Save the Children Australia is calling on the Australian Government to urgently change tack on the climate crisis, following the release of the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report.
The latest IPCC report sent a dire warning to leaders reluctant to take the necessary steps to slow and adapt to the irreversible impacts of climate change.
As the nation battles yet another extreme weather event in South East Queensland and northern New South Wales, the shocking new normal for Australian children is inescapable.
Save the Children Australia Principal Climate Change Adviser, Paul Mitchell, said soon Australia will be dealing with so many climate disasters, that adapting will become more and more difficult and expensive. In some sectors the impacts may go beyond our ability to adapt entirely.
“Crisis will become the new normal,” said Mr Mitchell.
“The latest IPCC makes it clear that the window for action is closing even faster than we originally thought.”
“For children and young people in Australia this is beyond concerning, it’s terrifying.”
“Adults should be terrified too, and we should be demanding decisive, urgent action.”
“It’s time for leaders, for Ministers, to take a long look in the mirror and decide if they’re comfortable setting this disaster-plagued trajectory for Australia’s children.”
“We are quickly approaching the point of no return and the consequences for children, now and into the future, cannot be overstated.”
School Strike 4 Climate organiser, Natasha Abhayawickrama, 18, said: “We have had wakeup call after wakeup call. As a young person, today's report hasn't been shocking at all. We have already seen the disastrous impacts of the climate crisis and we are worried for our present and future.
“This report must be heard and met by action from governments. The climate crisis needs to be addressed now.
“It is not a matter of responding to new information in this report, it is a matter of doing something that should have been done years ago.
“This report reaffirms that the climate crisis is not something that we will have to face in the near future. The climate crisis is here now and we no longer have time to plan to act, we must act now.”
2021 Australia Youth Delegate for pre-COP Youth4Climate event, Ella Simons, 15, said:
“This report is just another reminder of the urgency of climate action. Australian states are once again being hit by major impacts of climate inaction, with floods sweeping across QLD and NSW and leaving many with destroyed homes and lives lost.
“Our government continues to ignore the urgency and detrimental effects of climate change, and young people are frustrated.
“Children and young people and all those on the frontlines are sick and tired of watching the Australian Government continue to ignore calls of help. We can't wait any longer, as more houses, lives and culture are destroyed by fires, floods and the impacts of climate change."
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT: Kimberley Gardiner on +61437 435 777 or media.team@savethechildren.org.au