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December 15, 2006
It's been the year of the environment hasn't it. Global warming is definitely centre stage in our awareness and even in our politics. We know that climate change leads to arid Australian regions being more prone to drought while wetter regions become more prone to flooding.
Leunig
The polar ice caps are melting at a faster rate than expected. We know that if emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases were to slow, the likelihood of rapid ice loss would decrease. Not much likelihood of that as Australia's environmental policies have been guided by John Howard's "gut" and the influence of his fossil fuel industry patrons. Remarkably, the gut and the fossil fuel interests coincide.
I now find myself keep on imagining the effect of a meter rise in sea levels as I stroll around the beaches in Adelaide and Victor Harbor. It doesn't look good. Yet little is being said about it. It just doesn't cut through, even though all seaside property is not going to be protected. Higher food prices because of less agricultural production due to lack of water might. I've noticed that the drought is hitting food prices across the board. Higher food prices exacerbated by climate change may cut through politically, particularly since polls suggest that more than 80 per cent of Australians believe the Howard Government is not doing enough to tackle the issue.
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All of this is being confirmed by anecdotal evidence every day. Yesterday ABC News Radio had an article about Walruses drowning and families being split up by the break up of ice sheets.