Copenhagen Failure: Brisbane Demands Action

This morning, immediately following the end of the climate talks in Copenhagen, Friends of the Earth activists took to the streets and bridges of Brisbane, denouncing the failure of the negotiations and imploring community members to take action.

Banners were hung from Victoria, Goodwill and Kurilpa Bridges, inside Queens Plaza shopping centre, in Indrooroopilly and in Ashgrove.

Friends of the Earth spokesperson Bradley Smith implored the people of Brisbane not to sit by while a safe climate is slowly negotiated away.

“Politicians in Copenhagen have let us down and our let children down. This outcome is effectively a death sentence for our Pacific Island neighbours,” said Mr Smith.

“This is not a proud moment for Australia. Our representatives were complicit in the failure of these talks. Back room deals, attempting to undermine previous agreements and the bullying of small and vulnerable nations were all appalling.”

“Fortunately there is still hope and a lot that Queensland can do, for example by breaking our addiction to the coal industry.”

“We now know that it will take very different political system to get meaningful international action on climate change,” said Mr Smith.