ClimateReach looks at some of the challenges, issues and advances in the field of climate science, energy and sustainability. By cutting the technical language, ClimateReach aims to simply explain how and what we know about the environment, and what it all means for the future.
The Elephant in the Room
Climate change is, after all, a global issue with global consequences. It's peculiar, therefore, that politicians have been so slow 'getting the point'. In the US, congress was first briefed on the coming dangers of climate change in 1988, yet 24 years later, neither Obama or Romney mentioned it in any major debate leading up to the 2012 presidential election.
And the US is no exception; Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, whose country is staring down the barrel of climate change, continues to deny its significance. After severe wildfires and years of record-breaking droughts and temperatures, you'd think fossil fuel divestment and climate action would be on the forefront of the governments agenda. But instead Abbott went on record to describe climate change as 'absolute crap' and spends his time trying to scrap most of the former government's efforts at limiting the damage.
These aren't isolated cases either. Whilst governments usually formally recognise the threat from climate change, efforts are hampered by the more immediate, but certainly not new, issues of economic growth and social mobility. It's so much easier, therefore, to preserve the status quo. The world spent over $3.32 trillion on crude oil in 2011*, compared to the $279 billion that was invested in renewables. Whilst renewable technology is becoming more widespread, this void demonstrates the sheer size of our energy problem.
Despite the air of pessimism, things are changing; renewable energy is growing and the environmental movement is gathering pace. As public awareness increases, so will political pressure for change. And change is exactly what is needed.
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*An estimate based on world consumption of 87,356,000 barrels of oil a day in 2011 at an average crude oil price of $104.
