Australian Young Christian Students

Campaign Newsletter No.1

 

 

Dear friends of this planet that we call “home”,

My name is Annie Purbrick and I am one of the Australian Young Christian Students’ (YCS) Campaign Coordinators for 2016. I am extremely excited to be writing to you today in our first monthly Climate Justice Campaign Newsletter! These newsletters will be emailed out to any supporters of the movement, wanderers of the Earth, and perfect mixes of both to keep you updated on what is going on in the movement within our campaign, Climate Justice, and how you may get involved. But first, I would like to introduce myself. As mentioned, my name is Annie Purbrick and I am one of the Campaign Coordinators for YCS in 2016, working alongside Hannah Stavrou who is taking on the other half of the role of Campaign Coordinator, and the National Coordinator, Zara Cavalot. I have been involved in the YCS movement for four years as both a student and an adult. I got involved in the movement after seeing some students from my school getting involved in an action on Australia Day in an attempt to spark conversation about the issue of children in immigration detention. I found it intriguing that young people were the drive behind such a huge action to create change in the world. The next school year, I joined YCS and it was the best decision I have ever made. In my time in YCS as a student, I worked closely with the campaigns ‘End Child Detention’ and ‘BreakFree’. My love for campaigning sprouted from there. I was thrilled to hear that the national campaign was on Climate Justice. I feel very connected to this campaign and am very excited to see where it takes us! As you are now probably aware, the AYCS 2016-18 National Campaign, as decided upon by the students at National Conference 2016 is Climate Justice. The passion in the room when deciding on the campaign was amazing, and the excitement once it was chosen was remarkable. The students at the conference are to be commended for choosing such a relevant and important campaign with such intent and deep thought behind it. A truly inspiring day of passion and insight, which I am sure will continue to thrive throughout the duration of this campaign and remain in the lives of all those involved in bringing about Climate Justice in the next two years. Peace,

Annie Purbrick National External Campaign Coordinator Ph; 0433161020 Email; annie.purbrick@aycs.org.au

 

 

 

BANABA ISLAND

{A.K.A: OCEAN ISLAND}  

Latitude 0.53 S. Longitude 169.35 E.

Circumference of around 10km. Highest point reaches only 81m.

Population: 335.

Banaba Island was beautiful. My Nanna recalls the island being full of frangipanis, featuring a tropical rainforest climate with the dense rainforest and other lush greenery creating a tropical paradise. My mum and aunty grew up on Banaba with my grandparents in the 1970s. They talk of the simple and happy lifestyle they led and the fond memories of being immersed in the rich and alive culture of the Banaban men and women.

 Banaba was described by early discoverers as being full of plant and bird life, and completely rich in culture. The Banabans have distinct language and customs unique to the other Kiribati islands, much like the actual land that they lived on. It is the only land mass in the Kiribati region that is raised limestone and phosphate. This abundance in phosphate attracted Europeans to mine the

island of all its worth. After the Japanese inhabited the island during World War II, and once they left their base once the war ended, mining restrictions were unlimited due to the Banabans fleeing their beloved home. The island was mined until 1979, when the lush green island had been reduced to nothing but pinacles and dry wasteland.

Above:  My  mum,  Aunty,  and  Nanna  with  their  Banaban  friends  before  leaving  the  island.  

 

 

The mining had devastating effects on the island. With the restrictions being lifted after most of the Banabans fled to Rabi (an island in Fiji), the British Phosphate Commission brought in heavy mining equipment was and what land that was not yet disturbed by the Phospate working was soon to be flattened for roads to make the mines more accessible.

Whilst my family lived on the coast in a place called Tapiwa away from all of the destruction, the centre of the island was being dug up, flattened, poisoned and left once there was nothing more for the mining company and British Phosphate Commission to gain. The soil was left without

Above:  “BEWARE  MINING  AHEAD”    

Above:  Machinery  used  to  clear  land  for  mining  purposes.   Above:  Centre  of  the  island  cleared  and  soil  ruined.  

