When one considers the social progress that has been made in the course of human history, there is a great deal to be grateful for. We used to live in societies where women and non-whites were subjugated, where sexual expression was repressed, where healthcare and education were rudimentary and hardly available to the lower classes. However, over the course of centuries, progress has been made. The evolution of more democratic forms of government seems to have facilitated the improvement of health and education services. Many forms of discrimination have been abolished or legislated against, generally as the result of a mass movement. Ideas previously overlooked, such as animal rights, have also seen progress - the Great Ape Project, founded in 1993, aims to have non-human great apes granted several basic rights.

Reflecting upon this, it seems that there is some sort of path that human civilisation is on. This path leads to a society that is characterised by greater equality and respect for all of its members. Whether or not there is some ‘city on the hill’ where all conceivable social progress has been made, or whether it is an endless journey, there is no doubt that humanity as a whole is more than just it has historically been. While recent developments in the context of global terrorism have seen these rights violated in some instances, this situation of human social progress, can be thought of like a ratchet, such that each step, once made, is almost irreversible, and that a right or recognition, once granted, is now available for all humans.

This sort of advancement can also be seen in humanity’s attitude towards the environment. While it is true that human environmental destruction is greater than it ever has been, even to the point of threatening current civilisation, our awareness of the vulnerability of the environment seems to be more acute than ever, no doubt partly motivated by a selfish awareness that environmental destruction will spell our own demise. The banning of CFCs, in terms of environmental protection, is comparable to other developments in social progress: there was something wrong, laws and attitudes changed, and now humanity is in a better place than it was. Personally, I see a lot of hope in this regard. Opportunities to help the environment abound more than ever, and people are taking advantage of these. On a recent trip to Melbourne, I was able to bus to and from the airport. I took a bus back to Adelaide and offset my emissions. The camp I attended had an ‘Environmental Sustainability Officer’, who had overseen revegetation projects and the installation of rainwater tanks, which supplied water for showering or gardening. A friend who put me up for a night or two had an awe-inspiring vegetable garden. Her organic waste went into a compost for this garden and other waste was recycled as much as possible. In South Australia, a ban on plastic bags has been introduced and, once it takes effect, customers will have to use the re-usable ‘green bags’ that are the obvious solution to the problem of disposable bags. In addition to this, the state has met its target of 20% energy from renewable sources. Federally, a similar target is to be instituted, and the introduction of a Carbon Trading Scheme in 2010 will no doubt also encourage environmentally sustainable practises. One might think that, on the environmental front, things are just peachy.

Well, it’s not quite a case of ‘you couldn’t be more wrong’, but there is one difference between making social progress and making environmental progress. The social advances that have been made didn’t occur in an environment of urgency. Women campaigning for women’s rights didn’t need to achieve their goal by a certain time and, while the existence of discrimination in the past would always be sad, it would be possible to prevent it from directly affecting the present once equal rights were gained. Regarding gay marriage, while I think that it should be made legal, I don’t fervently campaign for it: when Prop. 8, a proposition to remove the right of gay people to marry, passed in California: 62% of voters over 65 voted for it, a similar proportion of younger voters voted against it. This demonstrates that the legalisation of gay marriage is almost inevitable – it is a simply a matter of time, as those who would vote against it are gradually taken to the grave. While it is shameful that it will take maybe twenty more years for this injustice to be righted, those twenty years aren’t much considering the centuries of injustice that preceded them.

Environmental progress is a different ball game, because even if it may be desirable, there is an inescapable deadline on making change. Lowering of our carbon emissions is definitely set to happen, as technologies continue to improve and people continue to realise how easy it is to change. This lowering is urgent, and must occur within the next few years. Head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra Pachauri, a scientist and an economist, has made it clear:

“If there’s no action before 2012, that’s too late. What we do in the next two to three years will determine our future. This is the defining moment.” 

Tackling climate change isn’t comparable to opposing apartheid or supporting the legalisation of euthanasia: climate change is a threat to human civilisation that demands immediate and urgent action. If this action occurs doesn’t occur in time, even if it does eventually, the carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere will contribute to irreversibel change. A rapid reduction in emissions from 2010 would still result in 2.1 – 2.8ºC rise in global temperature by 2100. On our current emissions path, we are looking at 5.5 C: mass extinction, ocean acidification, desertification, brutal heat-waves and rising sea levels.

Climate Change isn’t an unfortunate injustice that ought to be righted some time in the future. It is a threat to human civilisation as we know it. 

Image courtesy of westcoastclimateequity.org

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For some reason, it seems that at every turn in my current travels, I see the word ‘hope’.

With growing numbers of people refusing to succumb to the roles of ‘over-consumer’ and ‘ladder-climber’ that our current society would have us automatically take up, perhaps 2009 is the year that democracy becomes democracy again, the year that we choose to take our future path into our own hands, and the year that we change the course of history.

This is my hope for the world.

This was first posted on Climate Change Perspectives.

