Raimond Gaita and Katerina Gaita: A Climate of Change

How might a philosopher frame the problem of climate change? What can philosophers learn from environmentalists and vice versa?

Riamond and Katerina
Gaita: A Climate of Change.

In this conversation, we bring together a prominent philosopher and a prominent climate-change activist who just happen to be from the same family: Raimond and Katerina Gaita. Raimond is the author of many books including Romulus, My Father and is a professorial fellow at Melbourne University. Katerina is a climate communicator and the founding director of Climate for Change, a non-profit, grassroots organisation that galvanises ordinary Australians to live sustainably and to take climate action.

At the Wheeler Centre, the pair discuss civics, sustainability and legacy, generational differences and the future of the planet.

Watch the discussion at The Wheeler Centre between father and daughter - “Raimond Gaita and Katerina Gaita: A Climate of Change.”

San Francisco Sends Climate Costs to Taxpayers as Liability Suit Idles.

When U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup dismissed San Francisco and Oakland’s climate liability suits against five of the world’s largest oil companies last week, his ruling ignored the central question of the suit: who should be responsible for paying for the impacts of climate change? In his earlier hearing, Alsup seemed to struggle with the idea that cities could even anticipate what those costs are, imagining them to be unpredictable and far in the future.

The cost of climate damage foisted upon the ratepayers.

But climate change adaptation costs are already piling up for the Bay Area cities. And in place of another way to raise money, San Francisco is sending a referendum to voters this November to vote on paying $425 million to repair the Embarcadero seawall, which is only a small part of a projected $5 billion long-term plan to upgrade the seawall to protect the city from sea level rise.

Globally, seas have risen 8 inches since industry started burning fossil fuels and forecasts predict 2 to 4 more feet of sea level rise this century.

Read the Climate Liability News story by Amy Westervelt - “San Francisco Sends Climate Costs to Taxpayers as Liability Suit Idles.”

Hurricane Irma: Is it climate change?

Hurricane Irma has been lashing Florida this morning — bringing with it 200 kilometre winds and major flooding that has cut off parts of Miami's city centre.

More than six million Florida residents have been told to leave their homes in the biggest mass evacuation in US history — and at least two million residents are without power.

Before hitting Florida, the then Category Four storm cut a devastating path across the Caribbean and Cuba — killing at least 27 people.

And behind Irma, another hurricane is now barrelling across the Atlantic — raising the question — is this Hurricane season in the Northern Hemisphere more severe than previous ones?

And how much blame can be sheeted back to climate change?

Listen to the discussion on RN Breakfast - “Hurricane Irma: Is it climate change?”