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Emergency or conservancy? Grappling with the charged language of climate activism

As the warnings of scientists grow increasingly urgent, campaigners on the ground struggle to find language that will unite communities fractured by years of climate wars. Ruby Kraner-Tucci concludes our special regional reporting series Future Forecast: Spotlight on the South-West.

Emergency or conservancy? Grappling with the charged language of climate activism

One of the leaders of the push to declare a climate emergency in Warrnambool, Geoff Rollinson (centre) argues the language must reflect the scientific reality. “If you want to actually effect change in this situation, even with farmers, you have to press the emergency button to a certain extent.” Photo: Steven Zoricic

Words by Ruby Kraner-Tucci
Images by Steven Zoricic
 

Unless something shifts dramatically – and soon – humanity will overshoot global ambitions to hold temperature rise to 2°C this century.

In this special series, Future Forecast: Spotlight on the South-West, University of Melbourne journalism students take a deep dive into what this means on the ground – and in the ocean – for communities along Victoria’s south-west coast. This is part of an ongoing Citizen Regional Reporting Project, with future editions focusing on other parts of the state.

This article is a multimedia feature series, co-published in part with ABC Regional Radio (Ballarat).

To visit this multi-media report, click here.

Algae-covered rocks show the mark of the high tide. Higher storm tides and king tides threaten stability. Photo: Steven Zoricic

Algae-covered rocks show the mark of the high tide. Higher storm tides and king tides threaten stability. Photo: Steven Zoricic

About The Citizen

THE CITIZEN is a publication of the Centre for Advancing Journalism. It has several aims. Foremost, it is a teaching tool that showcases the work of the students in the University of Melbourne’s Master of Journalism and Master of International Journalism programs, giving them real-world experience in working for publication and to deadline. Find out more →

Winner — BEST PUBLICATION 2016 Ossie Awards