Press conference: 11.30am Monday April 22, WA Parliament steps
In the wake of Western Australia’s hottest and driest summer on record, leading WA climate and nature experts as well as farmers are speaking out to warn of the potential consequences on the environment and food production, and calling for urgent action from the State Government.
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IPCC report author, renowned climate scientist and CEO of Climate Analytics Bill Hare will speak about how the record heat Western Australia has been experiencing aligns with IPCC predictions, and how fossil fuel production and use must be urgently phased out to avoid further dire climate impacts on WA.
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Acting Director of the Western Australian Forest Alliance (WAFA) Jess Boyce will speak about the profound impacts the record heat and drought are already having on WA’s forests, woodlands and coastal vegetation as WAFA supporters document dead and dying trees around the State.
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Birdlife’s Carnaby Black Cockatoo Coordinator Sam Rycken will speak about the implications of forest collapse for WA’s beloved and endangered Black Cockatoos. Cockatoos are the canary in the coal mine as climate change hits WA’s forests. The first recorded forest collapse in 2010/11 seriously impacted breeding success causing a major decline in their numbers, and there are grave concerns for them in this latest and far more severe forest collapse event.
- Simon Wallwork, Farmer and Chairperson of AgZero2030, will speak about how farmers are experiencing record or near record dry conditions and the impact this is having on farm production. Record maximum temperatures last September for many locations impacted crop production at a critical time of year when crops were flowering.
Contact details:
For more information please contact Jacqui Street from the Climate Media Centre on 0498 188 528 jacqui.street@climatemediacentre.org.au or Dylan Quinnell on 0450 668 350 dylan.quinnell@climatemediacentre.org.au