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‘Safe Climate’ runners complete 6000-km relay
Emergency service workers have run a 6000-km relay from Cooktown to Melbourne, to raise awareness of the threat of climate change and funds for Safe Climate Australia.
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Emergency service workers taking part in the run take a breather during the North Queensland leg of the marathon relay. Credit: Run for a Safe Climate
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The 25 runners included police, SES, paramedics, fire fighters and military personnel, many of whom have experienced the consequences of a warming world first hand.
Starting on 2 November, the group travelled through capital cities, regional centres and rural towns of Queensland, NSW, South Australia and Victoria, finishing their journey in Melbourne on 29 November. Their route took in environments vulnerable to climate change, including the Wet Tropics, Great Barrier Reef, the Australian Alps and the Murray–Darling Basin.
Along the way the runners met with scientists, community groups, schools and the general public to discuss climate change issues and solutions. They also highlighted energy resources and technologies that could be used to hasten a move to a clean energy economy.
Proceeds from ‘Run for a Safe Climate’ (http://runforasafeclimate.org/) will go towards developing a ‘comprehensive, costed and modelled transition plan’ to move Australia to safe levels of carbon emissions, being prepared by Safe Climate Australia. This non-profit, non-partisan science and research-based organisation was formed by a group of concerned climate scientists, community and business leaders and launched in July 2009 during Al Gore’s visit to Australia.
