- The Guardian
- Issue #2106
If you’re in Australia, you might be pretty cold just now, but you’ll be hearing a lot about heatwaves, some extreme examples have been making the news lately. 1,301 people died during the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, in one of the world’s major petrostates. India and Pakistan have also had devastating heatwaves which have taken a serious toll on human lives and agriculture.
Closer to home, if you read this paper you’ll see a fair bit of heat. In our fortnightly Green Notes column, Comrade Anna Pha lays out in detail what’s been happening to the world’s temperatures. This is not just an issue of historical interest. The temperatures are getting higher all round and the effects of temperature rises are coming for everyone who’s reading this.
Our Dingo Bytes column tells us what the UN chief thinks about the “climate hell” which is fast approaching if the world doesn’t get its act together right now. The heatwaves are a sample.
Last week’s Guardian had an article from “Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action.” The survivors lost friends and properties in the worst fires in recorded history on this continent. Those fires were exacerbated by the increased carbon emissions that both of our ‘parties of government’ are pursuing.
The distant heatwaves are coming for everyone reading this. If you’re not actually in the middle of a heatwave, you’ll feel the effects, in the form of extreme weather, food shortages, and climate migration.
It’s ironic that the Liberal-National Coalition, which has made so much use of anti-immigration feelings, is also the most in favour of fossil-fuel use which means there will be a lot more immigration to deal with. If you’re not sure about this, look at the temperatures in the recent heatwaves in India, Pakistan, and Somalia and ask yourself if you would stay there or try to get to somewhere else.
The Coalition’s naked enthusiasm for fossil-fuel emissions does not let Labor, our actual government off the hook. Opposition leader Peter Dutton makes nonsensical announcements about nuclear reactors that may well never happen, but while he’s doing that, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek approves gas and coal extensions that are happening right now. Dutton dismisses emissions reduction targets while the Albanese Labor government effectively dismisses them by cheating.
State Labor premiers in Victoria, Queensland, and WA are equally enthusiastic about fossil fuels, opening up new operations while parroting mining industry talking points. Both major parties receive hefty donations from the big carbon emitters, and both remember the mining industry promise to spend $100 million per day on negative advertising the last time Labor looked like standing up to them.
All’s not lost. Renewable energy is powering ahead despite rather than because of our governments, and China is well on its way to becoming the world’s renewable superpower. Australians are installing solar power, and a lot of brave Aussies are trying hard to stop coal and gas developments.
If you understand what’s going on, join them! Support the Communist Party of Australia as we work to provide an alternative to the Labor-Coalition duopoly that offers us no choice when it comes to warming the planet for short-term profit. Check out the Green Notes column in this issue and stay informed. Support this paper as we work to bring you information that’s not beholden to advertisers.
Right now, the heat is on the northern hemisphere. Soon it will be our turn.
It’s cold now, but the heat will be upon us soon. Let’s turn the heat up on those responsible.
