The COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan has come and gone, and as expected, achieved little. There was no new agreement to cut global carbon emissions. The opportunity to ensure keeping warming below 2 Centigrade was lost.
Outside the official events, a larger than ever presence of climate activists was present in the streets and outside the building where the delegates were meeting, Thet could not be missed, and their being there added considerable pressure to what was going on inside the closed rooms. Continue reading COP29 scores another failure on effective climate action→
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has finally announced some detail of the Liberal and National parties’ nuclear energy plan, which includes the building of 7 power plants. An attempt to legitimise this by connecting it to the creation of jobs and opportunities for an Australia gripped by a cost-of-living crisis has Already begun, and the Murdoch controlled media is pushing this and manufacturing public opinion. Continue reading Dutton’s nuclear plan is dangerous and must be stopped→
The Australia government won’t release the climate crisis report from the Office of National Intelligence (ONI) it has in its hands and insists that this is for national security reasons. Surely, even if national security is the problem, a redacted version could still be released. But even this has been refused. This suggests that there is another reason for the secrecy. Continue reading Government sits on climate report and covers the lack of sufficient action→
Amy Goodman the host of Democracy now and Dennis Moynihan a bestselling author write (Common Dreams 24 July 2023) about the Important question of how the global burden of shifting away from fossil fuels should be shared., and that those countries that have historically contributed the most to putting carbon in the atmosphere should pay more and provide help to [poorer nations. Instead of doing this, they are still trying to push the cost onto others. They say global transition to renewable energy is going to be costly, but the cost of doing nothing would be far greater.
Once again, the world is being warned by nature of the disaster climate warming is causing. This year has seen record heatwaves in Europe and devastating floods in other parts of the world. The planet is now paused on the eve of an El Niño on a scale never seen before.
These sort of weather events are not new. Records have been breaking year after year. Ice cap melts, raising sea levels, and a slowing down of the Atlantic conveyor are major causes of worsening weather patterns. 3 July saw the hottest day for the planet ever recorded. The evidence is indisputable.
Massive cyclone activity in the Indian Ocean, sinkholes appearing in California, unbearable heat in Spain, the spread of bushfires in Canada, record ocean water temperatures, are the reality. Records are being smashed. Species eh]extinction is accelerating, and ultimately, our own extinction is a real possibility.
Yet many governments, including that of Australia, don’t seem to notice. They remain in a denial zone, too busy pleasing their big money backers to bother. This is a new wakeup call. We must call out our governments or their failure to act. We must not just get angry. It’s important to divert our anger into constructive action.
What does this mean? It means becoming active in our communities, joining pour organisations, being loud, and taking our demand for change to those who hold the power. Our survival depends on winning this war. And it is a war. Those who stand in the way of the necessary climate action must be vanquished.
It’s just as important to move beyond protest, towards being pro-active in building the future, by being involved in projects that cut emissions. When governments don’t do it, its communities that must act. There is some of this already. But there must be much more. It starts from modest changes to individua l lifestyles, to community efforts that stop polluters and build clean local economies.
Only the combination of demanding change and being pro-active in making change will save the day. Part of this is the protection of livelihoods. Preventing the extinction of species is Important, but his should never be seen in terms of nature versus human beings.
The impacts on living standards, health, happiness, and social harmony are important too. Furthermore, without championing these causes and making it personal, it’s impossible to mobilise people on the scale that is necessary.
Change requires building new power of the people. In Australia are primary focus is on change in our won turf in tune with our own conditions. Our task is to find forms of social organisation that serve to assert this people power.
No one can produce a blueprint that will make it work. People can and do make suggestions, and sometimes act on them. One is the building of cooperatives as part of a new economy. There have been suggestions for local government initiatives with community involvement. Another proposal ha been the building of community assemblies to supervise elected representatives and officials and all levels of government. The best combination can be found by doing and learning what works best.
Our window of opportunity won’t last for ever, and it would be foolish to fail to take up the opportunity.
Make no mistake, the budget delivered last night by treasurer Jim Chalmers took on the shape of a major public relations exercise. It pretended to deliver to the battler. The gives are marginal and do little to tackle the rising cost of living. Continue reading The budget delivered minor gains and failed on the key issues→
No surprises here. The Morrison government hid evidence that the damage being caused to Australia by climate warming is far worse than it let on. This is the reality revealed in a devastating and latest State of the Environment Report, produced on behalf of this government, and led by expert Emma Johnston from the University of Sydney. Continue reading Report exposes Australia’s shocking environment record→
New South Wales is experiencing its fourth major flooding event in 18 months. Everyone should now see that climate change driven new climate patterns have become the new reality. One would think that Australia would act decisively to be better prepared to meet the challenges that this brings. Continue reading Floods once again show Australia needs much more prevention and climate action→
Chris Bowen, Australia’s new climate minister has vowed to cut taxes on electric vehicles and a $20 billion “rewiring the nation” commitment to build a renewable energy grid. A climate bill will be introduced into the parliament. This bill includes a target to reduce carbon emissions by 43 percent by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. There will be discussions with state governments on how to implement this. The Climate Changer authority will be returned to its former authority, to give science-based advice on a new emissions target by 2035. Continue reading Chris Bowen announces new government’s climate policy→
Official site of the May Day Committee (Malbourne)
