The politics of confronting climate change

Vinod Thomas -
confronting the
politics of
climate change.

Scientific evidence on man-made global warming is so loud and clear that leaders of 195 countries adopted the first climate agreement at a summit in Paris at end 2015 to reduce carbon emissions. But to appreciate the divide between the scientific consensus and climate action, one only needs to see the neglect of the issue in the U.S. presidential elections.

This gulf between science and policy rests on politics that see climate mitigation as a drag on economic growth. For example, Maryland officials are resisting making carbon cuts from power plants for fear they will raise power bills and hurt the state's economy.

Read The Baltimore Sun story - “The politics of confronting climate change.”

Inflamed rhetoric of revolution can disguise the reality

Inflamed rhetoric frequently results in revolution – Victorians, and beyond that those throughout the world interested in climate mitigation, have heard much about the ills of the state’s Hazelwood coal-fired power plant in the Latrobe Valley.



Speculation is mounting that
Hazelwood power plant will close.

Much has been said about why Victoria should shut down what has been described as the “dirtiest” electricity generator in the world (never seen any real evidence about that and although I have no reason to doubt the claim, I’m yet to see anything supporting that idea, but maybe I’ve been looking in the wrong places).



While much has been said about why we should close the plant down and there has been an equal amount of rhetoric about how we could replace it with renewable energy, there still appears to be a yawning gap between the rhetoric and the reality.

So before we pull the plug on Hazelwood, let’s first work together to ensure we actual have a serviceable renewable energy source actually generating electricity.

Many revolutions have begun with great fervour as the protagonists knew precisely what they wanted to be rid of but that push for change evaporated with a strangely equal zeal for those leading the charge had only a vague idea of what the future should look like – Robert McLean.

The Hazelwood power plant has been saddled with multiple repair notices for ageing equipment, amid growing expectations it will close next year. 

Several insiders reported that the plant was facing at least four WorkSafe notices that would be expensive to fix.

Read the latest about Victoria’s prime energy source in today’s Melbourne Age - “Hazelwoodfacing WorkSafe notices amid expectations of closure.”

Fiona Armstrong eager to find the root causes of the climate change 'disease'

F

ew people are more committed to tackling the symptoms of climate change and through that identifying and dealing with root causes of the “disease” than Fiona Armstrong.

Ms Armstrong is the founder and Executive Director of the Climate and Health Alliance, a national not-for-profit coalition of healthcare stakeholder groups that work together to advocate for climate action to protect and promote health.

The Climate and Health Alliance is a member of the Global Climate and Health Alliance and Australian partner of the international non-government organisation, Health Care Without Harm.

And today Ms Armstrong writes on The Conversation about the value, in health terms of climate mitigation.

Read her story - “Climate mitigation – the greatest public health opportunity of our time”.