Month: September 2021

There’re many articles here pointing to the coming apocalypse through ignoring carbon emissions for all these years. There’s a real sense that things are coming to head – Siberian methane explosions, islands under water, an alien earth and political mayhem as decision-makers avoid decisions. It didn’t have to be like this, the capitalists could have still made money in driving the changes needed rather than making less through clinging to and protecting the old ways and wrecking the one planet we have in the process.

In the process of significant change, it is usually the case of steps forward and steps back. This looks like the steps back are as big as the steps forward so the change isn’t happening yet. Perhaps the results of COP 26 in Glasgow might stiffen the resolve of the EU. It would be helpful for change in Australia if the Pentecostal PM was there to get the feel of the meeting, all the same.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/28/eu-lawmakers-vote-prolong-fossil-fuel-gas-subsidies

Get out the vote!https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2021/sep/27/bird-of-the-year-2021-voting-changes-is-like-the-hunger-games-except-for-birds

Put away the doom and gloom, COVID and politics, and join the vote for Australia’s favourite bird. There might still be politics though, reportedly the ‘bin chicken’ (white ibis) was winning a year or so ago and rigged voting ensured it didn’t prevail. We need fair elections and full transparency in all things.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2021/sep/27/australian-bird-of-the-year-2021-vote-now-for-your-favourite

Yeah, we’re good at digging stuff up and we’re a bit thick – but we we can lift heavy weights. After gutting the tertiary sector, indefinitely detaining asylum seekers and …

Conservation campaigns can work and here are some examples. The Western Port community showed it too when they mobilised the community, invoked the science and successfully took on AGL over their floating gas terminal proposal. Yes, it’s worth doing and it can be done.https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/sep/25/good-ideas-good-work-and-good-luck-australian-grassroots-campaigners-on-how-they-got-it-done

Off list again, but this is such a great read. Ronni Salt’s article provides an enlightening frame for Michelle Grattan’s piece below about our shape-shifting PM. Ronni has the Pentecostal PM nailed, from the red-carpet welcome at our own air-base to the awkward AUKUS announcement featuring ‘that fella down under’. And that fella in the Sharkies cap is surrounded by flimflam, snake-oil and distracting announcements. The tragedy is that he leads our nation.https://theshot.net.au/general-news/great-scott-the-grand-narrative-of-scott-morrison/

The Australian environment could not suffer another three years of LNP government, neither could we, for that matter. Their environmental record is appalling, but what would we expect from a …

As ever, climate response with the LNP is all about the politics, never the science. What is hard to accept is that it is the NP driving the stupidity and the precarious numbers within the coalition means that the L won’t call their bluff.https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/21/liberal-mps-need-more-than-tepid-climate-signalling-to-overcome-joyce-and-canavans-coal-cosplay

The 18 month investigation might lead to a plan that results in Australia eventually running a nuclear-powered submarine fleet. It would have profound implications for our foreign policy and create inextricable defence ties to the US for decades. Holt’s ‘all the way with LBJ’ and Gorton’s ‘we’ll go a-waltzing Matilda with you’ look like naive claims of young love. This has not been thought through at all. And it needs to be Parliament that determines such fundamental policy shifts, not a chancer just waiting for The Rapture.https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/nuclear-sub-plan-sees-australias-reputation-take-a-dive,15538