A petition with more than 500 signatures will be presented to Indi MP Cathy McGowan on Friday to send a message that climate change is not just a metro-based issue.
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Wangaratta’s Climate Action Group was established just two months ago, but members have been busy collecting signatures as they work on a vision to create a more sustainable city.
About 20 people from the Border and North East will take on a bus trip to Melbourne next week for the People's Climate March on November 27.
The Wangaratta Sustainability Group was named an official partner of the rally, to precede United Nations climate talks in Paris.
Wangaratta’s Cathy Oddie said the diverse group was made up of atheists to people of faith keen to spread the Pope’s strong message on climate change.
“We’re designing a big Wangaratta banner so hopefully the media (at the rally) will realise there’s a big regional presence,” she said.”
The petition for Ms McGowan called on the federal government to be a leader in action limiting global warming to two degrees.
“We therefore ask the house to recognise the threat of climate change as the major issue currently facing Australia and the world at large,” the petition states.
“It is too important to be subjected to party political bickering and point scoring.”
Lizette Salmon from Wodonga Albury Towards Climate Health said those at the rally would be marching for the creation of renewable energy, clean air and job creation.
“People from rural and regional areas will be first and hardest hit by climate change, with the hotter, drier conditions leading to agricultural losses, food and water shortages and worsening bushfires,” she said.
