Human polar bears and giant signs on the sand are just some of the highlights at the protest in Dee Why and Manly on Saturday’s International Day of Climate Action. Roman Ristovski reports.

Residents in the Northern Beaches called for the federal government to combat climate change on Saturday with demonstrations along the peninsula beaches of Mona Vale, Dee Why and Manly. The demonstrators join a chorus of over 3000 similar protests worldwide calling for reductions to the carbon emissions of developed and developing countries in an effort to lower the world’s level of carbon dioxide from 389 parts-per-million (ppm) to 350ppm, a target advocated by NASA’s chief scientist James Hansen and agreed to by leading scientists and researchers around the world.

The federal government currently believes that halting climbing emission levels to 450ppm is the best the world can hope for. But the sentiment among organisers and local residents at the event was unanimous – the government just isn’t doing enough.

Helicopter hovers above the human sign made up of hundreds of local residents. Image: Roman Ristovski.

Iain McGregor, the coordinator for the Manly event, believes the government’s initiatives like the ETS represent a ‘baby step’ forward for Australia. However, he said that neither the coalition nor the government was showing enough commitment to fighting climate change.

“They’re engaged in petty politics. The coalition is stalling for time before Copenhagen. It’s turned into a political point scoring event.”

At Dee Why beach the percussionist group In-Rhythm performed for a gathering crowd as the organisers began to prepare the human sign. Kirsten Evans, coordinator for the Dee Why event, mirrors McGregor’s views. “The government has the right intention but now is not the time for compromise. This isn’t a political issue, it’s a scientific issue.”

She said that the 350 event was a chance to “envision a different future for Australia.” Fiona of Manly Vale, at the event with her son Ellis, agreed. “[The government] needs to sacrifice some jobs.”

Linda Haefali, the Mona Vale coordinator, mirrored Fiona’s sentiments. “It’s obvious we need to invest in renewables… Australia is only a small country but we have the highest level of emissions per capita in the world.”

A local resident dressed up as a polar bear- one of the many animals to be endangered by receding glaciers. Image: Roman Ristovski.

She is disappointed with the federal government’s ETS and claims that it merely signifies the government “playing to the hands of the big polluters.” Nonetheless she is hopeful that the grassroots campaign will serve as a wakeup call to the government and affect “proper changes” to its commitment to lowering emissions targets.

Ian Cleland, of the Climate Action Group, spoke of sustainable housing and landscaping to the demonstrators at Mona Vale beach. “Many houses are able to reduce their carbon footprints,” he told the human sign and its onlookers. “Warringah Council has been very active in its response to climate change.” Cleland said, citing the Pittwater Sustainability Awards as an example of the council’s support for environmentally friendly projects. He then urged the crowd, comprising a cross-section of the local community from families and the elderly to young adults, to raise their arms and yell ‘350!’ as the news helicopter circled the demonstration.

Roman Ristovski is a freelance journalist.