Climate change demands we 'at least do something'

John Kennedy.

“At least do something!” was the plea to his players by famous Hawthorn Football club coach John Kennedy Snr.

Although important in the moment, it was, in the sweep of world events somewhat insignificant.

However, and interestingly, Kennedy’s plea and advice has regained centre stage and still rings true today being resoundingly applicable to the dilemmas presently facing humanity.

The half-time exhortation by Kennedy to his players in 1975 Victorian Football League grand final was prescient and applies today generally and widely to humanity.

Considering major weather events around the world and the indisputable evidence of science pointing to definite and dangerous changes in the world’s weather patterns, it is beyond doubt that we must take Kennedy’s advice and “And at least do something”.

A battered Philippines recovers from Typhoon Haiyan and the same storm, claimed to be the most powerful tempest top ever make landfall, now stalks Vietnam.

The people of the Philippines have endured Haiyan, but fear that people in the world’s rich countries, that is you and me, are ignoring climate change and in doing that are guaranteeing similar events will follow.

A story published by The Guardian by John Vidal headed: “Typhoon Haiyan: what really alarms Filipinos is the rich world ignoring climate change”, tells about encountering the distraught chief negotiator with the Filipino delegation at the annual UN climate talks, Naderev Saño.

Saño told the world last year, Vidal reported, that time was running out.

“Please,” he said, “let this year be remembered as the year the world found the courage to take responsibility for the future we want. I ask all of us here, if not us, then who? If not now, then when? If not here, then where?”

Kennedy’s plea echoes around the world - “At least do something!”