MEDIA RELEASE: 8th August 2007

Federal Politicians urged to support Climate Refugee Bill

National environment group Friends of the Earth Australia calls on all
federal politicians to support the private members bill to establish a
Climate Refugee Visa, which will be debated in the Senate tomorrow. The
bill, introduced by Senator Kerry Nettle, proposes that Australia accept
300 climate refugees from Tuvalu, 300 from Kiribati and 300 from other
Pacific Island nations. These nations are some of the most vulnerable in
the world to rising sea levels due to climate change.

“The significance of this bill for our Pacific neighbours cannot be
underestimated. Already the Carteret islands of Papua New Guinea are being
evacuated. Tuvalu and Kiribati are starting to disappear” said Friends of
the Earth Climate Justice spokesperson Emma Brindal.

“Australia, as the highest per capita producer of greenhouse emissions and
the richest country in the region, has a special responsibility to our
neighbours in the Pacific. This should include the migration of displaced
people to Australia” said Ms Brindal.

“The creation of a climate refugee visa would demonstrate leadership on
this pressing human rights issue on our doorstep” said Ms Brindal.

To date the Howard government has ignored the requests of Pacific Island
nations for assistance. In October 2006, at the Pacific Islands Forum in
Fiji, the Howard government refused to meet the government of Tuvalu to
discuss the climate change crisis. Tuvalu is one of the world’s most
vulnerable nations to sea level rise as its highest point is less than
5metres above sea level.

Sir Nicolas Stern's report on climate change concluded that there could be
between 150 and 200 million climate refugees by 2050. Many of the people
displaced by rising seas, famine and disease will be in the Pacific and
Asia.

“It is also essential that Australia take action now to reduce the causes
of the displacement of climate refugees by committing to making deep cuts
in our greenhouse emissions. We must also provide financial support for
adaptation to allow communities to cope with climate change impacts and
provide financial support for people who will have to relocate within
their own countries” said Ms Brindal.

For further comment:
Emma Brindal (07) 3846 5793 / 0411 084 727
Cam Walker (03) 9419 8700 / 0419 338 047

Notes to editor:
1. For a copy of the bill and background material see Kerry Nettles's
website: www.kerrynettle.org.au
2. At the ALP national conference in April 2007, a policy was passed to
create an international coalition of Pacific Rim nations willing to accept
climate refugees from nations that become uninhabitable.
3. For more information on climate refugees, see Friends of the Earth’s A
Citizen’s Guide to Climate Refugees. http://www.foe.org.au/