Major new alliance launches Climate Voter initiative

Auckland, 22 June 2014 – A campaign to mobilise thousands of Kiwis to use their vote in September’s election to support action on climate change was launched in Auckland this afternoon.

Citizens concerned about climate change are being asked to sign on at climatevoter.org.nz to make their vote count “in the biggest challenge of our time.”

The campaign is being run by a non-partisan alliance of six of New Zealand’s biggest not-for-profit organisations - Greenpeace, Oxfam, Generation Zero, 350 Aotearoa, Forest & Bird and WWF.

Rachel Brown CEO of the Sustainable Business Network was one of the first people to sign on at today’s launch event.

“I’m a Climate Voter because I want the next government to seize the opportunity to make New Zealand a leader in clean energy innovation,” she said.

Dr George Laking was another early signatory.

“Politicians of all stripes must stop using climate change as a political football. It belongs as a core issue alongside other concerns like health and education, and must be taken seriously,” he said.

He also commented on the wider human impacts of climate change; “Our Pacific neighbours for example need us to use our votes to help stop runaway global warming from destroying their islands”.

Shortland St actor Cameron Jones added his support.

“I’m a Climate Voter because I want real action on climate change and I’m prepared to use my vote to get it,” he said.

It was announced at today’s launch that the six highest polling political parties will be invited to take part in a debate in Auckland on 3 September. It will give the parties a chance to convince an audience of Climate Voters to vote for them based on the action they are taking on climate change. It will also be streamed live on climatevoter.org.nz.

Ends

© Scoop Media