Around the world, communities, governments, and businesses are declaring a Climate Emergency. This declaration recognises that globally we face a situation in which urgent action is required to address the escalating climate crisis and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage resulting from it.

By late 2020, more than 1,840 jurisdictions in 32 countries had declared a climate emergency, including local, state and national governments. In Australia alone, where the movement began in 2016, close to 100 local governments and the ACT Government had declared.

Mik Aidt is known to many people across the Geelong region as the host of The Sustainable Hour on the Pulse FM radio station. A passionate advocate for sustainability and climate action, Mik is originally from Denmark and migrated here eight years ago.

In February 2016, Mik was on a Skype meeting with three colleagues, concerned at the continued inaction on climate change by all levels of government. That meeting agreed that something more radical was needed, a formal recognition of the climate emergency. Straight after the meeting, Mik, a communications specialist, registered the domain name climateemergencydeclaration.org.

The message had to get to the top, driven by a petition to the federal government. Three other movements adopted the declaration agenda and helped drive a groundswell of global community activism; the Climate Mobilization in the United States, the Extinction Rebellion movement in the UK, and the global School Strike for Climate Action, initiated by Greta Thunberg in Sweden. Many more have followed since, including the Australian Medical Association, Greenpeace and Pope Francis.

Mik is adamant that that things are starting to change and that governments are responding to calls by the community and business to mobilise. Testimony to the globalisation and cultural significance of the movement, the term ‘Climate Emergency’ was named Oxford Dictionaries 'Word of the Year' in 2019.

Call to Action

Mik’s call to action is simple and inspiring. Think about how you can contribute. Find your role. Do something to reduce your emissions. Any problem is a chance for you to do your best.

IMAGE: Mik Aidt