Oxfam calls on people to Take a Stand on the Strand

Oxfam Ireland Press Release
11 June 2009

Oxfam Ireland today called on people across Dublin to take a stand this Saturday against climate change.

The mobilisation, to take place on Sandymount Strand on Dublin’s Southside, is being organised by Stop Climate Chaos – the coalition of Irish organisations campaigning to halt runaway climate change – of which Oxfam Ireland is a member.

On Saturday, June 13th from 12 p.m. the demonstration “Climate Countdown to Copenhagen” will take place and send out a clear message that time is running out for world leaders to agree a fair and safe global deal.

We hope that a thousand people will come together and use specially printed newspapers to form a giant human hourglass and spell out the words 6 MONTHS and ACT NOW.

 ‘With just six months to stop runaway climate change we are asking for hundreds of volunteers to help us mark the countdown to Copenhagen. The time to act is now. We’ll be urging to the government to make climate change a clear priority for the next six months’ said Colin Roche, Oxfam’s policy and advocacy coordinator.

The mobilisation coincides with climate talks that are taking place this week in Bonn, Germany and is just six months before the crucial talks in Copenhagen to finalise a global deal to tackle climate change.

‘After the recent elections, the government now needs to put climate change at the top of their agenda. The urgency and seriousness of climate change cannot be understated and must be a priority right now. We urge people to come out and take a stand with us to ensure that Ireland plays its part in Copenhagen” continued Mr Roche.

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Notes to Editor

Oxfam Ireland is an independent member of Oxfam International- a group of thirteen non-governmental agencies dedicated to fighting poverty and related injustice around the world.

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