Writer
Bob Douglas
Emeritus Professor Bob Douglas AO is a Member of The CHF and is a medical graduate who spent the early part of his career as an epidemiologist working on the treatment and prevention of early childhood pneumonia. In 1989 he became the founding director of the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the ANU. Since his retirement in 2001, he has been involved in the development and operation of Australia 21, SEE-Change ACT, The Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy and The Council for The Human Future.
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A war for the human future
Our human world is becoming an increasingly dangerous place. Quite apart from what is happening between Gaza and Israel, and in the war between Russia and Ukraine, we are currently living with a series of human-made catastrophic threats that are coming together to threaten the very existence of our own human species. All of these Continue reading »
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Earth Systems Treaty: John Hewson calls for action on ‘mega threats’
Former Liberal party leader John Hewson, in a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, enquired why the United Nations was not acting on proposals to deal with a series of well documented and interacting catastrophic threats. Continue reading »
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Earth System Treaty: Towards a positive human future
It is easy to be pessimistic about prospects for our children, in the face of the climatic events that are now confronting humans everywhere. But there is also some very good news around the idea of developing a Global “Earth System Treaty” (EST) that could radically alter the trajectory we humans are currently on. Continue reading »
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Australia could be leading the way on human survival: Will Albanese act?
Our human species is drifting rapidly towards extinction, and there is not yet in place, a process to prevent it. Continue reading »
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Interested in Australia’s future? Help to shape it here
Australia21, the nation’s not-for-profit “Think Tank for the Public Good” is seeking a new home. Continue reading »
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Preventing civilisation collapse: Australia should lead the way
Can we avoid, what a growing number of researchers and writers, consider, will be the likely collapse of human civilisation in the not-too-distant future, if we do not quickly and radically change direction? Continue reading »
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Will prospects for long-term human survival improve in 2023?
What can we expect in 2023 about future human prospects? Will current threats to long-term human survival, continue to increase or will they begin to diminish as a consequence of responses to current threats?” Continue reading »
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The rise of China- the biggest shift in our international environment since Europeans settled on this continent
We cannot simply rely on the US to keep Asia “safe” in future. Is our Prime Minister really aware of this? Continue reading »
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Where to next for the human world?
Our new government is facing a profoundly difficult and complex world situation, with a string of ten catastrophic threats that are bearing down on humans everywhere. Continue reading »
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This should be a climate change election
Anthony Albanese and his colleagues could surely storm to victory if they enthusiastically acted on the arguments presented by climate experts.They would certainly attract the support of the millions of Australians who understandably fear the consequences of our current, disastrously inadequate approach to this topic. Continue reading »
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Repairing our fractured democracy starts with citizens’ assemblies
The notion of government by and for the people is being increasingly eroded in Australia — the widespread use of citizens’ assemblies could be the solution. Continue reading »
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Fixation on climate change has blinded us to a deadly chemical tsunami
Humanity’s chemical emissions are poisoning the earth and killing 25,000 people a day — and pose as much of an existential threat as global warming. Continue reading »
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The case for an Australian heroin trial: strong then, even stronger now
Australia once declined the opportunity to take a fresh, effective tack against heroin addiction. We should not lose a second chance. Continue reading »
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Governments everywhere are ignoring the fact that climate change is just one of 10 human-made threats to our survival
Human extinction in coming decades looks increasingly certain, unless we can somehow, quickly engineer, radical transformative change in the way humans everywhere, live and relate to the planet. Continue reading »
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Some Good News at Last?
The recent announcement that the World Economic Forum will be holding a unique twin summit in January 2021 on what is termed “The Great Reset “is the best news I have read for some time. Continue reading »
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Thriving in a Mega-threatened World
The threats from climate change and pandemics to human well-being and even human survival, have recently become apparent to us all. There is growing recognition, that we must change our expectations and the way we live, in order to ensure that our progeny will both survive and thrive into the future Continue reading »
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Surviving the mega-threats to our world
We humans are a threatened species, and it is mostly of our own making. To survive the ten mega-threats we must act fast, and we must collaborate. Continue reading »
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PETER TAIT, BETH SLATYER, SUE INGRAM and BOB DOUGLAS. Awakening Democracy.
How can we elect political representatives who are committed to the interests of the whole community, and are not influenced by vested interests? Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS:. A Prime Ministerial “Summit” on Australia’s Future?
We are at an historic moment of apocalyptic threat to the survival of the human species. Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS: Is our current economic model fit for the purpose of human survival?
If we humans are to survive the catastrophic threats that now confront us, we must urgently rethink the way we live and care for our planetary home. In turn, that demands that we examine the role that economic theory and practice play in the way modern societies operate. There is a case for moving outside Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Responding to Greta’s Challenge
“How dare you pretend that this can be solved with just ‘business as usual’ and some technical solutions? …You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say: We will never forgive you.We Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Changing Australian Refugee Policy: What is realistically and politically feasible?
Is there a new spirit of bipartisanship developing between Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese? As well as discussing a bipartisan approach to the legislation of religious freedom and an indigenous “voice”, might they also consider a new bipartisan approach to refugee policy? Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS, Australia Should be Leading The Extinction Rebellion
Prime Minister Morrison is now in a very strong position to lead the way on radical policy reform. I am arguing here that we should help him to develop and promote a strategy for human survival in the face of the ten interacting, mega-threats that seriously threaten the extinction of humanity in the lifetime of Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS : Towards a proper policy on asylum seekers
Last month, the Victorian prize for literature and the Victorian Premier’s prize for non-fiction work were awarded to an Iranian refugee, Behrouz Boochani, for his book, “No friend but the mountains: Writing from Manus prison.” Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Would Australian politicians contemplate a strategy for human survival?
Why are governments around the world avoiding the constellation of threats to survival of humans on the planet? Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. My Unsolicited Advice to Australia’s political leaders.
This week I cheekily wrote to the leader of the Federal Opposition seeking an urgent appointment before he embarks on his party’s convention this weekend. Because I doubt that I will get to meet with him, here is what I would like to say to him and to the leaders of each of the other Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Homelessness, a sign of increasing Australian Inequality that we must now address.
The growing number of people sleeping rough on the streets of our cities has alerted many Australians to the fact that Australia is no longer the egalitarian society we once were, and that, as in other western democracies, inequality is on the rise. Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. What will it take to restore governance to its rightful owners?
Around the world, and also here in Australia, voters are turning away from the political process, alarmed at the capture of political parties by vested interests, and alienated by the fact that the issues which concern and affect ordinary people, are being ignored. Our social and economic system is moving both funds and influence away Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Changing drug law and practice to help rather than harm.
Last week Australia21, (www.australia21.org.au ), hosted a summit of experts on drug treatment, drug law and the social impact of drug use in Australia. The signatories included a former Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, people who have been actively engaged in research into alcohol and drug Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Time for Australia to lead in building a safer future
A combination of hazards threatens the continued survival of human civilization on Planet Earth. They are all man-made – and most are being systematically ignored or under-rated by political decision makers everywhere and especially, here in Australia. Continue reading »
