Those of us who accept the reality of human-induced climate
change and gather Beneath the Wisteria
in Shepparton’s Maude St Mall might be the only ones left standing should we
take seriously a report today (July 12) on the ABC.
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| Those towns with the lowest educations levels face the greatest threat from climate change. |
A story headed: “Climate change scepticism could wipe out rural towns”, argued that 100s
of rural Australia’s inland towns could cease to exist by 2050 if those living
there did not adapt to our changing climate.
It was argued
in the story predicted that those towns with a general low education level
would fare the worst.
Many country
towns had a lingering scepticism about climate change and that doubt had the
potential to “de-populate” entire towns.
In my opinion climate change scepticism is not the only contributor to the decline of small rural communities and towns. In discussing the impact of climate change on rural communities a more valid case can be made if all or at least some other factors are included. These factors include changes to various forms of communication, the centralization of many social and health services, manufacturing and industrial service industries, the trend towards the aggregation of rural properties, the adoption of very large agricultural equipment and the upgrading irrigation systems where technology is replacing "manpower".
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment “Jacko” – as you indicate any applicable response to climate change needs to be multi-faceted and we do need to return to the use of “manpower” and the decentralization of all those services you refer to, rather than their aggregation.
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