Australia is a unique country with a lot of contradictions when it comes to climate change. It is home to some of the best renewable resources in the world, including sun, wind, and water. At the same time, it is one of the world’s worst polluters, with historical emissions higher than all but two countries. Its love for fossil fuels, particularly coal, is deeply entrenched, as is the influence of the fossil fuel industry on politics and the media. In this article, we will explore how Australia became a climate villain and whether it can clean up its act and become a climate leader.
Australia’s Climate Change Paradox
Australia is a country of pristine nature and rich natural resources. It is home to the Great Barrier Reef, which is under threat from hotter seas. It has suffered from horrific wildfires and floods. Despite these challenges, Australians have been slow to act on climate change. The reasons for this are complex, but they can be traced back to the country’s economy and history.
Australia’s Economy and History
Australia’s economy was built on mining and exporting its resources, particularly coal. Two decades ago, Australia made 80 percent of its electricity from coal. Today, that share is still around 50 percent. Australia also exports more coal than any country except Indonesia. The wealth of the country is tied to its mines, and this has made it difficult for policymakers to move away from fossil fuels.
The mining industry has also had a profound impact on indigenous Australians, who had their land stolen and the minerals underneath claimed by the government. Mining companies were then leased the land, further entrenching the country’s reliance on coal and other fossil fuels.
Australia’s Political Landscape
Australia’s politics have been dominated by conservative parties that have been friendly to the fossil fuel industry. These parties have pushed back against basic climate science and fought policies to transition to cleaner energy. The coal lobby has been particularly influential, with one business lobby group calling itself the “greenhouse mafia” because of the influence it wielded on politics.
The revolving door between the energy industry and politics has also contributed to Australia’s slow progress on climate change. There has been substantial movement between ministerial offices and lobbying roles in the energy and resources sectors. More than one-third of all lobbyists are former government officials.
Australia’s Media Landscape
Australia’s media has also played a role in shaping public opinion on climate change. The country’s biggest newspapers are owned by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns Fox News in the US. Murdoch’s papers have historically sowed doubt about scientific facts and attacked policies that could cut pollution. One study found that 45% of its articles about climate change between April 2019 and March 2020 were skeptical of the science or rejected it. And their coverage of policies to stop global warming was twice as likely to be negative than positive.
Australia’s People and Climate Change
Despite the influence of the fossil fuel industry and conservative politicians, Australians are pretty supportive of stopping climate change. A study found that 75% of Australians are concerned about climate change, and 79% want to phase out coal plants. This support for action on climate change played a role in the last election, with the ruling conservative coalition losing votes in wealthy areas of big cities to independent candidates who promised more climate action.
Australia’s Path Forward on Climate Change
Australia’s new center-left government has set a target to cut emissions 43% by 2030 from their 2005 levels. While these targets are still too weak to stop the planet from heating 1.5 degrees Celsius, they would get it down to about 2 degrees. However, the government’s reliance on carbon offsets to clean up the economy is a cause for concern.
Despite the challenges that Australia faces when it comes to addressing climate change, there are still reasons to be optimistic. There are a number of steps that can be taken to help the country transition to a cleaner, more sustainable economy.
One of the most important steps that Australia can take is to invest in renewable energy. Australia has some of the best renewable resources in the world, including wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. By investing in these technologies, the country can reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and begin to transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy system.
Another important step is to improve energy efficiency. This can be done by upgrading buildings and infrastructure to make them more energy-efficient, and by encouraging the use of energy-efficient appliances and technologies. By reducing energy waste, Australia can lower its greenhouse gas emissions and save money on energy costs at the same time.
In addition to these measures, Australia can also take steps to reduce its emissions from transportation. This can be done by encouraging the use of public transportation, promoting the use of electric vehicles, and investing in infrastructure for bikes and pedestrians. By reducing emissions from transportation, Australia can help to reduce its overall carbon footprint and improve air quality in its cities.
Finally, Australia can take steps to protect its natural resources and ecosystems. This includes preserving its forests, wetlands, and other important habitats, and reducing the impact of human activities on these ecosystems. By protecting its natural resources, Australia can help to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure that these resources remain available for future generations.
In conclusion, Australia faces a number of challenges when it comes to addressing climate change. However, there are also a number of steps that can be taken to help the country transition to a cleaner, more sustainable economy. By investing in renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions from transportation, and protecting its natural resources, Australia can help to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure a better future for its citizens.
The most significant factors are a (previous) federal coalition government owned by the minerals industry and the Murdoch media. Although 70% or so of Australians want action on climate change, federal elections are won on small margins of a couple of percentages. Murdoch and the coalition have done just enough to muddy the political scene with non-climate issues to retain power. Until the last election that is.
Also need to point some of our other major news sources are also pretty conservative and also down play the role of ckimate change. People in Australia dont understand how low our media freedom actually is. There are very limited protections for whistleblowers and federal publicnservants arent allowed to express political opinions on their own social media. In 2019 our democracy was considered narrowed and there has been some much stronger anti protester legislation going through at state level too. There are some very concerning things going on in Australia if you really look at it.
Also interesting to note that Australia chose to prohibit nuclear energy for electricity generation, despite having rich uranium resources & lots of coastal sites far away from major populated areas. This law was passed by the conservative government, who wanted to protect the coal & gas industry. But it was also supported by the left leaning parties, on environmental excuses…
Had we gone ahead & built several nuclear power stations in the 1990s, we would be mostly weaned off coal & natural gas by now.
Tasmania only recently became 100% renewable. They could have actually achieved this decades ago in the 1980s, but the environmentalists put a stop on their hydropower program..