The IPCC have shown us what needs to happen, so why isn’t this the climate election?
I’ve been struggling with the election. How are we avoiding the elephant in the room?
- ✅ We’ve committed to 1.5 degrees of global heating by 2050
- 🤔 To hit that we must peak carbon emissions in the next 3 years
- 👉 Even if we SUCCEED, 99% of coral reefs still die
- ❌ Labor and the Coalition really don’t have a plan?
This is an emergency.
We can fix this. But we must do it now. We must decarbonise. And we have to GUARANTEE coal and gas workers security, a chance to be part of that transformation.
Labor has some semblance of a plan, but also accepted half a million dollars in donations from fossil fuel interests last year, as well as committed to allowing new oil and gas extraction which would undo everything.
The central message of the IPCC report is clear: despite affordable renewable energy solutions being available now, governments and businesses are failing to act. Global greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2025 and halve by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5 degrees.
The IPCC said the dramatic reductions in the cost of wind, solar and battery storage technologies over the last decade meant they were already commercially viable and would be the key to decarbonising most of the world’s energy systems.
“It’s now or never”: new IPCC report issues warning to governments to speed up renewables transition – Climate Council
So while I’m buoyed by the possibility of a change in government, we must make this election count. It feels very much like our last chance.
Vote Compass has already told us that more Australians mentioned climate change as their number one issue than any other topic.
So I’ll be voting Greens and preferencing progressive parties to hold whichever govt to that standard. I think it’s the most powerful change I can make right now
If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a guide to parties & candidates in the election who’ve committed to actually doing something. It’s not everything, but imo it’s a good starting point.
The other important thing to remember is even if your local member is an asshole, you can still vote for change in the senate
I lay awake some nights catatonic with the thought of what’s coming for us, and fuck, what’s already here.
But there is hope. We have a path forward in the IPCC report, we have most of the technology we need, and we just need to make it happen NOW. No more excuses.
Here’s the best summary I’ve found on what comes next ❤️
Update: climate won 😭
I think Scott Ludlam, former Green put it best:
The Liberals were wiped out by a wave of Greens and climate-focused independents. There’s a lot of analysis, but ultimately this is a really hopeful result.
On election night the ABC ran this graphic, saying the number 1 concern for voters was climate change. Just makes you wonder why, in the face of it all, it was completely missing in the media campaign.
