New Zealand among the first to kick off global 350.org Connect the Dots Day linking climate change to impacts

65 events taking place in Pacific, Australia and New Zealand

WELLINGTON, 4 May 2012
As people around the world are preparing for a global day of action, “connect the dots” on May 5, Oceania will kick it all off with 65 events taking place across the region, starting with bleached coral reefs at sunrise on Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

New Zealand events with symbollic seawalls fighting off sea level rise in two of our major cities, Auckland and Wellington, to dots recognising a house devastated by a landslide, New Zealand will be among the first of thousands across the globe to connect the dots and we are set to lead the way.

With over 1,000 Connect the Dots events in over 100 countries these events tell a story of a planet already reeling from the numerous impacts of the climate crisis and are designed to “connect the dots” between climate impacts, such as extreme weather events, and the broader climate crisis.
“More than any other region, the Pacific faces climate change impacts on a grand scale,” says Aaron Packard, 350 Oceania Coordinator, says from the Marshall Islands. “As the world focuses on climate change impacts our region faces and is already dealing with sea level rise, coral bleaching, droughts, bushfires, and flooding.”

350.org recogises the record-breaking heat waves in Russia, wildfires in Australia, and floods in Thailand cannot be looked at in isolation. With every new record-breaking natural disaster, it is becoming increasingly clear that climate change is not a future problem — it is happening right now.

“We’re doing this because extreme weather events are happening more and more the world over,” says Packard.

Internationally, climbers will unfurl giant dots on glaciers in the Alps, villagers will carry dots to their drought stricken fields in Kenya, firefighters will hold dots in burnt forests in New Mexico, as well as many others. All events across the globe can be found on www.climatedots.org.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
350.org International Media Release and Top World Events:
http://www.climatedots.org/media/

350.org Connect the Dots video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=s5a5O2p0s5A

Recent NIWA article on Stuff - extreme flooding could be annual
http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/6832750/Extreme-floods-could-be-annual

The costs associated with extreme weather events in NZ
http://www.icnz.org.nz/current/weather/

ENDS

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