Climate activists blockade Rudd`s office

Activists took to the streets and blockaded the prime minister's Sydney office
protesting the Rudd government's response to climate change.
Streets were blocked off as protesters in Sydney marched from the harbour to Kevin
Rudd's city office, where they staged a short sit-in protest against the carbon
emissions scheme.
Families, young children and the elderly gathered in every state capital and
Canberra dressed in red as part of the "climate emergency" message.
The rallies attracted about 6,000 people nationwide, and included environmental
groups like Greenpeace and the Wilderness Society who want an emissions scheme
ditched in favour of an alternative dubbed "Plan B", which includes the phasing out
of coal-fired power stations.
The protest movement also wants 100 per cent renewable energy by 2020.
Government legislation setting up the scheme is due to go before the Senate during
the next sitting in June, but the coalition and the Greens have indicated they will
block the bill.
Australian Greens climate change spokeswoman Christine Milne, who addressed 1,200
activists in rainy Hobart, said her party would block the government's carbon
emission's trading scheme (CPRS) unless it committed to 40 per cent cuts by 2020.
"What we need is a can-do mentality rather than listening to the people who say we
can't do it," Senator Milne told AAP.
"The Australian Greens will oppose the CPRS legislation because the target is not
ambitious enough."
NSW Greens Upper House MP Lee Rhiannon told Sydney's 2,000-strong crowd the
government's scheme would not cut reliance on fossil fuels.
"The world is on red alert, urgent action is needed to rein in runaway climate
change now," Ms Rhiannon said.
"The prime minister needs to recognise that baby steps is not what is needed, we
need the giant leap to a zero emissions future.
"We know that achieving that is not going to come with the carbon pollution
reduction scheme - that's a scam."
As protesters chanted, climate change minister Penny Wong defended the government's
position.
"Like the people who are at these rallies this government does want to take action
on climate change," Senator Wong told ABC Radio.
"The best way to take action on climate change is for senators to pass these laws
that will for the first time reduce Australia's carbon pollution."
A leaked United Nation analysis, dated June 6, says that on conservative estimates,
rich countries need to embrace 25 to 40 per cent cuts in emissions by 2020, below
1990 levels, to give the world a chance of avoiding a two degree temperate rise.
Labor is promising carbon cuts of 25 per cent by 2020 if an ambitious climate change
agreement is reached at the UN climate change talks at Copenhagen in December.
Australian National University earth sciences visiting fellow Andrew Glikson told
the Canberra rally the government's flagged emissions targets were inadequate.
"Government listens to economists, they listen to corporations, they listen to
lawyers. There are no scientists at that level," Dr Glikson said.