Well then, 2016 came and went without a single post from me. That’s pretty ordinary I must say. Must do better, if only to keep a record of what annoyed me the most at any given time. Right now? Could be any of a large number of things. Let’s see. Oh, here’s one.
Climate Change.
SURPRISE!!! Yeah, that is definitely annoying me. Back in 1996 I moved to Orange in Central West NSW for work and really liked it. Easy going place, laid back, people would stop you walking down the street for a chat – people you didn’t know that is. Friendly place, and pretty bloody cold in winter and quite tolerable in summer. I was only there a couple of years and headed home to the Blue Mountains. Eventually our eyes were drawn westward due to the whole Sydney attitude expanding up to our area and we looked again at Orange. Weather was mostly the same (twas only 7 years later) but the town had changed. So we went to a smaller town a half hour further out. Quiet, mostly friendly, looked a good place to bring up kids. But wow, was the weather different. Stinking hot in summer, amazingly cold nights and mornings in winter. Jesus wept, what were we thinking?
Well, that was 14 years ago. And now? Not quite so cold in winter, absolutely fricking boiling bloody hot in summer and once in a while it even rains. This year it rained our average plus 3 mega-shitloads more after a few dry years of below average rainfall. That led to floods all over the shop inland of us, and all of that rain and flooding basically ended 3-4 months ago. Everything was green. Everywhere. Even the rocks in part of my back yard were green with gorgeous lichens. Now they, like everything else, is brown. There are cracks opening up in the ground that would have had the late Tony Greig excited and losing keys in. Man it is dry.
Now that is known as anecdotal evidence. Basically, it’s meaningless. And if that was all the evidence on hand to get people to stop pumping carbon into the atmosphere then it would be a fair call to tell me to bugger off. But it really isn’t. There is a lot of evidence for climate change. Now I’m only a humble Bachelor of Environmental Science in Sustainable Terrestrial Ecosystems as opposed to an actual Climatologist. I may not have a masters in Statistics to do all the analysis myself, but that is why we have a review system in science, known as Peer Review. Climate Change Deniers will tell you it’s all made up of flimsy assumptions as those science people are trying to preserve their grants and research projects to protect their livelihoods. Excuse me a second here.
BULLSHIT!!!
Ah, that’s better. Peer Review is not handing an opinion to a mate to spellcheck it. It’s not take it to the IPA for a greenwashing. It is a rigorous examination of the experimental method. It is rigorous checking of the data. It is a sceptical look at the conclusions and whatever statistical model was used. It is an in-depth examination of the entire process that has lead to said paper being written, and happens before being published by any decent scientist. Which is pretty damned close to all of them who actually want to continue in the field. If you get caught fudging crap then your future lies in writing doctrine for conservative politicians and that is just one step from eternal damnation or having to watch 10 years of reruns of the Young and the Restless. That is a risk no-one with any self worth wants to take.
The current Australian Government seems to think Climate Change is something they can gloss over. Pay polluters to fix it. Don’t bother taxing carbon in any way shape or form. Encourage the coal industry to make some mega-mines. We’ll even help you get up and running by watering down or straight out avoiding any safeguards you need to take. I’m sorry but what part of this do these fools not understand? I get that some of them do not have the intelligence to get it – the ones I am thinking of certainly haven’t displayed any to date (you can imagine who I mean here) – but seriously, Malcolm Turnbull, the guy who lost the leadership for trying to work with Kevin Rudd on building an emissions scheme. We know he gets it. He is the bloody Prime Minister for Pete’s sake. He knows. And is in charge. And does nothing but pander to the nutters in his party. You sir, have lost all the respect that I ever had for you, and have previously granted you in this very blog. You must just be another grub like the rest of your party. In it for your mates. In it for the donors. In it for industry. Well here is a line that every one of you politicians should be forced to say into a camera before you are allowed into Parliament.
GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE.
Some of you may recognise this as part of the Gettysburg Address of November 19, 1863, given by Abraham Lincoln. I am no American political historian, but to me it sums up the idea of a democracy and the task of a politician. They are elected by the people. They are supposed to do their job for the people and that job is government of the people so it all makes perfect sense. It does NOT read government of the people by a bunch of self interested corrupt individuals for the interest of themselves and those large corporate interests that supported them. Which is what is happening now.
I could, but won’t, comment on the recent USA election and inauguration. Suffice to say this. The previous President made efforts to curb Climate Change and bring the USA to become a member of a responsible international community to limit Climate Change. The new President fully intends to abolish any commitments made towards reducing carbon emissions, has given his blessing to increasing coal, shale oil and natural gas mining, and has gone so far to put this piece (quoted verbatim below) on the White House website as the official America First Energy Plan.
Copied from https://www.whitehouse.gov/america-first-energy at 1057 AEDST January 23, 2017.
An America First Energy Plan
Energy is an essential part of American life and a staple of the world economy. The Trump Administration is committed to energy policies that lower costs for hardworking Americans and maximize the use of American resources, freeing us from dependence on foreign oil.
For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry. President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule. Lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years.
Sound energy policy begins with the recognition that we have vast untapped domestic energy reserves right here in America. The Trump Administration will embrace the shale oil and gas revolution to bring jobs and prosperity to millions of Americans. We must take advantage of the estimated $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, especially those on federal lands that the American people own. We will use the revenues from energy production to rebuild our roads, schools, bridges and public infrastructure. Less expensive energy will be a big boost to American agriculture, as well.
The Trump Administration is also committed to clean coal technology, and to reviving America’s coal industry, which has been hurting for too long.
In addition to being good for our economy, boosting domestic energy production is in America’s national security interest. President Trump is committed to achieving energy independence from the OPEC cartel and any nations hostile to our interests. At the same time, we will work with our Gulf allies to develop a positive energy relationship as part of our anti-terrorism strategy.
Lastly, our need for energy must go hand-in-hand with responsible stewardship of the environment. Protecting clean air and clean water, conserving our natural habitats, and preserving our natural reserves and resources will remain a high priority. President Trump will refocus the EPA on its essential mission of protecting our air and water.
A brighter future depends on energy policies that stimulate our economy, ensure our security, and protect our health. Under the Trump Administration’s energy policies, that future can become a reality.
Leading climate scientists assert we need to keep warming under the 2 degrees Centigrade mark above pre-industrial levels. Many people do not realise that Climate Change has inertia. You cannot stop an 18 wheeler on a 10c piece. Similarly you cannot just stop emitting CO2 tomorrow and expect everything to return to 1770’s level. The world will continue to warm AFTER we stop emitting so that reduction MUST happen immediately. And while Australian deniers whine that “we are so small as an emitting nation – what we do makes no difference” no one can say that of the USA. In fact I think the bullshit being peddled by our last 2 governments has encouraged others, like the current President of the USA that they can get away with doing nothing on carbon emission reduction. Parts of Europe are having a real go at this. And I’m ashamed to report Australia is not. That joke of a “policy” above shows that the USA sees its future as an isolated part of the world. That shares the same air and water as everyone else. So isolationism isn’t particularly useful to any of us. Hell, we have no land border with anyone. Nor does New Zealand, Sri Lanka or Iceland to quickly name a few. Have they successfully gone alone on such an issue? Err, in case you aren’t sure – they haven’t.
So yeah, 2017. On Climate Change I can safely say our Government here in Australia does not give a shit. The above “policy” quote proves the USA feels the same way. Canada used to until they got young Justin Trudeau in charge. So Government Change can work to potentially halt Climate Change. Now there is something I can support. If only I can find an alternative that I approve of. Though it can’t get a lot worse now can it?
Point of Yew 