Last week in Perth Oxfam joined with other human rights and environmental groups to host a very successful climate change rally where we eclipsed the climate change sceptics rally (held the same day) both in number and logic.

Over the coming weeks Oxfam is hosting photo exhibitions throughout Perth and the Southwest which highlight the effect climate change is having on our neighbours in the Pacific.

Climate change is having a dramatic impact on many of the communities Oxfam works with around the world. Hunger is spreading, clean water is harder to find, and homes are being destroyed. Globally 2010 was the hottest year on record and more than twice the number of people died due to weather related disasters – such as floods, storms and droughts – than in 2009.

We are calling on the Australian government to make a commitment to reduce Australia’s pollution in line with what the latest science demands. If we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change we need a 40% reduction in pollution by 2020 based on 1990 levels.

At the moment Australia is the largest carbon polluter in the developed world on a per-person basis. We have an imperative obligation to take meaningful action to reduce our emissions

Oxfam will continue to put forward a strong argument why we need action on climate change, including at the next major UN climate talks in Durban, South Africa.

We are asking the Australian government to actively work for a fair, ambitious and binding global climate change agreement, to support innovative proposals to finance climate adaptation, and finally to pay our fair share into a global fund enabling poor communities to tackle the impacts of climate change.

Sign the petition calling on the Australian government to honour these necessary obligations