Northern hemispheres awful summer shows urgent need for climate action

By The Age July 18, 2021 â€" 8.41pm

Lockdowns are grabbing the headlines here in Australia, but the disastrous floods, droughts and bushfires of the northern hemisphere’s summer should be a reminder that climate change poses an even more serious threat than COVID-19.

In Germany and Belgium, unprecedented rainfall has caused flooding that has killed at least 170 people and devastated ancient towns that have stood untouched for centuries. Meanwhile, last month the town of Lytton, in British Columbia, Canada, recorded a freakishly high temperature of 49.6 degrees shortly before it was burnt to the ground by wildfires. Along the west coast of the United States, wildfires of extraordinary extent and ferocity are still raging out of control. Californians have been asked to cut water use by 15 per cent because of a historic drought.

A train sits in floodwaters in Kordel, Germany.Credit:AP

Of course in the developing world the disasters are at least as severe, if less widely reported here.

These tragedies are all consistent with decades of scientific predictions of the likely impacts of human-induced climate change. It is actually happening. Global temperatures are already 1.2 degrees higher on average than a century ago, and they are predicted to rise 5 degrees this century on the current trajectory.

Yet in the same week that our televisions are full of this compelling evidence of the urgency for strong action to fight climate change, the federal government continues to avoid making strong commitments and abrogates what many view as our responsibilities as global citizens.

It remains Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s “preference” that Australia adopts a target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, a goal that climate scientists say is still likely to be slower than required to hold the global temperature rise below an average of two degrees.

Yet he faces renewed opposition within his own government. Returned Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce told The Australian Financial Review that he would lose his leadership if he even contemplated agreeing to such a target.

In an interview on ABC TV on Sunday, he said he would not accept the target until he knows “what is involved”. This is a lazy excuse. As NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean said on Twitter, Mr Joyce is “as well placed as anyone to see ‘what’s involved’ and come up with a plan”.

Last week the government also appeared to threaten to fight the next stage of the European Union’s climate policies, which include a so-called carbon border adjustment tax. From 2026 the European Union will impose a tariff on carbon-intensive imports such as steel and aluminium from countries that are not matching its climate policies such as a carbon tax.

Even before reading the EU’s plan, Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan attacked the measure as protectionist, joining Vladimir Putin’s Russia in opposing it. Yet his opposition will be seen as ideological, since few Australian exports will be affected directly.

The Age agrees with the Australian Industry Group, a business lobby group, which says the new tax is an opportunity rather than a threat for Australia. It says the tariff has been designed to “create a level playing field by ensuring exporters to the EU are paying the same carbon price that European producers have to under the EU emissions trading scheme”. It has said that measures seem fair at first glance and called on the federal government to talk to the EU.

The latest natural disasters in the northern hemisphere will only increase the pressure on Australia to drop the obfuscation and announce serious action ahead of the important United Nations Climate Conference, due to take place in Glasgow in November.

Australia must start taking action itself and embrace the opportunities presented on the international stage. Fighting the inevitable transition away from fossil fuels will only do further harm to our reputation at home and abroad â€" not to mention the environment.

Gay Alcorn sends an exclusive newsletter to subscribers each week. Sign up to receive her Note from the Editor.

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