Fires and how to ignore them: a politician's guide

Even if you're reading this outside Australia, you've probably heard about the enormous areas of bushfire through Eastern Australia.

Climate change and fires

Clearly this is related to climate change. This map shows the changes in forest fire danger over the last four decades.

Brown represents more danger, blue less. The more intense the colour bigger the change.

Something to talk about?

But leaders don't want to talk about it. You'd think leaders would be keen to address something that threatens the citizens. But apparently not.

They didn't want to talk about it in 2013 - or during any bushfire since - or on any other day. I think that's what prompts cartoons like this.

Not Today

My favourite bit of satire was this video by Mark Humphries and Jan Fran. (Aussies, look out for a clever cameo part way through the video)

News (satire) headlines

Some of my favourite satirical headlines are:

• Government Says It’s Inappropriate To Talk About Global Warming When It’s So Damn Hot
• PM Provides Boost To Struggling Fire Departments, Committing An Extra Two Million Thoughts & Prayers Per Year
• “Now Is Not The Time To Discuss How We Ignored Decades Of Warnings That This Would Happen”

Why the laughs?

Aside from the map (Bureau of Meteorology) I've focussed a bit on the humour and satire side of this. It's mainly a situation where one has to laugh or one would cry (or get really frustrated).

It's simply astounding that governments not only have no interest in solving the problem, but also no interest in even discussing what is killing people and destroying homes.

This month it's bushfires. For ages it's been drought. Later it will be another climate-change-assisted disaster. The reaction seems to stay the same. :(

Brisbane's 20 best signs (Global Climate March)

Today is a global climate "strike". Around the world people are gathering to support (perhaps even insist) on climate action.

The park was packed

In Brisbane today's event was the biggest the city has seen. So much so that the park could not hold all the people. Fortunately, the street had already been blocked off. People stood on the road and on the footpaths of adjacent blocks.

Let's get to the signs

I've always been a fan of people's creative signs for these events. Here are some of Brisbane's best.

Kids

With this being the last day of school term, there were lots of kids there (with their parent's permission) and a number of signs were about that.

Some signs featured the Dr Seuss character The Lorax.

Grandparents

Old people showed up for their kids grandkids ... and great grandkids.

Positive encouragement

Witty Signs

Some signs were quite clever, like this one from a university staff member (presumably the health faculty):

This one starts by saying "I like my planet the way I like my men..."

Frustration

Some were just frustrated with the government's lack of action.

That last one is a reference to the current prime minister saying the schoolkids shouldn't be speaking up for the future (being "activist").

What a wonderful world

Some just wanted to say what a wonderful thing the earth is.

Want more?

See some highlights from previous events - Schoolkids strikeof 2018 - I want some action - Scientists

Australia sinks island hopes

At the recent Pacific Island Forum, Australia has appeared to prefer burning coal to saving lives

The leaders of the Small Island States had all agreed to a declaration for stronger action on climate change. Perhaps not surprising considering these nations' future existence is at stake. But then Australia stepped in.

Instead of giving them what they need (action on climate change) Australia gave them foreign aid money. Cartoonist Cath Wilcox illustrated how (not) useful that is.

And even worse, it's not extra money - it's been redirected away from other foreign aid programs.so orther worthy programs no have to go without.

So basically Australia, having heard that climate is the biggest issue for all these Pacific Island nations is not giving one extra dollar and not reducing pollution by one single gram.

Back in Australia, the Deputy (and acting) Prime Minister made some bizarre remarks about fruit-picking, and also,

“I also get a little bit annoyed when we have people in those sorts of countries pointing the finger at Australia and say we should be shutting down all our resources sector so that, you know, they will continue to survive,”

Two things here. First is the exaggeration/lie about what was being asked - it was only ever about coal. Second is the display of priorities where he seems to be saying that a polluting industry is more important than people's lives - that he wants to continue burning and exporting coal forever - even if it wipes out several nations along the way. Stunning.

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.

Schoolkids Strike: my favourite photos

Last Friday schoolkids around Australia had a half-day strike to protest the lack of climate action by the federal government.

It drew a predictable response (not a listening one) from some government politicians - well summed up in this cartoon by Kathy Wilcox.

Some signs pointed out the irony of the reaction. For example, "If you were smart we'd be in class".

Others pointed out the value of activism:

Or asked why bother going to school if knowledge is rejected by government:

While others tried to appeal the better nature of politicians and think of those who will be left to deal with climate change long after today's politicians have all gone.

In the background a smaller girl is holding a well-coloured-in sign "Don't Burn Our Future. No New Coal"

But this one's my pick for the cutest.

This Saturday it's everybody's turn. If you're in Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney, join in the "March for our Future". It's not just the kids whose futures are at stake.

PS. Just found another great one:

How coal gets to you

This advert from an American solar company is also a great little cartoon of the simplicity of solar compared to coal.



The series includes one about gas and one about oil. Great Stuff!

Planet Stupid

John Clarke and Bryan Dawe take a satirical look at what's on the news while the human race destroys its own planet.

Again, it's one of those things that's quite funny, yet incredibly not funny at the same time.

