The following invitation to the Appeal launch has been sent to NZ’s main political parties.
Symptoms Too Serious To Ignore: A Call To Face Up To NZ’s Critical Risks
This letter is to invite you, or alternatively nominate another representative, to represent your party at the national launch of our public Appeal to Parliament on the above subject.
Throughout our short history New Zealand has been a global leader socially, politically, and more recently, environmentally. Our forebears were clearly concerned about the legacy they would leave those who followed them.
More recently, increasing numbers of people are recognising that healthy, sustainable environments are ultimately the source of all life and integral to every economy. It therefore follows that our hopes for the future depend upon policies and actions which ensure such environments are sustained.
Yet the overwhelming evidence is that life and economies worldwide are at serious risk and that the natural world is rapidly deteriorating. While less obvious than the threat of armed conflict, this deterioration suggests that the global challenge is no less urgent or daunting. If we are to remedy the situation, we must act decisively now. The scale of the issues means that there has been no more critical time in human history.
This current situation also means we are faced with an unprecedented national security issue transcending self-interest, wealth accumulation and party politics. It necessitates a need for all parties to adopt a formal and unified commitment, on behalf of people from all levels of society, to again show leadership and act on principle, even if the solution might involve simpler living to secure the future. We may not be able to entirely resolve these threats, but the need is to openly and without prejudice, confront them.
The Appeal itself and the launch programme follow this letter. The Appeal has been endorsed by about 100 celebrated, widely-respected citizens from all sectors of New Zealand life. A primary purpose of the launch is to open discussion with our parliamentary representatives and seek widespread public support for the Appeal. We are inviting representatives from the political parties to attend the launch and to give brief responses.
The public forum in the evening is to enable more detailed discussion to take place, and to canvas/seek various ways to develop the Appeal. We would be delighted if you were able to also participate in this function.