John Englart

John Englart

Citizen journalist at No Fibs
John Englart has always had a strong social and environmental focus and over the past 10 years climate change science, climate policy and climate protest have become an increasingly important and primary focus of his work as a citizen journalist.
John Englart
I am involved in various Moreland-based community groups including Sustainable Fawkner where I blog on local and sustainability issues, Climate Action Moreland and Moreland Bicycle Users Group. I am also a member of Friends of the Earth, off and on, since 1976, and wrote the contribution on the Rides Against Uranium in the 1970s for the Friends of the Earth Australia book to mark the 30-year anniversary of FoE – 30 Years of Creative Resistance.

CAN Fossil of the Day awards at COP23, Bonn, Germany

Bonn, Germany: The first Climate Action Network (CAN) Fossil of the Day award at the UN Climate Conference COP23 was a small Ray of the Day.

There is a certain leader who is on everyone’s mind at this UN Climate Conference, so the first CAN Fossil of the Day award is actually an award for the rest of us that have stayed committed, eyes on the horizon and not on the bumps in the road. For all the cities, states, universities, businesses and individuals that have not been deterred by the spectacle of a leader that absolutely craves attention like a 3 year old child..

The citation for the award states:

“Today’s Opening Day Fossil of the Day is in fact …. a ‘Ray of the Day’ (not least to bring in some sunshine into a rain-sodden COP in Bonn though we are grateful for the images of sunny Fiji donning the walls of this fantastic two-zone venue).

“The proverbial sunshine is inside the halls of the COP – the amazing spirit of the people present here from countries far and wide, committed to the task on hand: to move forward with implementing the Paris Agreement and staying focused on driving forward climate action. Undeterred by talk of a Certain Someone with an incurable tweeting habit, their actions here speak louder than words: “We are still in and we are working towards a better future that makes our world safer, healthier and more prosperous for all, and those to come”.

“Today’s Ray of the Day celebrates your achievements in the face of some very dark and flippant times, to shine a light on countries that continue to uphold and believe in the Paris Agreement. So stay on the path we have forged from Paris and keep your eyes on the horizon other than the bumps in the road.”

You can read a related article in the first Climate Action Network ECO bulletin on the large orange elephant in the room and US Action

Watch the first Fossil of the Day of COP23, which actually was a little Ray of The Day (it was our first live broadcast). Follow the Fossil of the Day Awards on Facebook.

Update from the first day:

The Climate Council have issued a background factsheet on the COP23 climate conference.

Disclosure: John Englart is a CANA accredited observer to the UN climate change conference COP23. He is a volunteer member of the small CAN team producing the Fossil of the Day awards in the Bula Zone each day of the conference.