Voice of Change

Non-violent protest has fundamentally changed the course of Australian and global history, and has shaped many of the privileges and social norms that we may take for granted today. Research has found that when 3.5% of the population is engaging in non-violent resistance, governments cannot survive without some sort of flex. The School Strike for climate has erupted over the past 18 months - ‘The Greta Affect’ as it has been dubbed, brings out various emotions and responses – it has provoked a global conversation, inspired local action. The strikers have coordinated some of Australia’s biggest climate protests – bringing 330,000 people to the streets. To help us understand more, and get under the hood of this global movement, we speak to Vivienne Paduch, a year 11 student from Sydney’s northern beaches and one of the founding strikers here in Australia.

KEY QUOTES

“climate change is something that is really really scary… “There has been more and more research, and voices from young people coming out, that it is affecting their mental health and it’s a really scary thing to have to think about and have to deal with… but then organising going to the protest, and seeing all this hope and this energy… that’s my motivation.”

“There is a very distinct rule in school strike. Adults are only really there to give support. All decisions are made by young people. All you initiatives are driven by young people.”

“When you’re as in involved in activism as I am or other people in school strike are, you have to find a balance between school work and activism. Sometimes activism gets more of a priority, sometimes school work gets more of a priority”

“We are protesting for our future. For a safe future. For a clean future. For a future where we don’t have bushfire seasons like this last one. Where we don’t have droughts. Where we don’t have flooding in coastal areas. All these things are so much more important than school work”.

“in Australia, the debate is not how do we combat climate change, it‘s ‘is climate change real’, and ‘do we even have to do anything’. What I would like to see is for that debate to shift. That started after the bushfire crisis, but we still have quite a way to go.

“I do have my fair share of climate anxiety… I’ve stopped reading news about climate catastrophise and whatever new doomsday studies, because I can’t handle it. Activism really has been a saviour to me. Even something as small as sending out emails to supporters, it’s all contributing.”

One of the challenges of engaging in conversation about climate action, is that we are speaking to highly technical issues of science and economics, and the vast majority of us are not in the position to interpret or extrapolate, query or question. But how can some people say that Australia will meet its Paris agreement, and others tell us not? Will we or won't we? We are told to trust science, and trust the economist, but we should all be empowered to engage in the conversation, and help us disentangle fact from theory from opinion. Today's episode is about you with the basics, and breaking down key terms and issues that are relevant to carbon economics and policy debate. Joining me today in studio is Climate policy specialist and economist Dr Graham Sinden..

KEY QUOTES

“We operate in a physical environment, and we are used to the parameters of that environment, how hot it is, how cold it is, how windy, where the sea level is supposed to be… as that changes we will have to adapt. As that changes, that may actually cause direct damage.”

“If a hot day kills a farmer's crops, a cool day the next day doesn’t undead them. Sure, you can look at the average temperature, and the average temperature looks fine, but the damage is done.”

“It’s a very creative accounting solution, but effectively we are still banking in 2030 the benefits of the deal that we cut in 1990, which didn’t really represent the future emissions economy of Australia.”

“One of the fundamental ideas in climate policy is if you’re implementing climate policy you are doing it to achieve a climate outcome, and the most obvious climate outcome is limiting greenhouse gas emission, because that limits how much the atmosphere changes, that limits the physical consequences of climate change etc. So the design of policy should involve a restraint on emissions. “

“In Australia, we don’t have policies that establish economy wide caps on our emissions. So It is entirely feasible that within our current policy construct we can be consistent with that policy… and our emissions will at the same time will rise.”

We have heard that 2020 marks the start of the decade where we start to see our window for climate action close in on the point where the consequences of climate change begin to escalate, become undoable, and start to trigger other collapses in the system. Scientists say we are reaching tipping points, that once reached, can’t be undone. But what are these tipping points, why do they cause scientists so much concern, and just how much runway do we have left. Answering some of these questions is Earth Systems Scientist Professor Will Steffen.

KEY QUOTES

“The ultimate emergency is that if the time it takes us to intervene becomes too short we can’t react fast enough, then we’ve lost the system, and that’s a true emergency.”

“ Once [our biomes] are pushed too far they are irreversibly changed… once the melting of Greenland gets to a certain point its unstoppable. We’re approaching a point where we will lose our ability to influence where our earth system is going to go… that to me is the ultimate emergency. “

“Our job as scientists is to try piece together what the science is telling us about how you might define an emergency. This is what we call a collective action problem. Everyone has to do their fair share. “

“For Australia, it is a lose lose situation. It doesn’t matter where these fossil fuels, this coal is burnt, this gas is burnt, its going to affect our climate and make things worse for drought, worse for farmers… we lose, the farmers lose, people who live in the bush lose, people who live in the cities lose. It is indeed a lose lose situation. “

Australians are taking to the streets, demanding the Federal Government declare a climate emergency. Governments declaring a climate emergency is a global trend. So much so that ‘climate emergency’ was the Oxford dictionary’s 2019 word of the year. The first declaration in 2016 was by Darebin council in Victoria, and is credited with starting a movement that is now supported by governments representing 800 million people worldwide… That’s about 1 in 10 people covered. However, Australia as a whole has not followed suit. The important question is, what do we mean by declaring a climate emergency? And, If we did declare a climate emergency, what would that mean for Australia. Who better to answer the question than Australia’s most beloved and trusted scientist, Dr Karl. Dr Karl is joined by Peter Thompson, one of the founders of the People’s Climate assembly, a coalition of environmental groups calling for the declaration.

