Recent public movements in Australian politics reveal the truth behind the talking: National interest, getting things done, change for the good of everyone? These are not on the agenda. Personal interest, personal gain and tepid caution: these are what drives the upcoming Australian election.
As pointed out by Leigh Ewbank in his recent blog, the major parties are playing very low key campaigns. Both parties have identified the marginal electorates where they need to win to win the election, and they are focusing their campaigns accordingly, minimizing any disruptive or controversial discussions that may upset the status quo of their stable – already won – electorates.
In her post, Fiona Armstrong cites that scientist believe we have 10 years to correct climate change. In my blog post from last year on the melting of Greenland’s ice cap, I demonstrate that the data already published shows that it is already too late: my recommendation is that adapting to change is the best solution – it is simply too late to do anything else.
However, is it the morally best solution? I think not.
100% carbon free energy production by 2020 for all of Australia? The plan already exists. The plan is robust, it is solid and it is achievable. Only those who work in the energy industry understand this. They know this. For everyone else it is debate, conjecture and point scoring, and certainly leaves them exposed to influence from special interest groups, namely the coal industry.
I worked with giants of the coal business for years in Australia – individuals that shaped Australia’s policy not by writing papers and debating bills, but by promoting and selling coal – billions of dollars of it. These people are not interested in doing anything that will disrupt this business.
Until these individuals shift, until the coal industry shifts, the Government – along with the Australian people – may as well piss into the wind.
We are not long term animals. We don’t think long term. We don’t act long term. Never have been, most likely never will be. This is just yet another disappointing example. It is the main failure of the great democratic experiment of the 20th century.
Hopefully 10 years is not so long term that we WILL act responsibly.
Links
My post on Greenland’s melting ice:
http://jeremiahjosey.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/an-inconvenient-truth-3-years-on/
The plan for Green Australia by 2020:
http://media.beyondzeroemissions.org/preview-exec-sum14.pdf
Fiona Armstrong’s post
http://cpd.org.au/2010/07/are-you-fair-dinkum-julia/
Leigh Ewbank’s blog
http://therealewbank.com/2010/07/30/dealing-with-the-electoral-unimportance-of-climate-change/
Recent Summit on Australia by 2020
http://www.australia2020.gov.au/docs/2020_Summit_initial_report.pdf
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