Kia ora katoa!

The year ends on a note of despair for which we have to thank the hijacking of COP27 by the Egyptian government and the fossil fuel moguls. The short term has become even shorter, this present more crucial.

We are undeterred and have been busy! The team is pleased to present an updated version of the Declaration. It’s a less wordy document and reflects the distance even our slow-moving government has travelled since we first worked with Jeanette Fitzsimons to set up our organization.

Thus, we’ve deleted reference to a Climate Change Commission since one has been established. The Paris Agreement and its target of global temperature rises of no more than 1.5 degrees is now tragically consigned to history. The future we face will be harshest for those with few resources and so reducing inequality remains one of our prime concerns.

The Emissions Trading Scheme has had some of its shortcomings rectified but our preference remains for a system that rations carbon to all citizens with equal quotas and a declining cap.

We’ve shortened the introduction and included a strong reference to the values of Te Ao Māori. Please let us know your response to this updated Declaration which you will find below.

We look forward to another year of webinars to broaden our understanding of the problems we face in replacing our growth-based economy with the Economy of Enough, and of surviving as planetary overshoot deepens.

We would enjoy seeing new faces on our fortnightly zoom calls. These incorporate discussion on climate issues and activities that the Team is involved in, as well as ideas for new directions OCD might take. We are planning an open forum zoom call early next year, hoping to inspire you to join the Team!

Ngā mihi mahana ki a tātou,

Pat Baskett, Joanna Santa Barbara, Jack Santa Barbara, Molly Melhuish, Paul Bruce, Torfrida Wainwright, Robin Treadwell 

Our Climate Declaration

We commit to doing what is necessary to ensure a safe climate for future generations and restoring Te Taiao, aligned with the values of Te Ao Māori. We believe the changes we need to make are profound and urgent. We will:

Stop making things worse

• Close all coal mines and end importing coal
• End oil and gas exploration and phase out natural gas
• End all fossil fuel subsidies
• Change the economic paradigm of limitless growth and abandon GDP as an indicator of economic success
• Phase down industrialized agriculture – reduce livestock numbers
• Phase down the aviation industry

Start making things better

• Reduce socio-economic inequality to ensure a just transition, leaving no one behind
• Make our electricity a 100% renewable public service
• Replace the Emissions Trading Scheme by rationing carbon to all citizens with equal quotas and a declining cap
• Fund public and active transport and reduce the need for cars by localizing activities and services such as food production
• Convert to electric and low-carbon transport – public and private, including rail and shipping
• Make all buildings healthy and energy efficient
• Plant trees in towns and cities to provide shade and biodiversity
• Change the way we farm. Support diversification, organic and regenerative agriculture
• Extend and protect our native forests by controlling browsers and predators
• Prepare to welcome climate refugees

Scientists tell us there is no time to lose to preserve a livable climate for humanity. Short term, free-market policies have created and continue to exacerbate this disaster. We need to engage all actors and promote all actions at all levels urgently.