GrahamLea · September 29, 2019 22:40
diff --git a/ClimateEmergencyPetitionLetterTemplate.txt b/ClimateEmergencyPetitionLetterTemplate.txt
 THIS IS A TEMPLATE:
 * CHANGE THE SALUTATION AT THE START
 * UPDATE THE NUMBER OF PETITION SIGNATORIES IN THE 3RD PARAGRAPH
 * INSERT YOUR NAME AT THE END

 Dear PICK ONE: Prime Minister / Mr Speaker / Minister / Assistant Minister /  Madam / Sir

 I am writing to you as my local representative in the federal parliament’s House of Representatives.

 Very soon a petition will come before the House; Petition EN1041 - Declare a Climate Emergency. At the time of writing, this petition has over 147,000 signatories.

 As a signatory to this petition, I’m writing to convey my expectation that you support this petition’s requests in the parliament, those being: that the parliament declare a climate emergency, and immediately introduce legislation to reduce the causes of anthropogenic climate change.

 It is the policy of several major parties to reject the need for urgent and drastic action on climate change. However, I believe that policy is not a true representation of the majority view of the electorate. As such, I also call on you to request that your party allow a conscience vote on this declaration.

 The biosphere doesn’t care whether Australia emits 1.07% or 99% of the world’s greenhouse gasses. The biosphere doesn’t care that our per capita CO2 emissions are going down while our total emissions are going up. The biosphere is not fooled by cherry-picked statistics.

 Sea levels are rising. Glaciers are disappearing. Animal species are going extinct. Heatwaves, bushfires and severe storms are all increasing in frequency and/or intensity. The time for observations and debate is over. We are experiencing an existential crisis now. And we know our greenhouse gas emissions are the cause.

 The government’s current policies, according to their own reports, are failing to reduce emissions. Every country in the world needs to be working as hard as possible to push their emissions down, but ours are going up. This is irresponsible, negligent of future generations, and an international embarrassment. At a time when Australia could be leading the world out of crisis, as we did successfully with ozone depletion, and as we were when our carbon price was resulting in decreasing emissions, we are now instead the obstinate party with the worst per capita levels and a penchant for coal, and consequently we are a laughing stock globally.

 It is time to demonstrate that you value the continued sustenance of life on earth more than the near-term economy; to show that you value the lives of future generations more than the annual results of large, polluting corporations.

 To conclude, I repeat my requests: Please petition your party to allow a conscience vote on the declaration of a climate emergency. And please represent me in the parliament by supporting the declaration and spearheading legislation for immediate climate action.

 It’s possible that you may not live long enough to see the effects of our action, or lack of action, on climate change. However, it is the crisis of our generation, and your contribution to our government’s stance on this matter will likely be your legacy.

 “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” - Greek proverb

 Yours faithfully,

 YOUR NAME
	THIS IS A TEMPLATE:
	* CHANGE THE SALUTATION AT THE START
	* UPDATE THE NUMBER OF PETITION SIGNATORIES IN THE 3RD PARAGRAPH
	* INSERT YOUR NAME AT THE END

	Dear PICK ONE: Prime Minister / Mr Speaker / Minister / Assistant Minister / Madam / Sir

	I am writing to you as my local representative in the federal parliament’s House of Representatives.

	Very soon a petition will come before the House; Petition EN1041 - Declare a Climate Emergency. At the time of writing, this petition has over 147,000 signatories.

	As a signatory to this petition, I’m writing to convey my expectation that you support this petition’s requests in the parliament, those being: that the parliament declare a climate emergency, and immediately introduce legislation to reduce the causes of anthropogenic climate change.

	It is the policy of several major parties to reject the need for urgent and drastic action on climate change. However, I believe that policy is not a true representation of the majority view of the electorate. As such, I also call on you to request that your party allow a conscience vote on this declaration.

	The biosphere doesn’t care whether Australia emits 1.07% or 99% of the world’s greenhouse gasses. The biosphere doesn’t care that our per capita CO2 emissions are going down while our total emissions are going up. The biosphere is not fooled by cherry-picked statistics.

	Sea levels are rising. Glaciers are disappearing. Animal species are going extinct. Heatwaves, bushfires and severe storms are all increasing in frequency and/or intensity. The time for observations and debate is over. We are experiencing an existential crisis now. And we know our greenhouse gas emissions are the cause.

	The government’s current policies, according to their own reports, are failing to reduce emissions. Every country in the world needs to be working as hard as possible to push their emissions down, but ours are going up. This is irresponsible, negligent of future generations, and an international embarrassment. At a time when Australia could be leading the world out of crisis, as we did successfully with ozone depletion, and as we were when our carbon price was resulting in decreasing emissions, we are now instead the obstinate party with the worst per capita levels and a penchant for coal, and consequently we are a laughing stock globally.

	It is time to demonstrate that you value the continued sustenance of life on earth more than the near-term economy; to show that you value the lives of future generations more than the annual results of large, polluting corporations.

	To conclude, I repeat my requests: Please petition your party to allow a conscience vote on the declaration of a climate emergency. And please represent me in the parliament by supporting the declaration and spearheading legislation for immediate climate action.

	It’s possible that you may not live long enough to see the effects of our action, or lack of action, on climate change. However, it is the crisis of our generation, and your contribution to our government’s stance on this matter will likely be your legacy.

	“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” - Greek proverb

	Yours faithfully,

	YOUR NAME