Gabby Greyem chats to councillors and residents of the NSW’s Central Coast about their efforts on the international day of climate change action.

200 residents spell out their target on the clifftop at Terrigal. Image: Peter Adderley

Local residents and councillors, including the Mayor of Gosford City Council joined ranks at Terrigal and Umina on Saturday to call for action on climate change.

Clr Holstein said he supported the call for 350 and was very impressed with the turn out
at Umina Beach, where 200 residents made a human sign.

“I think it’s excellent, it’s a good indication to the politicians that people do (have)
concerns about our environment … Council is supportive of the message.”

For Kay O’Carroll of Ettalong Beach and her eight year old daughter, Maeve, taking part
in the human sign at Umina was the first time they had been involved in protest against
climate change.

Maeve O’Carroll said she wanted to send a message to the government to “stop the icebergs
from melting.”

Organiser of the Terrigal 350 human sign protest, Alison Heathcote has put in hundreds of
hours organising the protest and building community awareness of 350.

“I’m an anti-activist normally, but I’m a great aunty and …. they make you realise that
you’ve got to leave this world a better place for these youngsters … that’s my main
driver for today and for the future,” she said.

Image: Peter Adderley

“There’s more than 4,600 actions happening around the world in 177 countries. So it’s a
massive day of the people of the world rallying around to say ‘we’ve had enough, we want
our world leaders to take action on climate change’.

“If everyone of us does our little bit then it (350) will be achievable … today is
about empowering people to realise that they can make a difference.” She said.

Councils start preparing for sea level rises

In preparation for the impacts of global warming, Councils in the Hunter, Central and
North Coast region are adopting a projected upper sea level rise figure of 0.91cm by 2100.

Gosford City Council has invited public comment on its proposal to adopt a planning level
for sea level rise set to inform future Council policy.

Sea level rise maps which have been displayed on the council website and in public
libraries predict a number of areas in Gosford shire, including the busy commercial
district of Woy Woy, will be flooded if sea levels rise.

Councillor Holstein said the maps are “about getting people to … plan now for the
future on what might be the impacts.”

He denied they were an attempt to indemnify the council against litigation and he did not
believe the maps will affect property values.

“You always get a bit of scare mongering of what might be. I don’t believe it will
because I believe what we’re looking at is something in the next 50 years.”

Manager, Integrated Planning for Gosford Council, Eddie Love has received 15 submissions
regarding its proposed sea level rise planning levels. Four submissions were from peak
community and network groups, six were from individuals and five from
State Government agencies.

The Community Environment Network (CEN) is a not for profit, non-government organisation
which has been working primarily in the areas of Gosford, Wyong and Lake Macquarie, for
the past 12 years.

Chairman of CEN, Mr John Asquith welcomed Gosford Council’s initiative in putting its sea
level rise maps out for public comment. He believes this is an essential start for
councils to begin planning for climate change.

However Mr Asquith expressed reservations about how the community may interpret the maps.

“We have a lot of reservations with regard to seal level rise mapping… in particular a
lot of the figures and texts which are based on a seal level rise of roughly 90cm by
2100, can give people a misconception that the impacts will only be what is shown on the
mapping.

“The figures are not the worst case scenario, they’re the accepted base case scenario
which relies on climate change impacts not occurring as fast as a lot of scientists are
saying they will.”

Asquith is keen to see more long-term strategies implemented by government to deal with
climate change and sea level rise.

“What we’re seeing with the state government allowing sea walls to be built, is very much
a knee jerk short term response because in the long term it will be a very damaging and
expensive response.

“It’s really important for people to take the time to understand climate change – we need
people to respond by doing their bit to reduce the carbon they produce,” he said.

Gabby Greyem is a freelance journalist and UTS graduate