G20 climate protesters bury heads in Bondi sands

Yahoo – AFP, 13 Nov 2014

This handout picture taken by Tim Cole and released by 350.org on November 13,
 2014 shows Australians burying their heads in the sands of Bondi Beach to send
a message about the dangers of climate change (AFP Photo/Tom Cole)

Sydney (AFP) - Scores of Australians buried their heads in the sands of iconic Bondi Beach on Thursday to send a message to Prime Minister Tony Abbott about the dangers of climate change.

As world leaders arrived in the northern city of Brisbane for the G20 summit, more than 100 people dug holes in the famous sand so they could plunge their bodies in halfway, holding their position for three minutes.

Organisers said they were telling Abbott: "You have your head in the sand on climate change".

"Tony Abbott's refusal to include climate change on the G20 agenda and his government's overt attempts to stifle the renewable energy industry show that he is determined to keep his head buried in the sand on the most important issue of our time," said organiser Eden Tehan.

Since coming to power last year, Abbott's conservative government has scrapped a carbon tax designed to tackle climate change, fulfilling a key election promise.

It has also removed another tax on the profits of coal mining, while new investment in renewable energy has fallen 70 percent. Abbott has defended the use of fossil fuel coal as crucial to Australia's prosperity.

"We want to tell world leaders coming for the G20 that Tony Abbott does not represent the view of most Australians who want to see urgent and global action on climate change and for Australia to contribute a meaningful share towards reducing global emissions," Tehan said.

G20 leaders, including US President Barack Obama, meet in Brisbane on Saturday and Sunday with boosting global growth the main theme of their talks.

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