Well I think that counts as a success!
More people than I expected, media coverage (including speaking live on BBC Berkshire – to the delight of a colleague who heard me on her way home).
Below is the press release:
Reading delivers wake up call to world leaders!
Reading residents gathered in Broad Street on Monday for an event that could help change the course of global climate negotiations.
As synchronized phone alarms sounded, around 50 people came together in “flash mob” style to take a photograph before making phone calls to the government urging the government to take bold action to help achieve a fair, ambitious and binding global climate pact.
Rachel Eden, the event organizer also spoke to local radio stations and the group attracted friendly attention from passersby.
Some 2682 events in 134 countries sounded the alarm in advance of a meeting of world leaders meeting in New York (September 22). A UN climate deal in Copenhagen in December risks failure unless world leaders revive bogged-down negotiations.
A broad coalition of major environmental and anti-poverty organisations as well as faith, civic and youth networks – called the TCKTCKTCK campaign for the ticking-clock urgency of climate change – is backing the campaign effort.
Ricken Patel, executive director of campaign network Avaaz.org which created an online hub for its 3.6 million members to organise events said:
“The idea of a global climate wake-up call got going just a few weeks ago, and it’s snowballed into a massive mobilisation of millions around the world who want leaders to do more to stop runaway climate change.”
“Climate change is not just a dire problem, it’s a massive opportunity to unleash a new green, clean economy. Reading residents have joined people around the world in sending an unmistakable message. Our leaders need to wake up and smell the opportunity,” he added.
To see images and stories from the worldwide wake-up call: http://avaaz.org/en/sept21_hub/
The TckTckTck campaign is a broad alliance of faith and youth groups, trade unions and non-governmental organisations including Avaaz.org, Greenpeace, 350.org, Oxfam and WWF calling for a new international climate treaty that is fair, ambitious and binding. Well over 1 million individuals have already pledged support online: http://www.tcktcktck.org
I work with the TckTckTck campaign, and just stopped by to say: great work!