Climate Change and Energy Forum points to need for radical action

by Bob Briton

Last Sunday the Henley and Grange Residents Association in Adelaide held a 
public discussion concerning energy use, climate change and the responses 
of various sectors to these issues. The initiative of the Adelaide group 
brought together speakers from the Conservation Council, the State 
Government, two local city councils and other authorities on the 
subjects.

While some of the contributors strove to establish that a common interest 
exists on these global challenges, the net effect of the forum was to 
highlight the divergence of interests that exist in society and the lack of 
correspondence between the size of the problems facing the planet and the 
"solutions" on offer from the dominant political forces in Australia.

Dr David Shearman was the first to point out the ideological divide around 
the issues of energy use and climate change. He has served on the UN's 
International Panel on Climate Change.

He has lost all hope that the leaders of the major economies will show the 
way. He recalls when Ronald Reagan took down the meagre array of solar 
panels from the White House and when Maggie Thatcher quipped that, if you 
take public transport when you are past 30, then you are a "loser".

Kyoto or no Kyoto -- with its modest proposals for reductions in greenhouse 
gases -- governments appear to be doing little of consequence.

Dr Shearman pointed out our present climate difficulties stem from a 
temperature increase of half a degree Celsius over the past 100 years.

In the next century, given present trends, we can look forward to an 
increase of five-and-a-half degrees Celsius!

John Denlay of the Conservation Council noted that the citizens of the 
Pacific island nation of Tuvalu are due to leave for their new homes in New 
Zealand this year as the rising tides claim their homeland.

Environmentalist Dr Dennis Matthews went into the history of SA's entry 
into the National Electricity Market and how much investment is being made 
in interconnectors and highly polluting peak demand generators. He 
contrasted this with the very modest efforts in the area of "green" or 
sustainable energy.

Nick Branson of the state government instrumentality Energy SA, Dianne 
Vivian from the Charles Sturt City Council and Tanya Miller had overheads 
aplenty to show that the various "programs", "milestones" and "modules" 
being used to meet their commitments to the Kyoto targets.

While it was encouraging to hear about some ventures into wind generation 
and the retro fitting of some council buildings with solar hot water, the 
"solutions" seemed to be dwarfed by the extent of the problem previously 
described.

At the other end of the attitudinal scale was Business SA representative 
Bob Goreing. His contribution stressed that business was no different from 
other sections of society in its concern at climate change.

However, his enthusiasm for the increased conventional generating capacity 
available through the National Electricity Market was indicative of just 
how out of step business is on these issues. 

All in all, the forum highlighted the need for radical political changes 
based on community action. Unfortunately Dr Shearman didn't have time to 
expand on this crucial aspect of the debate.