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Climate change, global warming, emission targets and renewables are among many terms now widely used by the community, no longer limited to industry specific groups. Climate change is not a localised issue, nor is it one that discriminates based on superficial factors. Although the local impacts will be felt differently, essentially it is a global phenomenon. One that will effect everyone; with the poorest nations and their peoples to be the first impacted.

We have already seen the submergence of Tuvalu due to rising sea levels. We have seen the implications of drought not only in third world countries but, also closer to home in the Murray Darling River. We have seen cyclones wiping out whole communities in Burma and Queensland. We, the youth of today have grown up with these images embedded into our memory. These events are not abnormalities, they are merely the precursor for what is to come.

As evident in the Garnaut Report these occurrences can no longer be completely avoided but, they can be downsized. The youth of today are forced to grow up in a world facing a diabolical challenge. This stark reality has occurred predominately due to governmental inaction, nationally and globally. The youth of today are forced to call upon the new Australian government to show leadership in the face of crisis. Whilst youth or community movements are a focal point in preventing climate change, it is the responsibility of the Government to represent the needs of society at large. 

The Government have not imposed a flawed tax or illogical carbon emissions trading scheme. They have done nothing. Signing Kyoto was the first step to resolving climate change however, it is not the only step. Complying to an international treaty does not give the Government the freedom to invest in geosequestration rather than renewables, dredge bays or build pulp mills. The consequences of any of these actions are not beneficial or logical.

The Garnaut Report not only confirms that climate change exists, despite denial from certain community groups. It goes one step further to suggest that climate change is happening at a faster rate than previously predicted by the IPCC.

Garnaut recommends that Australia introduces a carbon emissions trading scheme by 2010. Fifteen per cent of Australia’s emissions are derived from transportation hence, it is vital that fuel is included in the scheme. Whilst this presents a fundamental challenge to working families, the opportunity to substantially invest in public transport and green infrastructure should be embraced by the Government. Societal trends in the past year have demonstrated the rise of public transport despite the state that it is in. The limiting of forestry and coal mining would also be focal points of such a scheme. Although this would result in the gradual discontinuation of the coal industry, it allows for the introduction and implementation of the sustainable renewables industry. Allowing the coal industry, and as a consequent climate change, to run rampant would result in the decimation of the tourism and agricultural industries amongst others.

Governmental support of coal and supposedly clean coal by the government has resulted in citizens forced into resorting to direct action through non-violent civil disobedience. The urgency of climate change is not reflected in public policy. The Government needs to create a just transition for communities by investing in real green energy. These actions must be implemented immediately, climate change is a problem that demands action today, not tomorrow.

Whilst these solutions are vital, they do not necessarily alleviate the rate at which energy is being consumed in Australia. The community needs to be educated in the urgency and consequences of any inaction demonstrated on their behalf. Across Australia and the globe, we have seen the emergence of community climate change campaigns.

The education of community groups and students alike is needed in order to achieve a wider understanding of the issue. The will inevitably lead to the realisation that Australia does not have the capacity to help climate refugees. These will be the people that have to suffer the most. Unless Australia’s international immigration policies are reformed, then in the very near future we could have many millions of people displaced permanently.
Solving the problem of climate change is not just directly addressing the current pressing implications, it is also about sustainable development for the future. It is wise, and recommended by many economists, that Australia adopts an environmentally sustainable development policy. This would ensure major corporations to schools and community groups will be forced to reconsider any steps taken towards further urbanisation. By forward thinking, the Government would essentially be avoiding the replications of current societal issues.

The actions that we, as individuals, choose to perform can either benefit or degrade the environment further. There are many easy solutions, such as changing your light bulb or convincing those around you to also live energy efficiently. In addition to this, you could support environmentally conscientious community groups or non-governmental organisations. Alternatively, actively engaging in the democratic process of Australia is also an element of contributing to the prevention of disastrous climate change. Australians of all ages and walks of life are afforded the luxury of shaping the way their country is governed. Hence, it is important that people participate in the lobbying of government through advocacy and letter writing.

An increase of two degrees Celsius in the global temperature appears to be unavoidable if nothing is done to address the problem. This would have devastating results, resulting in a chain reaction of subsequent temperature increases. A one degree rise, which is unavoidable, would result with a dramatic increase of climate refugees and famine. Two degrees would begin with the extinction of one third of the world’s species, to an increase of four degrees which would leave Great Britain unlivable. Such a rise in temperature is not feasible, climate change is not a political game. Garnaut asserts that bipartisan action is the only effective means to stop climate change. This is not something that we want to risk in order to just win the next election.

Individual action is the first step in halting climate change, and this often transcends into collective action by common interest groups. Community action in regards to climate change needs to be complemented with regulations and policy reforms by the Government.

Climate change is present and on the rise now, it is not only the children of the future who will be effected. It’s us now. The future of our livelihoods as we know it is at stake. The future of the planet we inhabit, the planet we consider home is at stake. We have everything to lose but, we could also have everything to gain. Never before has there been a time where both the people and the Government can create extraordinary social change.

The time for tokenism is over.

Action must start now.

This piece was co-authored by Linh Do, Jake Wishart, Tony McCarthy and David Toovey.

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