WWF president issues stark warning to Mosman Council on bushfires
One of the country’s top environmentalist made a shock appearance at Mosman Council to warn about the increased threat of bushfires and to pinpoint where in the suburb they were most likely to take hold.
One of Australia’s leading environmentalist is warning that Mosman’s bushland is at risk of fire in the future.
WWF Australia president Martijn Wilder AM has lived in the suburb for most of his life and is worried about climate change.
“Mosman it’s beautiful but it has a significant amount of bushland in it,” Mr Wilder said.
“With the bushfires that are coming it’s not unforeseeable that those areas could go up.”
Mr Wilder was one of the key speakers at Mosman Council this week ahead of its vote on declaring a state of emergency on climate change.
It has joined councils across the country in the declaration and a huge crowd turned out at the meeting to see it being voted through.
The discussion happened as Sydney was clouded in smoke from devastating bushfires in NSW.
On a local level Mr Wilder pinpointed Clifton Gardens, Middle Head and Ashton Park as potential risk areas.
He believes Mosman should do a comprehensive risk assessment and risk management of these areas as if they went up “we would be in a horrific situation”.
“We can’t avert the impacts of climate change. We have to start to get ready for that,” he said.
For Mr Wilder one of the key aspects of the climate emergency declaration is the need to listen to what the scientists are saying and to take action on this. The vote also raises the profile and awareness of the issue.
“Declaring a climate emergency is actually a recognition that we have a serious problem and we have to deal with it,” he said.
“It enables the council to focus its mind a little bit more on what steps it can take as a council.”
Mr Wilder is the chair of the NSW Government Climate Change Council, head of global climate change law at Baker & McKenzie and founder of climate change investment firm Pollination.
Cr Roy Bendall wanted the council to go further than just declaring a climate emergency and called for solar panels on council assets, solar street lighting, planning for electric vehicle charging stations and upgrading filtration systems on storm water drains.
He described the emergency declaration that was voted through as “vacuous virtue signalling”. Cr Bendall said Mosman has one of the largest footprints in Australia.
“They just wanted to play politics and declare an emergency and write to the Prime Minister,” Cr Bendall said.
“How about we do something?
“I don’t believe in lecturing other government agencies when we are not prepared to do anything ourselves.”
‘I had no clue’: The 40-1 change who made sporting folklore
It’s the badly believable story of a teenager “with no clue” who was created sporting folklore 40 years ago. Inside the painful and crazy first Coolangatta Gold surf life saving race.
Just outstanding! The young guns on fire in Waratahs v Reds U15 battle
It’s a taste of things to come, a critical showcase for rising stars of rugby and the annual battle between the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds under 15s did not disappoint. Stars, photos