A private conversation

Generally, politicians can seem semi-decent and competent. Dressed in the expensive suits, and told what lines to say by the marketing division of their party, it's almost like the job of an actor playing a role.

But sometimes, like on Friday, you get a little look behind the scenes.



3 errors. Making a tasteless and cruel joke. Laughing at it. Not calling it out. The third politician points out the microphone. He doesn't seem shocked by the remark. It's almost like he's saying 'Guys, we're in public. Hide who we really are. Play the role of a decent human being.'

Later the politician said it was a "private conversation" and had nothing to add. Two days later he apologised - not for the remark, just for getting caught.

Obviously the joke didn't go down well with the Pacific Islands Forum, who have already warned Australia may be asked to leave the forum for refusing to make serious greenhouse emissions cuts.

The president of Kiribati has previously labelled Australia's obsession with coal mines as "selfish and unjust" and referred to the joke as vulgar. while the Fijian prime minister said Australia had been "put to the test on climate change and been found wanting".

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister has asked if Mr Dutton would be laughing if it were his own family about to lose their home because of climate change.

PS. Believe or not, all three of these men are ministers in our nation's government. I still don't get how any of them could think that people being flooded out of their country is good material for cheap laugh.

PPS. The Hungry Tide is a great documentary about Kiribati and its vulnerability to rising seas from climate change.

Poetry and science are different

Just when you think we're all finally all on board to tackle climate change, there'll be someone who doesn't quite get it.

Fortunately there are comedy shows to set the record straight. The relevant part of the video starts at 1min18s.



"There's probably a good reason why the CSIRO doesn't use poetry as data"

There's also a good reason not to listen to people who use bizarre logic to attempt to shy away from addressing climate change. It's like saying "People died before drugs were invented so drugs don't kill people". It starts off with a true statement but then goes into crazy 'logic'.

PS. Sorry, the video also contains a piece on the budget. I'd hoped it was a separate clip.

If it's melted, it's ruined

An ice cream company is not the usual place to expect climate information. But Save Our Swirled explains why climate change is a problem and what one company (Ben and Jerry's) is doing about it.

One of the highlights is this ice cream video.



It's makes a good point. A little bit of warming and it's far less enjoyable. It's true for ice cream, and true for the planet.

I Want Some Action

I saw these T-shirts at a support rally for climate action. They are both clever and true.

If you're interested, find out what else was AYCC, the Australian Youth Climate Coalition does - when they're not thinking up new t-shirt designs.

Waleed Aly really cares about renewable energy

Waleed Aly, presenter of The Project, really caused a stir with his report on renewable energy in Australia. It was a great piece - check it out.

He mentions some of the 143 other countries around the world that have established renewable energy targets - such as Austria 68%, Sweden 61%, Scotland 50%, New Zealand almost 80% and Costa Rica 100% so far this year. Here's what that means for jobs in Australia. While the rest of the world employs close to a million people in renewable energy, we've lost jobs in this growing industry.

"It's the generations to come that will look back and see this for what it is - a willful disregard for the future of this nation by the people we've elected to lead us."

Waleed cares. Do we? How about we do something - like email one of those politicians.

Breaking up with fossil fuels

Over 450 events were held in 60 countries, to mark Global Divestment Day. The idea is to withdraw our business from banks that invest in fossil fuels.

Of course the weekend was also Valentine's Day, so a British group put together this witty video of people realising it was time to end their relationship.



On the day, there were a lots of people divesting, and a couple of 'remade' songs. A group in Adelaide, dressed as Tina Turner to sing "Simply Divest", while a big group in Sydney enjoyed "Stop in the name of love (before you wreck the reef)". That song made it onto SBS News (at the 3 minute mark).

Australians, see if your bank invests in fossil fuels.

Should I Buy This?

Especially at this time of year, advertisers tell us to buy, buy, buy. Whatever our question - even if we didn't have one - the answer is to buy something.

Some things are good. Some things are just "landfill waiting to happen".

So I enjoyed this tongue-in-cheek yes/no guide for whether you should buy.

It's simple to use. Just go to the full chart, start at the top, answer each question, and it will lead you to the answer.

Spoiler alert: The majority of paths point to NO, because most of the stuff we buy, we don't need.

Of course as well as saving money and having less clutter around the house, there is also a planet benefit.

If we don't buy those pointless items, factories will waste less energy, and produce fewer emissions, making junk that we don't actually need or want.

Mother Nature's sense of irony

Australia is a large country, but our heatwave (like the world's leaders) has honed in on Brisbane this weekend.

The irony is that G20 hosts Australia have refused to put global warming and climate change on the agenda. This has provided lots of material for cartoonists.

Meanwhile, down in Sydney, a group of 400 people have paid tribute to the Australian government's attitude to climate change by sticking their heads in the sand.

Related G20 links:
USA and Chine lead the way - the game-changing agreement
Should Merkel shirtfront Abbott - a farmer's plea
Climate Change at the G20 - satire video
The Banned Ads - and the conflict of interest
G20 or G19? - cartoon