nigeria
New Zealand - Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington
Scotland
Tunisia
United Kingdom - Bristol, London, Lambeth
United States - Los Angeles, New York
Zambia
Media contacts for interview requests with Australian or: James Norman +61 451291775 or Kelly Shields, +61 412 171 989 Email: [email protected], [email protected]
For international XR spokespeople please write to [email protected]