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Further ignores climate crisis by voting “Don’t Look up”

Further ignores climate crisis by voting “Don’t Look up”

The most depressing thing about 'Don’t Look Up' (isn’t what you think)

Australia has a Don’t Look UpElection campaign in which major parties, supported by large swathes media, avoid serious engagement with climate emergency reality.

This is how Australian politics are resembling the Netflix summer release. Don’t Look Up. The film’s premise states that a comet is in collision with Earth. However, scientists are unable to persuade mainstream politicians or media to seriously consider the threat. The film is meant as a sharp allegory of climate change. Brilliantly delivers.

One scene shows Kate Dibiasky as an astronomer. Jennifer Lawrence, AsksIn frustration and incredulity

“I’m sorry. Are we not being clear? We’re trying to tell you that the entire planet is about to be destroyed.”

The bitter truth of this statement was felt by climate scientists all over the world, who have been uttering increasing frantic warnings for many decades and are now Literally, it’s tellingWorld leaders:

“The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future.”

The most depressing thing about 'Don’t Look Up' (isn’t what you think)

Despite the taxpayers’ millions spent on government advertising, it is a matter of Clear public record that Australia’s Federal Liberal-National Coalition Government has no credible plan, mechanism or target for reducing the nation’s emissions to net-zero at the necessary speed and scale.

The Australian Labor Party is a superior policy-maker than the Coalition but still falls short of the required emissions reduction trajectory.

So, let’s just let that sink in: as the below excellent Climate Council graphic shows, while one is better than the other, neither of Australia’s two major parties has a policy position to reduce domestic emissions consistent with what is needed (to use the scientist’s phrase) to secure a liveable future.

(Source: Climate Council)

Export emissions are the most severe example of this failure to grasp reality. The burning of coal and oil is the number one cause of the climate emergency. The International Energy Agencyhe said that there should be no new fossil fuel developments – none – if we are to meet the globally agreed Paris climate goals.

Australia is one of the world’s biggest fossil fuel exporters — currently number two in coal Number one in gas. This must be ended. We are very fortunate to have the resources and ability necessary to create a vast and superior replacement. Renewable energy industry.

Both major parties have a default policy on export emissions. They shirk the truth and spit on the faces of children who are We need you to march in our streets You can litigate in our courtsTrying to secure a safer future. The Coalition Government believes fossil fuel exports should continue expanding.

In November 2021, Prime Minister Scott Morrison SubmittedThe Business Council of Australia announced that Woodside had made the final investment in the mega-polluting project. Scarborough-Pluto ProjectHe “did a bit of a jig”. Labor’s Shadow Resources Minister, Madeleine King, bizarrely ClaimsThere are still opportunities for new coal projects.

Democracy is failing to tackle the climate crisis

It is more than reducing emissions. We now face severe climate damage in the form ecological catastrophe. Great Barrier Reef, killer mega-fires, killer floods, Record droughts Other (unnatural) disasters. Adaptation must be enormous and include a guarantee of universal climate welfare. This conversation is missing from the election because of the attitude of Don’t Look UpIt continues to hold firm.

And the truly bizarre thing is that not only is there expert consensus that climate change is the most urgent issue of our times (it isn’t “just” the scientists — even Australia’s Top economistsThink about it, there is also majority support for Every federal electorateFor more ambitious climate action, visit the country.

As the Sydney Morning HeraldThis week’s report:

‘Polls have shown for years that the overwhelming majority of Australians want action and are willing to pay for it. The most recent poll conducted by the ANA on the subject found that the Lowy InstituteThis is what we found 61 per cent of Australians agreed with the statement: “global warming is a serious and pressing problem” and the Government should begin to take steps now, “even if this involves significant costs”.’

Scarred by smoke, flame and flood and grieving for our wounded land, the Australian people are showing that we are unafraid to look up; it is our national leaders who won’t take their eyes off the dirt.

David Ritter is Chief Executive Officer of Greenpeace Australia Pacific. Follow David on Twitter @David_Ritter.

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