The Australian PM jetting off on a holiday reflects why the nation stalled a major climate pact in Madrid

The biggest hit of Australian rock band Midnight Oil was a song called Beds Are Burning. The band, which was leading a cry of environmentalism before other musicians jumped onto the bandwagon, is a hero among many climate activists today who have turned the song into an anthem. But even Midnight Oil, passionate spokespersons on how humanity is burning down its own home, could not have imagined what is going on in their own country. In case you have not heard, massive wildfires are devastating huge swathes of the country and are now even threatening Australia’s commercial hub of Sydney. A domestic T20 cricket match was cancelled thanks to the smog and haze, which has meant that Sydney, not Delhi or Beijing, has by far and away the worst air quality of any large metropolitan area in the world today. The fires have already devastated the wine country of South Australia outside Adelaide and killed several firefighters and residents. One of the nation’s most popular wildlife icons, the koala, is being considered by some to be “functionally extinct” after the trees that the tepid animal stays in have been burnt to the ground, and that is not even counting the countless other animals and birds that have been roasted alive. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison is also being roasted by his critics for ignoring the crisis and jetting off on holiday to Hawaii as his countrymen and women see their houses destroyed. He has, however, cut his trip short to respond to the crisis and spend time with the firefighters and victims. Such fires were predicted by many in Australia after the several years of drought that have ravaged the southern continent and left parched vegetation that only needed a spark. The nation is no stranger to wildfires as they have killed hundreds over the years, yet the devastation and spread of the fires of the southern summer of 2019 are unprecedented. One hopes that the authorities in that country use everything in their power to rein in the situation.

But these wildfires are just another sign of the climate emergency. Australia was criticised by many activists as one of the nations that stalled a major climate agreement at the recently concluded climate talks in Madrid. Its massive natural resources industry has led it to over three decades of unprecedented growth and would not want anything to risk that. However, Australia and other developed nations have to understand that they, like countries such as India, will be hit as the weather changes. Changes which will induce bigger and deadlier fires. For effective change for the future, the climate has to be front and centre on every nation’s mind.

(Courtesy: The Pioneer)

The Australian PM jetting off on a holiday reflects why the nation stalled a major climate pact in Madrid

The biggest hit of Australian rock band Midnight Oil was a song called Beds Are Burning. The band, which was leading a cry of environmentalism before other musicians jumped onto the bandwagon, is a hero among many climate activists today who have turned the song into an anthem. But even Midnight Oil, passionate spokespersons on how humanity is burning down its own home, could not have imagined what is going on in their own country. In case you have not heard, massive wildfires are devastating huge swathes of the country and are now even threatening Australia’s commercial hub of Sydney. A domestic T20 cricket match was cancelled thanks to the smog and haze, which has meant that Sydney, not Delhi or Beijing, has by far and away the worst air quality of any large metropolitan area in the world today. The fires have already devastated the wine country of South Australia outside Adelaide and killed several firefighters and residents. One of the nation’s most popular wildlife icons, the koala, is being considered by some to be “functionally extinct” after the trees that the tepid animal stays in have been burnt to the ground, and that is not even counting the countless other animals and birds that have been roasted alive. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison is also being roasted by his critics for ignoring the crisis and jetting off on holiday to Hawaii as his countrymen and women see their houses destroyed. He has, however, cut his trip short to respond to the crisis and spend time with the firefighters and victims. Such fires were predicted by many in Australia after the several years of drought that have ravaged the southern continent and left parched vegetation that only needed a spark. The nation is no stranger to wildfires as they have killed hundreds over the years, yet the devastation and spread of the fires of the southern summer of 2019 are unprecedented. One hopes that the authorities in that country use everything in their power to rein in the situation.

But these wildfires are just another sign of the climate emergency. Australia was criticised by many activists as one of the nations that stalled a major climate agreement at the recently concluded climate talks in Madrid. Its massive natural resources industry has led it to over three decades of unprecedented growth and would not want anything to risk that. However, Australia and other developed nations have to understand that they, like countries such as India, will be hit as the weather changes. Changes which will induce bigger and deadlier fires. For effective change for the future, the climate has to be front and centre on every nation’s mind.

(Courtesy: The Pioneer)