KEY QUOTES - DR KARL

“Emergency is a balance between risk and time… we are getting closer to what is called tipping points - hence the name emergency.”

“What we’ve learned from Chaos theory is that you can’t really predict the exact moment of a tipping point but you can say when it’s happened and it’s too late.”

“With the carbon emergency, the science is so robust I’m very confident that I’m the right side of history.”

“There is three messages of hope. We can fix global warming. This is the smartest generation ever. You are living in the most peaceful time ever in the history of the human race.”

KEY QUOTES - PETER THOMPSON

“Greed blinds us and doesn’t allow us to see the danger as clearly as science is pointing out.”

“ The acknowledgement of the truth automatically points towards action.”

“This should have always been a bipartisan issue according to science. This is an emblematic statement for the rest of Australia and the rest of the world. People must step forward and say is enough is enough. We are sick of these vested interests governing our lives and destroying the planet”

In this episode we are making things personal. Watching the bushfires ravage Australia has left many people with a desperate need to bring about relief and change, and take back control in their lives when it comes to their personal climate impact. Australian’s live largely beyond their means when it comes to their personal carbon impact, and part of the challenge is understanding the everyday choices and decisions we make that have have a climate impact. So what are those choices? What are the hidden and surprising carbon aspects of our lives and what are the three things you and I can do to steadily reduce our impact, together doing our bit for climate action? Breaking it down with us today is Dr Kimberly Nicholas. Kim is an Associate Professor of Sustainability Science and Director of PhD Studies at the Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS) in Lund, Sweden. In her research, she studies the connections between people, land, and climate.

KEY QUOTES
“It’s warming. It’s us. We’re sure. It’s bad…And we can fix it”

“What’s really important now is that we very quickly stop adding greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere… That’s going to be a big change but it is doable, it’s technically and economically feasible, and it’s necessary.”

“from now until 2030 is really a decisive moment for life on earth”

“The actions we that can most quickly reduce emissions are to live car, flight and meat free”

“most people are surprised at just how climate damaging flying it …hour for hour there is no better way to wreck the climate”

“we’re talking about big changes but it is doable and there are people leading the way showing that its possible”

“The biggest climate different you can make is cutting out beef… beef is just in a class of its own, it’s so much more resource and climate intensive than anything else”.

“Cars today are machines for turning fossil fuel into climate pollution… that is what they do”

“the next decade is really a race between two tipping points, between a catastrophic ecological tipping point and amazing social tipping points. We have to really push and do everything we can to make sure it’s the good type of social tipping point into a safe and fair and climate just world rather than a world of ecological breakdown.”

In this week’s podcast episode we blend the fun and the serious - wine! The viticulture industry is a significant component of Australia’s agriculture industry, and is highly vulnerable to the impacts of a changing climate due to the sensitivity of wine grapes to environmental conditions. The wines and regions we love will inevitably change, if not changing already. In this episode we speak to Dr Mardi Longbottom to learn just how and why she calls viticulture the climate canary for agriculture, and what the industry is doing in response.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Sustainable Winegrowing Australia

Economic contribution of the Australian Wine Sector 2019

Geisenheim University's 2019 survey of wine growers and climate change

KEY QUOTES
”Growing wine grapes is a bit different to many other agricultural crops because the composition of grapes has such an influence on the style of wine that can be made. What I mean by that is that the grapes need to have a particular composition of sugar, acid, colour and texture characteristics to make a particular style. And grape composition is primarily influenced by the environment the grapes and the vines are grown in.”

“Small changes in temperature or water availability or sun exposure can have measurable impacts on grape composition and ultimately the potential style of wine we can make from those grapes.”

“The good thing is that we’ve been adapting to a changing climate for a long time and we have lots of tools in the shed to help us both in the vineyard and in the winery to adapt.”

“As an industry, we accept the realities of climate change because we are experiencing it.”

“We have everything to gain by taking steps towards mitigating climate change every time we change, no matter how small we also have a positive impact on our bottom line, and this is good for everyone.”

“Wine grape growers are especially efficient at their use of water… almost 100% of Australian grape growers are using drip irrigation which is incredibly efficient.”

“With increasing temperature we’re getting earlier bud burst... and we’ve also got a shortening of the actual season itself, so harvest is happening earlier, which means that we have a compression of the season.”

