Friday, June 21, 2019

Coal barren - Mine vs Ours


This brilliant cartoon highlights the inequity of coal mining and climate change in general. While there are benefits to be gained by the billionaire, or company, that pollutes - the cost of that is felt by everyone else.

It can be more frequent extreme weather events, more severe droughts, or in this case a destroyed natural wonder. In any case, a few really rich people benefit while everyone else pays the price.

Cartooning credit to the brilliant Fiona Katauskas.

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Yes, Australian voters want climate action

Since the Australian election some have been worried that Australian voters seem unconcerned about climate change. However, ABC's Vote Compass shows the opposite.

While not many people changed the party they vote for, they are ready for (and expect) more climate action.

How much should we do?

The proportion of people saying we should do more has reached an all-time high. Also, the number of undecideds has decreased each election.

How many Australians want more action on climate change

Cross-party support

Across the four biggest parties, each party's supporters want more action rather than less. The highest are Greens (99-0) and Labor (96-0) supporters. A bit further back are Coalition supporters (59-13) and One Nation supporters (40-34).

Whilst some parties seem opposed to more action, every party's supporters think we should be doing more.

Which party's supporters want more action climate change? All of them.

What about policies?


Renewable energy is immensely popular with 86% of people saying there should be more of it.

The price on carbon emissions was abandoned by the current government. Yet still 68% of people agree with the Greens policy to bring it back.

Electric cars are also a popular idea with 72% saying that the government should do more to increase the number of electric cars in Australia.

What actions Australians want on climate change.

What does it mean?

Despite the increasing desire for action on climate change, the votes of all the parties remained almost identical to the last election. Perhaps people are sticking with their preferred party, but expecting them to do more.

It's interesting that we seem to be in favour of policies that politicians seems less keen to introduce. Will this be something they notice and begin to act upon? Or could this possible be the effect of political donations by companies that profit from polluting?