Media

MEDIA ALERT

Everest record holder calls for climate action by Australia

Tuesday 11 August, 12.15pm

WHAT: The world’s fastest Mount Everest climber will join Senator Christine Milne in the launch of a new report, High Stakes – Climate change, the Himalayas, Asia and Australia, and will call on the Australian Government to shift policy to help stop the “big melt” in the Himalayas which is threatening more than one billion people in Asia.

WHO: Greens Senator Christine Milne, Pemba Dorje Sherpa, world record holder for fastest climb of Mount Everest, Prakash Sharma, Executive Director Pro Public Nepal and Damien Lawson, National Climate Justice Coordinator, Friends of the Earth Australia.

WHERE: Senate Committee Room - 2S2, Parliament House, Canberra

WHEN: Tuesday 11 August, 12.15pm

WHY: The report High Stakes – Climate change, the Himalayas, Asia and Australia shows that warming across the greater Himalayas is two-to-four times the global average. This rise in temperature will increase hazards such as avalanches, debris flows, landslides and flash floods.

This increase in temperature will also result in water shortages as the glaciers reduce in size, putting at risk the water and food security of more than one billion people in Asia.

CONTACT: Damien Lawson 0419 253 342 or Cam Walker 0419 338 047 (Friends of the Earth). Tim Hollo 0437 587 562 (Senator Christine Milne)

Please contact:

Damien Lawson

Tel: +61 3 9419 8700
Mobile: 0419 253 342
Email: damien.lawson@foe.org.au

or Sacha Myers, Media Officer

Tel: 03 9341 8113
Mobile: 0417 017 844