Australia is one of the most ecologically diverse countries in the world, and our landscape is an integral part of our cultural psyche, lifestyle and economy. Yet, our biodiversity is failing and under threat, with increasing rates of extinction. Government funded conservation is traditionally only applied to state land – ie national parks – so only covers a fraction of the landscape. This episode looks at the role of the citizen dollar and effort in conservation outcomes, and how private philanthropy can achieve better biological outcomes in conservation. Breaking it down with us today is Doug Humann, founding CEO of Bush Heritage and one of Australia’s most respected conservation leaders.

KEY QUOTES
"The beauty of working in the private space is the nimbleness and flexibility that one has and the ease by which you can build partnerships. I’m not saying you can’t do that in the government space, but there are a lot more constraints."

"Some of the work that bush heritage is doing now… is way ahead of what governments are able to do in their public protected areas because they are not putting the money in and the emphasis isn’t on the biological conservation as much as I think it should be, its more offering opportunities for people to undertake tourism or recreation, which are valid things, but the primary purpose of most national parks is nature conservation."

"We know that there is a lot of money out there and available for a range of philanthropic activities … environment doesn’t do to well in the whole scheme of things… its probably 2-4%."

"I think we need to be more circumspect in ensuring that the organisations that have already got standing voice and traction are encouraged to be the best they can be, rather than proliferation of groups"

Bushfire season in Australia has ravaged the east coast, with Sydney’s iconic skyline obscured by a constant haze of smoke. It has been a spark in the political tinderbox. While some have argued that emergency response and climate policy should not be conflated, others have rallied, urging us to confront our new normal. Just what does the effects of a changing climate do to our ability to manage bushfire risk, is it really the Greenies fault for blocking hazard reduction burning, and what options for the future are there? Breaking it down today is one of the 24 ex-fire chiefs taking a stand - Neil Bibby, ex CEO of the Country Fire Association. Special appearance from Denis Rose, speaking on how integration of traditional management practices can offer us a different approach.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & KEY QUOTES
‘This is not normal’ Briefing paper by the Climate Council - https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/bushfire-briefing-paper/

Neil Bibby
The problem is a disease. The fires are just a symptom of that problem and the disease ... is climate change".

"The furphy that its the greenies causing the problem is just that".

"if you're going beyond the level where you can safely light a fire it's impossible to keep up with the traditional way of doing fuel reduction burning”.

"you can't build in a flood zone, why can you build in a fire zone".

"I cannot see volunteers lasting much longer on the fire grounds in New South Wales and Queensland... not with the months they've been working there”.

Denis Rose
"I think that people are starting to learn that we can control fire in a different manner than what we've been accustomed to and we certainly need to with the climate predictions being what they are"

Climate action is front of mind for so many Australian’s, yet the outcomes of the May 2019 election failed to create any mandate for change, leaving many of us bewildered and frustrated, regardless of political affiliation. In this podcast episode we go straight to the horses mouth and speak with Craig Emerson, who lead the Labor Loss Review, and get him to break down the disconnect between public sentiment on climate action and voter behaviour in Australia. In this episode we learn about the importance of pragmatism, the impact of fear based language, and how empathy should be used to navigate through the tribal politics of today.

KEY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE

“The story of climate change and action on climate change needs to be less threatening.”

“We should advocate, but should not be unsympathetic, we should not think that anyone who is worried about not keeping their job is some sort of moron and a climate change vandal. We should empathise and understand.”

People look back fondly at the Hawke years… he was pragmatic. Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, Graham Richardson, they were pragmatic, and the result of that was progress. Without pragmatism you can’t get progress because you cannot say to people … “we require you to lose your job in order to save the planet.”

It’s great to be pure, and it’s easy to be pure, and you never have to do anything, other than talk. Pragmatism these days in the world of tribalism is just about the worst word you can ever imagine. “Pragmatic, that means compromise, that means impure.... and that’s why we get the sort of results we have been getting.”

Antarctica’s pristine wilderness inspires and delights, but its importance goes beyond it being a place of conservation and peace. Dr Tony Press, former Director of the Australian Antarctic Division, spoke to Sophie Taylor-Price about the importance of Antarctica in relation to global climate and climate science. Just why is the protection of Antarctica, and the science we do there, just so important? In this episode we learn about its role in building our climatic records, driving global climate and weather patterns, and predicting future climatic responses to variations in climate.

KEY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE

“If we don’t protect Antarctica, we can’t protect the planet”

“you can’t seperate the science in Antarctica from the global understanding of what’s happening with climate change, or how the planet will survive well into the future… Antarctica is an integral part of our global understanding. In that sense it certainly isn’t science for science sake. It’s science that tells us about our future and it can point us in the right direction about the things that we need to understand and do.”

“[Antartica] is so grand and majestic that it is very difficult to put into words. Even the photos that you take when you’re there don’t convey that connection between the heart and the eyes, which is something you get when you go to Antarctica.”

“I think there is a growing momentum on our planet to grasp this nettle and to make the changes that are required to protect Antarctica and to protect the planet’s future.”