The following sign-on statement asks people to join and/or support the Climate Camp protests at the Port Augusta power stations in South Australia from September 24 to 27. To add your name visit climatecampsa.org.
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We are gravely concerned by the near-daily reports from climate scientists confirming the worst-case scenarios of climate change. We know we have 10 years or less to massively cut greenhouse emissions or face unstoppable and catastrophic global warming.
NASA climate scientist and activist James Hansen has identified coal as the number one driver of climate change. Hecalls for a rapid transition to switch off coal and switch on renewable energy.
The ageing brown coal-fired power stations at Port Augusta are among the most inefficient and carbon polluting in Australia.
But rather than shut them down and invest in South Australia's plentiful renewable energy resources of solar, geothermal and wind, the Mike Rann ALP government plans to upgrade and extend them.
As concerned citizens, we will gather in Port Augusta to protest and demand that our government acts in our interests for a safe climate, and an organised transition to a renewable energy future.
We will be taking direct action aimed at turning off the power stations to demonstrate to the government what needs to be done. The direct action will be preceded by a public meeting in Port Augusta, and a day of workshops on renewable alternatives and indigenous land rights.
As Hansen, who advocates and participates in direct action, said: "Civil resistance is not an easy path, but given abdication of responsibility by the government, it is an essential path."
We take this action to demand that the Rann state government:
• Seriously invests in renewable energy technology; and
• shuts down the Port Augusta power stations.
And that the federal government:
• Scraps the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and takes measures to genuinely cut Australia's emissions; and
• stops all fossil fuel subsidies and diverts this spending to renewables.