Although the climate crisis may have been put on the back burner by the coronavirus virus and other global issues, activists believe that the upcoming federal elections are an opportunity to address the issue.
These are the key points
- The climate crisis and environmental issues could be major election issues
- Students and community groups want voters to make informed choices
- They emphasize the importance of understanding candidates’ policies and environmental credentials.
For some, however, these issues are already front-and-center.
Elsie L’Huillier belongs to the Bendigo United Climate Challenge Alliance. It is a group of community members who rate local politicians on their environmental positions and policies.
She said, “It’s an incredibly long tradition now, especially for environmental groupstryingto target the information, in order to work out the things we really require answers to.”
“We’re not content to wait for all the policy guff to come out, but we’re asking the hard questions.
“[We’re]Also, you could set up a system that allows you to ask the same questions to everyone and then rank them according these particular topics.
“This will be the first federal government cycle where there is clear evidence that the greater majority, and not the majority, believe that climate change is a problem and that there needs to be better legislation about how we protect the environment.
Ms. L’Huillier believes that the group provides information people can trust.
“It’s from fellow locals; these can eyeball us to see what’s the basis.” She said.
Climate at the forefront young voices
Harriet O’Shea Carre (17-year-old student activist from Castlemaine) is not yet eligible to vote, but that hasn’t stopped Harriet from calling out politicians about climate change.
Harriet, one of the founding members in Australia of the School Strike for Climate Movement, says it’s easy for people to lose sight of the fact that every vote counts, especially during a pandemic.
“One thing about the pandemic is that it has shown us that if our leaders are committed towards making changes and protecting society we can take really urgent actions, which is what is needed with climate change.”
She said that while there is a lot of information and resources on the issues facing us, some people can feel complacent and not do enough research.
“All votes are important to future generations; it’s young people now, and in the future, who will inherit this planet and these policies. So if you go into this system thinking that you can’t make any difference, you’re never going anywhere.”
Professor Euan Ritchie of Deakin University in wildlife ecology, conservation, and climate change is well-versed in the issues and agrees that voters cannot afford to be complacent.
Dr Ritchie said, “No vote is ever wasted in Australia because we have a preferences system.”
Voters must ask tough questions
Dr Ritchie says there are many questions voters should ask to assess the environmental credentials of aspiring politicians or political parties.
He stated that “reviews around the globe have shown that Australia is spending less than it should on conserving threatened species” and that he was not surprised by this.
“The next step is to make sure that the money is being used for the right things. Hence, planting trees is important but it may not help conserve endangered species if it’s done in a wrong place.
He said transparency in political donations and policy alignment are also important.
Dr Ritchie stated that “if we have ambitions of conserving and restoring the environment, but continue to support fossil fuels, then that is clearly in direct contradiction to conserving it.”
He finds it frustrating, that these aren’t the main issues being addressed by politicians.
“Our only home is the environment. It keeps us alive. We can take care of the environment economically, culturally, socially, and environmentally.
“Investing in the environment can be one of the best decisions we make and will pay off many times over.”