 

 

phospate in the centre of the island, meaning the grubbery and woodland has been limited to growing in the phosphate-rich soil near the coast. Banaba was already accustomed to droughts. My grandparents recall the rain clouds forming around the island, yet the rain hardly fell directly on the island due to its intense heat. It was obvious that climate change was taking its toll. During the mining boom, ships would come bringing water to the island for its inhabitants, mainly for the miners and other foreign workers of the island. Now, the few remaining Banabans that have stayed on the island resort to a dodgy desalination plant which is prone to failure and collecting the little rainwater that falls in rainwater tanks and abandoned houses. Agriculture has gone down hill, as well. Many Banaban families would have their own pigs, chickens and vegetable gardens before the island was left poor of phosphate. The lack of rainwater and everpresent heat due to the removal of the dense forrest adds to the difficulty in growing and sustaining their own food on the island. It is truly heartbreaking that the tropical oasis that once existed has now been depleted because of our “need” for more than our natural resources allow. My mum’s home is no longer there, in its place a dry, rocky wasteland that is just too hot and depleted for sustaining long-term life. Also at risk of loss is the Banaban culture and customs. The Banabans being forced to move far from their home presents an injustice that seems very far from being solved.

- Annie Purbrick, YCS Worker

Above:  My  Grandad  and  his  Banaban  friends  on  the  island.  

Every month, we will be including a case study, or personal story from

the movement. We hope this provides a point of reflection and

allows you to find God in this beautiful planet.

 

 

BREAKING NEWS March 2016

10th March

A group of young people in the US have sued the US Government for not respecting their constitutional right to life, liberty, and property. The group claims that the Government’s ongoing support of the use of fossil fuels in America does not uphold these rights. The court is yet to make a decision, however it would not be too outrageous for the court to rule against the Government. A similar case was brought forward in the Netherlands which ended in the court ruling that is was the state’s responsibility to reduce greenhouse emissions.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/young-people-are-suing-governments-over-climate-change/news-story/e327a797ab048ba2013f7f96c2d3ffbc

24th March

Climate tracking graphs for the year have certainly “departed the norm” so far with February of this year being lifted to 1.21˚C above the average of the 20th century. With spikes such as this, it’s no wonder scientists are calling for urgent action as we near the 2˚C global warming limit.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/spike-in-global-temperature-fuels-climate-change-fears-20160317-gnl7do.html

28th March

Recent ecological studies have shown that Eucalyptus trees will start to die due to climate change. With climate change resulting in massive droughts, many species of trees are able to shrick the vessels in which they take in water. Eucalyptus trees are one type of tree that is unable to perform this adaptation, resulting in their vessels being filled with air bubbles. Once an air bubble is formed in the vessel, the tree is unable to take in any water.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-30/climate-change-could-put-eucalypts-at-risk-of-death-air-bubbles/7266230

31st March Paris sets a benchmark for all other nations in tackling climate change with the Paris Agreement. The agreement sets targets and goals in order to limit the inevitable temperature increases to just 2˚C in the long-term. The notable difference in this framework lies in the goals of the three focuses areas: mitigation, adaptation, and finance. On April 22, many nations are set to sign off on the agreement.

 

 

http://theconversation.com/paris-set-a-benchmark-in-the-battle-against-climate-change-what-now-56934

- Climate Justice Campaign decided upon at National Conference.

- The Climate Justice campaign was launched on social media!

- All YCS dioceses have been hard at work planning and preparing for their six monthly campaign review camps! While the National Executive have been busy typing away to their fingers’ content, Diocesan Review Teams all around the country have been sorting out the logistics of their camps, writing agendas and sessions, and getting students excited about the campaign.

- As mentioned, the National Executive students have been working hard at getting the April 2016 Campaign Resource out for the dioceses to run. It has been a long month of typing and meeting, but they should most certainly all be commended on their hard work and amazing achievement. We are all very excited to see the end product.

- Parramatta, Melbourne, Adelaide + Port Pirie (SA), Townsville and Perth dioceses will be conducting their April 2016 Campaign Camps this month. As a part of the overall vision of AYCS and the campaign, the students of the movement elected that each dioceses is to conduct a Review of Life on the campaign in April and September of every year for the duration of the campaign.

- National Coordinator, Zara Cavalot, will be conducting visits to dioceses Perth, Adelaide, and Melbourne attending the Campaign Camps of each respective diocese where possible.

- National Executive students will be using the information and knowledge, and passion that comes from the Review of Life at the April Campaign Camps to continually post pressing issues and changes within the issue of Climate Injustice on social media. Don’t forget to follow our Facebook and Instagram accounts to stay updated!

M A

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2016

Australian Young Christian Students

A timeline of what has happened and what to expect!

facebook.com/australianycs @ausycs

 

 

For more information on the AYCS Campaign contact Annie Purbrick

Ph: 0433 161 020 Email: annie.purbrick@aycs.org.au

Or follow our Facebook and Instagram pages.