John Key’s stomach prepares for royal banquet as real climate action...

Media Release – 14 December, 2009

John Key’s stomach prepares for royal banquet as real climate action
begins in NZ.

The prospects of a climate deal in Copenhagen continue to diminish as one
of the few emerging certainties is that heads of state will attend a royal
dinner. The New Zealand Government’s only contribution to the talks looks
to be support for the world’s largest polluter, the US, and John Key’s
empty stomach.

Meanwhile, people from across New Zealand are setting up one of the
largest environmental gatherings in Aotearoa’s history. The activists are
setting up New Zealand’s first Climate Camp, five days of free workshops,
sustainable living, grassroots democracy and direct action which aims to
mobilise community action on climate change.

“We’re getting together to create real action on climate change, unlike
the talks in Copenhagen which have been a set-up for polluters from the
beginning,” said Claire Dann from Climate Camp Aotearoa.

“Today’s global emission levels are even higher than the ‘worst-case’
scenarios envisaged by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change a
decade ago. After 17 years of talks that have not reduced emissions, we
can’t expect Copenhagen to be any different.”

“In the face of early-morning raids and hundreds of pre-emptive arrests,
protestors in Copenhagen will continue to mobilise this week for the
urgent, real action we desperately need on climate change. Climate Camp
Aotearoa is part of the global movement for climate justice that can and
must confront the climate crisis.”

For comments and photos of Camp set-up contact:

Mobile: 022 627 5300 (Climate Camp Media Spokesperson)
Email: climatecampnz@riseup.net

Event details:
What: Climate Camp Aotearoa
When: 16-21 December, 2009
Where: Moonshine Park, Trentham, Upper Hutt, Wellington
Website: www.climatecamp.org.nz