Antinuclear

Australia is “full of climate heroes” – Klein

Author Naomi Klein says she hopes Prime Minister Tony Abbott is still paying attention NEWS.COM.AU SEPTEMBER 03, 2015 “……….This Changes Everything argues there is a conflict between what the planet needs in order to continue supporting human life, and what the current economic system needs to thrive, which is short term growth and “putting profits above all else”.

Klein said she owed Abbott a “debt of thanks” because the PM was her book’s best marketer.

“This is a government (Abbott’s) that shows perhaps more than any other government on Earth what that conflict looks like and what the costs of that conflict actually are,” she said.

On this battlefield, corporations are the ones which are on a war footing as they have a lot to lose.

“We see that fossil fuel companies have five times more carbon in their proven reserves than is compatible with life on Earth,” Klein said.

“This is why so many young people, faith organisations (and) local activists are joining the fossil fuel divestment movement.

“Australia, by the way, has what appears to be the fastest growing fossil fuel divestment movement in the world … this is all because people have done the math.” he said 80 per cent of proven fossil fuel reserves needed to stay in the ground if the world was to meet the two degree warming target that governments agreed to inCopenhagen in 2010.

“That represents trillions of dollars to those companies so they are fighting hard to protect their future profits and I think we see the outlines of the struggle very, very clearly here in Australia.”

But she said those who were trying to get the country on to a safe path were winning, with victories including against the Carmichael coal mine and the decision ofNewcastle City Council and others to divest from fossil fuels.

Klein said Australia was filled with “climate heroes” including a powerful indigenous rights movement helping to protect land, air and water.

“In so doing, (it) is protecting the planet as a whole,” she said. “This is a tough place to be an environmental activist and because of that we see some of the most exciting campaigns, the Bentley blockade (against coal seam gas),Lock the Gate (and the) historic struggle against the Adani coal mine which the world is watching and cheering every victory,” she said……….http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/author-naomi-klein-says-she-hopes-prime-minister-tony-abbott-is-still-paying-attention/story-fnjwvztl-1227511435708

September 4, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News