John Englart accepting his award from Mayor Cr Natalie Abboud
John Englart, Convenor of Climate Action Moreland, received the annual Moreland Award for Environmental Sustainability at the Moreland Awards on 1st October, 2019 for his advocacy in climate action. More than 200 people attended the awards event at the Coburg Town Hall. Article originally published at Climate Action Moreland website.
Previous to his award, John Englart's name was mentioned during the evening ceremonies as part of three advisory groups: Sustainable Moreland Advisory Group, Moreland Transport Advisory Committee, Community Advisory Reference Group (on level crossing removal).
John has been a resident of Brunswick, Coburg North and Fawkner for 29 years, publishing on climate science and the need for action since 2004, and active in Climate Action Moreland since 2012. He has attended as an NGO Observer for Climate Action Network Australia the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Annual conferences in Paris in 2015 (COP21), Marrakech in 2016 (COP22), and Bonn in 2017 (COP23).
John delivering his acceptance speech
Here is John's acceptance speech to the Awards night audience:
"Nature is angry.
"And we fool ourselves if we think we can fool nature.
"Because nature always strikes back.
"And around the world, nature is striking back with fury.
Consider the last few months.
July — the hottest month ever.
"June through August — the hottest summer in the Northern hemisphere ever; and the second hottest winter in the Southern hemisphere ever.
"The years 2015 to 2019 — the five hottest years on the books ever.
"Our warming earth is issuing a chilling cry: Stop.
"If we don’t urgently change our ways of life, we jeopardize life itself."
These are not my words, but the words of António Guterres UN Secretary General speech at Climate Action Summit in New York.
I would like to sincerely thank the Mayor and Councillors, and the citizens of Moreland for this award.
I have lived in Moreland 29 years since August 1990, it has become my home, my community.
Moreland Council has stepped up and declared a climate emergency, set a zero emissions target by 2040, is formulating a first 5 year emissions reduction plan.
We all need to step up, as individuals in what we do, as people in our places of business or occupations, in how we take holidays (aviation emissions is the most carbon intensive form of travel per kilometre).
Transition and reaching emissions reduction targets whether in Moreland, Victoria or Australia is not going to be easy, but to not try our hardest will be to condemn ourselves and our children to a far more dangerous and hotter world.
We all need to become everyday climate warriors. That is where we are at.
I'd like to finish quoting Greta Thunberg from her speech at the UN:
"Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not."
I ask you to join Greta and myself.
“The Moreland Awards is our chance to recognise those individuals and organisations who have enriched our community and inspired their peers,” said Mayor Cr Abboud.
“These people have helped to make Moreland a better place and it gives us great pleasure to be able to thank them for their hard work.”
The was an increase in the number of nominations this year, with Council reporting that nominations were of such high quality that Council awarded a number of high commendations to recognise more people as part of the awards.
“I congratulate all of this year’s nominees, high commendation recipients and winners and I hope that this year’s Moreland Awards have inspired others to create an even more wonderful community.” said Cr Abboud.
The 2019 Moreland Awards were presented to:
Senior Sergeant Kate O’Neill, Mayors Police Leadership Award;
Olive Way, Collaborative Partnership Award;
Jessica Schwientek, Contribution to Arts and Culture;
The Northern Badminton Club, Contribution to Sport;
Tongberangi Ngargga Inc, Community Event of the Year;
Tamara Veltre, Honouring Women in Moreland Award;
Annette Sax and Kimba Thompson (joint winners), Lisa Bellear Award for Contribution to Reconciliation;
Prateeti Sabhlok, Youth Contribution Award;
John Englart, Environmental Sustainability Achievement Award;
Eric Kelly, Volunteer of the Year; and
Mellem Rose and Debra Dean (joint winners), Access and Inclusion Award.
High commendations were awarded to:
Spanish Play group, Collaborative Partnerships Award;
Benny Tancredi, Contribution to Sport;
Amnesty International, Community Event of the Year;
Karen Anderson and Catherine Connolly, Honouring Women in Moreland Award;
Nightingale Housing, Environmental Sustainability Achievement Award; and
Vicki Kennedy, Volunteer of the Year.
Members of Council's various citizen advisory committees, formed to help guide Council in their decisions on a range of important matters, were also recognised for their service.
John Englart with Cr Mark Riley and Mayor Cr Natalie Abboud
Sources:
- John Englart's Facebook Post
- Council Media Release: Community the winner at 2019 Moreland Awards
- 2 photos courtesy Moreland Council (Facebook)
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