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Melbourne smothered in smoke as Australian bushfires burn

12 Comments
By Kate Lamb

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© Thomson Reuters 2020.

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12 Comments
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The political fallout from the unprecedented scale of the bushfires has pressured the conservative government to reconsider its policies on climate change.

Hopefully the policies will be determined by Australians and won't be unduly influenced by global far right wing groups such as those led by the US Koch brothers, global oil, gas and coal corporations, and states like China and India. Or any other non-Australian group regardless perspective. Let Australians decide for themselves.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has signaled the government may raise its targets for cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, and was open to the establishment of a powerful royal commission inquiry into the bushfires.

Too little too late.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Australia has the capacity to easily become 100% reliant on solar power.

Would that stop climate change due to major polluters such as India or China?

No!

This is such an asinine viewpoint. Just because Australia can’t solve climate change all by itself is hardly a legitimate excuse for doing nothing while the country literally burns. Australia is extraordinarily vulnerable to the effects of climate change and its going to need countries like China and India to cut their CO2 emissions, but they are in no position to even ask them to do so as long as their own government remains intent on business as usual.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"I wish I could say this was over, but we have a long way to go. We've got the smoke in our communities at the moment and it is at very poor or hazardous levels," Lisa Neville, Victoria’s emergency services and police minister told a media briefing.

It certainly is far from over.

So now that they are unable to say “now is not the time”, they have adapted. Rather than suggest no connection with climate change, they have shifted to arguing there is no connection with any particular climate change policy and bushfires. Scott Morrison argued last week on ABC’s 7.30: “You cannot link any individual single emissions reduction policy of a country – whether it’s Australia or anyone else – to any specific fire event. I mean, that’s just absurd.” Yes, it is absurd, because no one is actually arguing that.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2020/jan/14/the-government-has-been-forced-to-talk-about-climate-change-so-its-taking-a-subtle-and-sinister-approach

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Australia has the capacity to easily become 100% reliant on solar power.

Would that stop climate change due to major polluters such as India or China?

No!

Would that be a huge improvement for Australia? YES

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Sydney was worse, you couldn't see 200 meters

0 ( +3 / -3 )

The amusing thing about being out in the smoke today was hearing a group of smokers complaining about the smoke.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Bad news

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The arsonists should receive very severe penalties.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Australia has the capacity to easily become 100% reliant on solar power.

Would that stop climate change due to major polluters such as India or China?

No!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

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