(AU SMH) Northern Hemisphere’s Awful Summer Demands Climate Action

Sydney Morning Herald - Editorial

The floods in Germany and heatwaves in North America show the dangers but the federal government makes only lazy excuses.

Erftstadt, southwest of Cologne. (AP)

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

In Germany and Belgium, flooding from an unprecedented weather event has killed at least 170 people and devastated ancient towns that have stood untouched for centuries. Meanwhile, last month, the town of Lytton in Canada’s snow forest recorded a freakishly high temperature of 49.6 degrees shortly before wildfires burnt it to the ground. 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.

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

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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 set 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 to abrogate 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 2 degrees.

Yet he faces renewed opposition within his own government. Returned National Party 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 added that 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.”

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This 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 EU 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, Trade Minister Dan Tehan attacked the measure as “protectionist”, joining with Vladimir Putin’s Russia in opposing it. Yet his opposition will be seen as ideological, since very few Australian exports will be affected directly.

The Herald 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 has called on the federal government to talk to the EU.

The latest climate change-driven 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 – let alone that done to the environment.

Links

• AU) Our World Is Facing Irreversible Destruction – And Still There's No Urgency In Australian Climate Policy
• The Observer View On The Climate Catastrophe Facing Earth
• (AU) Climate Change Is The Greatest Threat
• The Guardian View On The Climate And Coronavirus: Global Warnings
• (US) Editorial: Climate Change Is Just As Real As Covid-19. Now’s The Last, Best Chance For Our Government To Treat It That Way
• (AU) Editorial: Climate Change Impossible To Deny
• Age Editorial: Dear leaders, show us some courage on climate change
• Age Editorial: Yes, there is a climate emergency. Politicians need to do more than talk about it
• Age Editorial: Heed COVID-19 lessons in the fight against climate change
• Age Editorial: Climate hope shines through virus clouds
• Age Editorial: Australia's climate plan earns no credit
• Age Editorial: The kids are all right over call for action on climate
• (AU) Editorial: Labor's Battle Over Climate Change Action