Newsletter August 2025
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In this Newsletter
1. Climate Anxiety and a call to action
2. New Webinars in August and September
3. War versus Climate Solutions
As we pass the middle of 2025, our planet is on track to experience its second or third warmest year on record. The long-term trend for global heating continues to be resolutely upwards, increasing climate risks and impacts on societies and economies. Earth Overshoot Day was the earliest ever this year, on 24 July.
Climate breakdown and biodiversity loss are beginning to affect increasing numbers of people on a daily basis, affecting our physical and mental health, the food we eat and the places we live. This is also coming home to people through social media and news media reports on heat waves, fires, floods and droughts.
Climate anxiety can be reframed as a call to action. This can be through choosing eco-friendly products and supporting businesses with sustainable practices and participating in community initiatives and supporting organisations promoting climate solutions.
Despite global climate change and the biodiversity crisis, the government in Aotearoa New Zealand is weakening environmental legislation and enabling, for example, mining and new oil and gas exploration.
We will continue to deliver the Our Climate Declaration message as widely as possible. As our declaration reads -
Close all coal mines, stop importing coal and phase out natural gas.
Change the way we farm. Support diversification, organic and regenerative agriculture.
Fund electrified public and active transport
Extend and protect native forests
Plant trees in towns and cities for shade and biodiversity
Make electricity a 100% renewable public service
Reduce socio-economic inequality
Prepare to welcome climate refugees
Short term, free market policies have allowed us to overshoot climate boundaries. We need to engage all actors at all levels because science shows us there is no time to lose.
Up and Coming Webinars
NOW THAT WE’VE REACHED 1.5C, WHAT NEXT?
David Spratt, Research Director, Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration, Australia
Wednesday, 27 August, 7pm
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83930401332?pwd=JMiIwIR4iqBHWcvgiY9F2AUz1dFJdD.1
Meeting ID: 839 3040 1332
Passcode: 188502
HOW CREATIVE THINKING AND CREATIVE ART POWERS CAN ACHIEVE RADICAL CHANGE
Jo Randerson, Founder and artistic director of Barbarian Productions (theatre company). See www.barbarian.co.nz for more information.
Thursday 18 Sept, 7pm
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83099304037?pwd=a3VOjsAYPaOvzuFZswEI2YZDznPhUk.1
For more information, go to https://www.ourclimatedeclaration.org.nz/
War vs Climate Solutions – by Bev Short
(Spoiler: this is not a scientific article, but more the musings of a current affairs watcher)
With the outbreak of WW3 (for the want of any other name) in the Middle East, now involving the country with the biggest Defence budget in the world – one has to wonder if there is any hope for Climate solutions remaining.
What do endless wars bring to the future of the Planet?
They uproot whole communities who then become nomadic refugees in search of a safe place to live.
They add tonnes of pollution to the atmosphere, which negates efforts to control the warming of the planet.
They normalise misuse of power in the psyche of populations who are exposed or are observers. This sets the scene for the acceptance of war as the first solution to turn to.
They hoover up national budgets, which might otherwise invest in peace and stability.
They reset the common good to the common survival, which involves defending a country from annihilation, therefore people vote for more defence spending, or plead for help from other countries.
Join us
We need friends with inspiration, a passion for the future and some time to devote to behind-the-scenes work. We meet for about an hour by ZOOM every three weeks, but in between, we plan, and share ideas and information by email.
Join us, as an observer at our 3-weekly meetings. Email us at info@ourclimatedeclaration.org.nz so we can send you the link.
Donate to Our Climate Declaration
Your donation will help us to continue our work for a world that is safe for humanity.
Kiwibank account name is Our Climate Declaration, # 38-9026-0784932-00
Please let us know when you make a donation - Contact us or email info@ourclimatedeclaration.org.nz
Thank you. Your donation will be wisely spent.
Kia kaha katoa,
Our Climate Declaration Team