5 ms·

I am curious about why you think climate change is an important issue in Australia. It's a relatively small country, without much of a manufacturing industry.

aplummer 7y ago
40% of the worlds coal and new mining in a place called the Galilee basin and shipping it to India. I think if they mine the whole thing it can create 1deg of warming just by itself.
- iliketosleep 7y ago
  Yes, if Australia stopped it's export of coal then it may very well make a difference. But as far as I'm aware, that wasn't even part of the debate as the economic impact would be too great.
  - aplummer 7y ago
    Digging new mines was part of debate, there was a path with minor party balance of power where it might have been stopped - but that looks dead now.
sjy 7y ago
Australia is a globally influential country with high per capita wealth and emissions. Australia has the capacity to show leadership to other similarly-sized countries, by incrementally addressing (potentially at economic cost to itself, a wealthy country) a global challenge for which everyone is responsible, regardless of the size of the country they live in.
- iliketosleep 7y ago
  Perhaps if Australia pulled it off successfully without too much economic damage, this could be true. But from what I've heard, the states that adopted green policies suffered power shortages and soaring energy prices. Hopefully in the future this will change.
  - spacehunt 7y ago
    If you are talking about the blackout event in South Australia back in 2016, it was due to misconfigured wind farms: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-28/wind-farm-settings-to-blame-for-sa-blackout-aemo-says/8389920 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-28/wind-farm-settings-to... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_South_Australian_blackout https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_South_Australian_blackout Soaring energy prices are because of privatisation, not because of green policies.
NamTaf 7y ago
Because we are a regional leader. The pacific islands most affected by climate change look to us and go 'you are rich and have the means to lead by example. Why aren't you?' and that's a valid criticism. Or, in other better words than my own, exactly what sjy's sibling comment said. edit: Climate change is a quintessential tragedy of the commons. It really should be our obligation to lead by example since we have the capacity to, even if our actions in isolation do not make a sufficient enough change. In fact, I'd argue that taking a lead on it is in our best interest. It helps to cement our position as a regional leader and exapnds our soft power, which is the best way we can hold regional influence outsized to our comparitively small population.
eli_gottlieb 7y ago
Because they catch fire every summer.
SomeOldThrow 7y ago
Because it’s everyone’s problem. Nobody gets a pass.

aplummer 7y ago

40% of the worlds coal and new mining in a place called the Galilee basin and shipping it to India. I think if they mine the whole thing it can create 1deg of warming just by itself.

iliketosleep 7y ago
Yes, if Australia stopped it's export of coal then it may very well make a difference. But as far as I'm aware, that wasn't even part of the debate as the economic impact would be too great.
- aplummer 7y ago
  Digging new mines was part of debate, there was a path with minor party balance of power where it might have been stopped - but that looks dead now.

sjy 7y ago

Australia is a globally influential country with high per capita wealth and emissions. Australia has the capacity to show leadership to other similarly-sized countries, by incrementally addressing (potentially at economic cost to itself, a wealthy country) a global challenge for which everyone is responsible, regardless of the size of the country they live in.

iliketosleep 7y ago
Perhaps if Australia pulled it off successfully without too much economic damage, this could be true. But from what I've heard, the states that adopted green policies suffered power shortages and soaring energy prices. Hopefully in the future this will change.
- spacehunt 7y ago
  If you are talking about the blackout event in South Australia back in 2016, it was due to misconfigured wind farms: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-28/wind-farm-settings-to-blame-for-sa-blackout-aemo-says/8389920 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-28/wind-farm-settings-to... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_South_Australian_blackout https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_South_Australian_blackout Soaring energy prices are because of privatisation, not because of green policies.

NamTaf 7y ago

Because we are a regional leader. The pacific islands most affected by climate change look to us and go 'you are rich and have the means to lead by example. Why aren't you?' and that's a valid criticism. Or, in other better words than my own, exactly what sjy's sibling comment said. edit: Climate change is a quintessential tragedy of the commons. It really should be our obligation to lead by example since we have the capacity to, even if our actions in isolation do not make a sufficient enough change. In fact, I'd argue that taking a lead on it is in our best interest. It helps to cement our position as a regional leader and exapnds our soft power, which is the best way we can hold regional influence outsized to our comparitively small population.

eli_gottlieb 7y ago

Because they catch fire every summer.

SomeOldThrow 7y ago

Because it’s everyone’s problem. Nobody gets a pass.