Mother brings climate petition to House

Petitioner Nicky Chapman and Green Party co-leader Russel Norman on the steps of Parliament. Photo / NZPA

Concerned mother of four Nicky Chapman petitioned for Government climate change policy at Parliament grounds today.

The Dunedin woman took up the cause after reading about "ocean acid" - "I want my kids to enjoy the ocean as I have," she said.

"I thought this is something I can do. There wasn't a formal petition going to the House."

"It's a goal setting exercise to acknowledged that the safe target is 350 parts per million of C02. Once we've got that goal we can work positively together."

Ms Chapman, backed by Caritas (Catholic agency for justice, peace and development) and climate change action group Wellington 350, gained over 3000 signatures of support in just over three weeks.

"I see this petition as a way of holding hands across generations, across the globe," she said.

"Everybody that signed it also made a personal commitment to do what they could to bring about amelioration in climate change."

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman received the thousands of signatures, saying "these petitions are about citizens of the world, speaking up and standing up."

Ms Chapman's petition conveniently marks the beginning of the Climate-Change Conference in Copenhangen, where Prime Minister John Key will discuss the environment with about 100 world leaders.

"We expect the heads of government assembled in Copenhagen to take action," Dr Norman told the small crowd outside Parliament.

"The people from the planet and the child that is born today that will live to see the year 2100 and significant impacts on climate change are demanding the leaders of the world put their special interests aside on this day.

"On this day the future of planet earth is in the balance," he said.

- NZPA