If a fiendish problem needs a beautiful solution, then it will come from people like these

Clive Hamilton answers a
question during Thursday
night's Melbourne forum.

More than a decade spent listening to conversations about climate change has illustrated many things, among them that those who care most are beautiful people.

The evidence of that was on show again in Melbourne just last Thursday night (March 17) when Robert Manne and Clive Hamilton sat down for a conversation – “Hope, at last? Prospects for the planet after Paris”.

Australian author and a Professor of Public Ethics at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, a joint centre of Charles Sturt University and the University of Melbourne, Clive Hamilton, fielded questions from an Emeritus Professor of politics and Vice-Chancellor's Fellow at La Trobe University, Robert Manne.

Both Manne and Hamilton have powerful reputations as public intellectuals, but came to Thursday night’s conversation for that purpose, to simply exchange thoughts and ideas, and not be confrontational or combative.

Both men, along with the crowd of about 140 people and the MC for the evening a Future Fellow from La Trobe University, Dr. Liz Connor, were, it seemed, on the “same page”.

The essence of the evening was illustrative of what is needed if humanity is to ever rise to the challenge of understanding and addressing climate change; everyone needs to be on that “same page”.

Robert Manne at Thursday
night's conversation.

Thursday night’s conversation liberated from the madness and confrontation that prevails in our market-driven world, was informative and illustrated again, again, that any resolution to climate change cannot be arrived at through the application of existing ideas, reminding us that ideas that created a problem are absolutely ineffectual for resolving it – we need something new.

Hamilton was in Paris and sat through many of the discussions, but not being “official” he was not actually in the room when the final gavel came down signifying the end of the conference and initiating the celebration, the euphoria that followed the signing of an agreement that would see more than 190 or the world’s nations give the thumbs-up to the idea that global warming should be kept at or below 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures.

That goal is already under threat and in the view of some has been surpassed in 2016, just months after the Paris talks and decisions taken there have been criticized by some, among them leading international climate scientists.

Hamilton acknowledges the brilliance of at least two who were critical of the Paris conclusions pointing out that although the science may demand certain actions there are political considerations that impact on the process, relegating those urgencies.

The complexities of the climate change conversation have long been evident and is was reassuring to hear Hamilton, one of Australia’s most respected, penetrating and courageous commentators on climate change, that he frequently has confusing thoughts.



MC Dr Liz Connor
asks a question

Thursday night’s conversation was wrapped up with a rush of questions  from the floor that reflected the mood if the evening in that they were not combative or necessarily controversial but simply seeking further information or confirmation.

Such conversations end with a sense that yes, climate change will be resolved, but through collaboration and cooperation and, importantly, the embrace of beauty.

Finally, is there hope, at last, and what are the prospects for the planet after Paris?

Hamilton appeared convinced there is hope and having hitherto unseen “men in suits” at the Paris conference, he was convinced that there is something afoot and that the moneyed class is beginning to understand the risks associated with ignoring climate change.