This is the text of a media release distributed by NQCC on Monday 14 March:

North Queensland Conservation Council is extremely concerned that coral bleaching in the Far North of the Great Barrier Reef is now so bad that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has upped its response to level 2.

In the light of this, NQCC calls on government to prevent further Reef degradation by taking strong action on climate change and better financing water quality improvement programs.

In this issue: Welcome back; Feeling the heat; NQCC News in brief; Carmichael Mine; Contaminated dust deposition; Water issues; A GLOBAL agreement on climate change – Paris December 2015; Divestment – Westpac commitment, Market Forces ‘Burned’ Report; improved SuperSwitch; Decarbonisation – Inspiration for Action; Earth Hour; Townsville Against Live Export; Turning clicktivists into real-world activists; Diary Dates.

Welcome back
It seems crazy to be wishing people a happy new year when we are over a 10th of the way through 2016 – but we do hope that the year ahead will be a good one for you and yours.

Paperbark is a monthly e-letter of current NQCC activities, campaigns, news and events

The Paris agreement

The people marched, leaders and the world’s powerful converged on Paris, and an agreement was reached. Better than past outcomes? Definitely. Sufficient to address the problem? Unfortunately not.

As George Monbiot wrote in the Guardian, ‘… the Paris agreement is full of soft facts: promises that can slip or unravel. Until governments undertake to keep fossil fuels in the ground, they will continue to undermine the agreement they have just made.’

Cranky Curlew Productions are up to some more creative messaging in the spirit of raising awareness for Australia taking on its responsibilities and doing its share to reduce carbon emissions. In a reiteration of 'Heads in the Sand 2' footage filmed on the The Strand, Townsville in November 2015, we have this GIF. Did YOU know....Australia still subsidises fossil fuels $12 billion annually! For F#*&s Sake!

COP21 explainer – 5 must-watch videos

Seriously, a blog post on The Climate Reality Project website is really useful for understanding the importance of COP21.  And its in a video format. 

Heads in the Sand 2 is a mass animation stop-motion clip on global warming, created on the beach at Townsville’s Strand promenade for the decision-makers in Paris. 

When hundreds of climate protestors gathered on the Strand Beach, Townsville, following Townsville’s Climate March at the start of Cop 21 UN Climate Conference, North Queensland Conservation Council and friends from Cranky Curlew Productions had some special ‘Heads in Sand’ work for them.

This animated flick puts a little bit of North Queensland style humour on a very serious subject.

Photo: Greg Keating

An estimated 600+ people marched on a hot Saturday afternoon in Townsville to join over 2300 such groups in 150+ countries calling on global leaders to take strong and effective climate action.

A large crowd is anticipated to join in the Townsville People’s Climate March on the Strand on Saturday afternoon.

The Townsville march is one of over 2380 marches being held around the world over the weekend. The marches precede the beginning of the 21st United Nations Climate Summit (CPO21) in Paris next week.

Townsville and communities worldwide will call upon global leaders to commit to strong climate action, a rapid and just transition to clean, renewable energy, a safe climate and a better, safer and fairer future for all.

Paperbark is a monthly communique of current NQCC activities, campaigns, news and events.

Hoping that you find the information provided here informative and actionable! There’s a lot on, not least the Climate Marches well over 2000 of which are being held around the world in advance of the UN Climate Summit in Paris in early December. Look forward to being inspired by the power of the people making a stand, marching, being creative and taking action for our environment and a better, safer and fairer future for all.