Hello world!

The purpose of this blog is to make more visible and accessible work that I am aware of or involved in focussing on the restoration of a sustainable world. A lot this activity is ‘under the radar screen’ and not being effectively communicated or shared yet – perhaps it is embryonic, perhaps it’s not in an optimally presentable form yet. Whatever the reason, by remaining hidden it cannot feed in to, learn from, inform or contribute to the vast amount of other like-minded work that is underway around the world . We need to be working together, sharing ideas, initiatives and gathering our strengths at optimum speed right now. This blog hopes to increase our collective visibility, to find and make useful connections and to help build the new movement and accelerate it’s momentum.

To hold a vision of a sustainable world means firstly coming to grips with what comprises the current unsustainable state of the world. Of all the new, ongoing and accumulated impacts of the social and environmental degradation being perpetuated and needing urgent attention, scientific research and indications and now even our own observations are telling us that climate change has the tightest and most critical time-frame. The Climate Emergency Network is focussed on mobilising whole communities to rapidly transition away from Business-As-Usual to a sustainable economy and life-style consistent with a healthy world and a safe climate future.

We already have dangerous climate conditions as evidenced by what we could call ‘The Great Gondwanaland Monsoon Event’ that has been impacting Australia since September 2010. These past few months have reinforced amongst many the growing alarm and recognition that we have a climate emergency requiring action; but what action and by when?

Safe Climate Australia is currently producing its initial report on the “How Fast” Research Project it has undertaken. No doubt this will support the growing sense of urgency and confirm that the next ten years is critical if we are to be able to restore a safe climate.

Safe climate conditions are necessary in order to have a sustainable world – the “How Fast” research will necessarily identify what constitute safe climate conditions. In all likelihood those conditions will be comparable to the atmospheric conditions experienced before the Industrial Revolution – ie in the realm of 300 parts per million of carbon molecules in the atmosphere. So the planet is already at 387 ppm and running a temperature and it’s become increasingly clear that our task involves cooling the planet and restoring health to the complex systems that maintain the balance we thrive in and can enjoy – life on Earth as we know it.

A transition to a new economy not based on fossil-fuels is needed. There are many aspects to this daunting transition and compiling that picture, making that map, is part of this work and this blog. The Transition Decade to Restore a Safe Climate was launched in Australia with a series of events large and small around the country starting with the Woodford Folk Festival on 31 December 2009 and culminating with The Sustainable Living Festival and a major event at the Melbourne Town Hall just on a year ago on St Valentine’s Day 2010.

The Transition Decade Alliance and Campaign is busy but, as yet, hardly visible. This will change as the alliance grows and becomes more active and visible and connected!! Join the Transition Decade Alliance via the website: http://www.t10.net.au

The Sustainable Living Foundation is running it’s 12th annual national festival celebrating and showcasing sustainable living. This year’s is themed around “Mission : Safe Climate”. There’s a great line-up including David Suzuki, and it’s on right now – have a look at the online program – I’ll report relevant events as we go forward. http://www.slf.org.au/festival