Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins among 70 musicians fighting against coal

“There’s no music on a dead planet” and “time is up for coal” are among the messages in a joint declaration made by 70 Australian musicians.

The Music Scene Climate Change Declaration is an initiative of Green Music Australia.

Musicians are calling for the Australian Government to stop new coal projects, including Adani, and end existing coal mines and coal-fired power stations.

70 artists are involved so far, they include; Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, John Butler, The Avalanches, Josh Pyke, Ash Grunwald, The Teskey Bros, Ziggy Alberts, Cloud Control, Holy Holy, All Our Exes Live In Texas, Luca Brasi, Alex The Astronaut, Hatchie, Shane Nicholson, and Didirri.

Dead Letter Circus and Montaigne will hand deliver a copy of the declaration to shadow minister for the environment Tony Burke in Sydney.

Declaration copies will also be sent to environment minister Melissa Price and all sitting federal MPs and senators.

See the complete declaration and the full of the 70 artists on board here.

Green Music Australia argues that if built in Queensland’s Galilee Basin, Adani’s Carmichael mine would be the largest export coal mine in Australia. This would impact 28,000 hectares of land.

The Climate Council of Australia’s report says that if all the coal was burned in the Galilee Basin, an estimated 705 million tonnes of carbon dioxide would be released each year.

That equates to 1.3 times Australia’s annual emissions.

“Climate change is hurting Australians all around the country,” says John Butler.

“Last summer was the hottest on record, with unprecedented bushfires in Tasmania, Victoria, and Queensland.

“That’s why the majority of voters want their politicians to step up, and do what is necessary to protect them and the people and places they love.”

Butler adds: “Digging up and burning coal is the single biggest contributor to climate change in this country.

“We need to be phasing out coal mines, and coal-fired power stations as quickly as we can, not building new ones.

“Anyone doing otherwise is not acting in the best interests of Australians.”

Green Music Australia CEO Berish Bilander adds, “It is irresponsible of governments to subsidise fossil fuel projects and approve new mines like Adani in Queensland, and Bylong and United Wambo in the Hunter Valley.

“We do not support the environment minister’s approval of Adani’s groundwater plans, or the NT fracking subsidies promised by Labor.

“We’ll be asking Tony Burke to review the decision to approve Adani’s groundwater plans, and withdraw subsidies to fracking in the NT if he becomes environment minister.”