2019-07-05
By the Green Issue Editors
Of course the main topic of interest for the past two months was the federal election – bad news and good news. Bad news being the re-election of an ultra-laissez faire government determined to exacerbate past inequities and thrash the environment for all it is worth. Good news being that Greens (WA) achieved its immediate objective of getting Jordon re-elected, comfortably it turned out. Indeed Greens senators were returned in each state and Adam Bandt went from strength to strength in Melbourne.
In this issue we have an article reflecting on how we might approach a post-modern world in tatters due its self-imposed, but predictable and avoidable, disasters. The re-election of the Coalition Government reminds us that that is where we are hurtling towards. Basically, we must reconnect with nature, or what’s left of it.
One disaster that we are walking into with ever quickening steps and eyes wide open is the climate crisis. At the heart of this problem is economics, with fossil fuel enterprises and their affiliates determined to keep their profits flowing irrespective of greenhouse gases. However, economics is now coming to the rescue with the technological advances in, declining costs and widespread deployment of renewable energy options. In many jurisdictions, use of renewable energy is now cheaper than fossil fuel energy, certainly new-build fossil fuel energy and even becoming cheaper than maintaining existing fossil fuel energy. However, as we move to renewable energy it must be a just transition, moving those currently employed in fossil fuel enterprises to alternative and remunerative employment opportunities. This requires a massive grassroots persuasion exercise and appropriate retraining.
Western Australia is a major victim of (e.g. declining rainfall) and contributor to global climate change. It has recently surpassed Qatar as the jurisdiction with highest quantum of export of liquified natural gas (LNG), and in the process has become a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) recognized this and proposed specific guidelines for emissions reductions and offsetting. However, on their release in March, the oil and gas multinationals operating in this state jumped on the EPA and forced the withdrawal of those guidelines. Nevertheless, the EPA has reopened the public consultation, until 2nd September 2019. It is recommended that readers concerned about WA’s contribution to greenhouse gas pollution familiarize with the information on the EPA website and consider making a submission. An article on this topic will appear on this Green Issue site at a later stage.
However, it is not only the climate that is in crisis but also basic human interactions. With the proliferation of unpredictable authoritarian rulers and regimes across the globe, the spectre of war remains prominent on the daily newsfeeds. The age-old tactic of marginalization of ‘others’ to promote one’s own power and influence is on the increase.
We include updates from our Greens (WA) MPs, for the May-June period. There are reports from Senators Rachel Siewert and Jordon Steele-John and our Members of the WA Legislative Council Robin Chapple (Mining and Pastoral), Alison Xamon (North Metropolitan), Diane Evers (South West) and Tim Clifford (East Metropolitan).
Header photo: Jordon and fellow campaigners