Writer
David Shearman
David Shearman is Emeritus Professor of Medicine at Adelaide University and previously held senior academic positions at Edinburgh University, where he qualified in Medicine and Biological Science, and at Yale University. He is author of many books on climate change and related issues. He has served on the IPCC, has been President of the Conservation Council of South Australia. With the late Professor Tony McMichael he founded Doctors for the Environment Australia in 2001. He is author and co-author of several hundred scientific and medical papers.
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Climate and environment: both sides of the coin are tarnished
The most important role of government is to protect its citizens. In Australia this is usually taken to mean military defence, alliances with other countries and considerable expenditure. However the governments of many countries including ours have not yet grasped the fact that we are facing defeat in the current battle against the advancing threats Continue reading »
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Climate Policy remains a dirty deal for children
The most recent Climate Analytics Report indicates that Australia is playing a major role in sustaining elevated global emissions, threatening the goals of the Paris Agreement. We have not set targets for the phase-out of fossil fuel exploration, production and export and we continue to approve new gas and coal developments. I express my dismay. Continue reading »
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Bad banks, culpable coal industry, compliant government all in bed together
A People’s Development Bank would be appropriate to the needs and security of production in rural and regional Australia. The case for action is overwhelming and has been so since the Commonwealth Bank Australia (CBA) was privatised. Crucially the rural sector must lead the charge for Australia to retain our life support systems. Continue reading »
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The gas industry has power and freedom to wreck the world
By now many citizens of our planet recognise that the destructiveness of climate change is moving faster than they imagined, leaving our defences at serious risk and even the money men are concerned about the burgeoning costs and possible economic collapse. Continue reading »
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World War III and our failure to defend against climate
In World War III the enemy is not an array of tanks, shells and soldiers, but a collection of beliefs damaging to the earth’s future. The enemies are the minds and actions of those with the cult of neo-liberalism and greed acting through the power of huge industries, the enemy within. Continue reading »
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Future Gas Strategy is a betrayal of promised Climate and Environmental Policies
Climate scientists reveal data that earth’s heating is accelerating, heat extremes are increasing and 1.5C has been breached faster than forecast. We are failing to treat climate change as the single greatest threat to humanity. Continue reading »
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The Government must abandon its gas policy
For every thousand tonnes of fossil fuels mined, one person dies. As climate science provides increasing evidence of accelerating warming, we must recognise that gas is our main threat and stop producing it. Continue reading »
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EPBC Act reform must offer a sustainable future based on science
The operation of democracy in Australia is incapable of addressing the impending environmental and climate crises because of conflict between tested truth – and convenient lies. Continue reading »
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Our life support systems of climate, water and ecological services are in collective crisis
“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt. We must educate and act urgently on these problems. Continue reading »
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Climate adaptation: government action on life support systems is lamentable
The foundation for effective climate change adaptation must be the preservation of ecological life support systems for humans and all other species. We must prioritise the protection and expansion of water, biodiversity and ecological services to provide food security for future generations instead of environmentally damaging industries, especially fossil fuels. Continue reading »
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Amendment of the Climate Change Act will offer a future for young people
Since the industrial revolution, the health damage done to young people by fossil fuels, from the boy chimney sweeps to the household gas cooker amounts to negligence. Do we care? Continue reading »
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“Unconscionable”: Albanese government’s massive fossil fuel developments mock mitigation efforts
Anguish, despair and fear for the future will ravage your brain when you read the latest edition of the UN Production (emissions) Gap Report. Your distress will further increase when you read that Australia will increase the Gap with the development of the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct, when to stand any chance of addressing Continue reading »
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Human and Environmental Health cry out for a revised “Water Trigger”
Environmental and some health organisations are requesting urgent legislative action to amend part of the EPBC Act of 1999, to include shale and tight gas so it can be applied to assessments of the Beetaloo shale gas development. Continue reading »
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Revolution is needed to save the dying River Murray
Many rivers around the world are dying from overuse, pollution, the effects of dams, river barriers and global warming; governmental failures and political squabbles are often paramount. How then do we save the Murray? Continue reading »
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Government’s abject failure to understand the gas industry’s huge health impacts
Current articles on the government’s climate policies increasingly use words such as reckless, hypocrisy and betrayal referring to approval of coal mines. But it is even more difficult to find words to describe the gas industry’s infliction of pain on humanity by the approval of gas mines. Continue reading »
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Government on the slow coal train as world faces collapse
The Government’s draft Strategy on Health and Climate Change is vital to cope with the expected increase in deaths and illness from accelerating climate change. It fails in many respects and should be rewritten to reflect the views of medical experts. Continue reading »
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Con job: Australian Sea Dumping Bill facilitates fossil fuel mining
Governments around the world are promoting and subsidising carbon capture and storage (CCUS) to facilitate an increase in fossil gas mining. This will dash any hope of controlling world emissions at a time when there are deep concerns for climate change becoming uncontrollable. Continue reading »
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The budget left the homeless, homeless
The housing problem is huge and complex but the plight of the homeless is growing and must be addressed urgently. To solve the problem, what are the practicalities of manufactured housing and their financing? Continue reading »
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The Isaac coal mine approval is a betrayal of our future
The decision to approve the Isaac coal mine is a betrayal of Australians and indeed people worldwide and as a medical doctor I am justifiably angry. Continue reading »
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Universities and the future of humanity
The University Accord has yet to address a future which recognises the huge health and environmental threats to society. It should provide a vision of the university as “A centre of learning to ensure the sustainability of the planet and the human race”. Continue reading »
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The USA and Australia fail on climate change
Nearly two years ago relief was expressed that the USA had emerged under President Biden to offer world leadership on climate change. Sadly this leadership has been a disappointment and today both the US and other high emitters such as Australia are not on track to meet the challenge. Continue reading »
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“Swimming between the flags” on Climate policy threatens our future
At the last election, the Labor Party adopted a climate policy of “Swimming between the Flags”. This resulted in electoral success but it represented an unthinkable future for humanity. Continue reading »
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Land clearing: an environmental and human health disaster that must stop
Governments must come to understand that preservation of life support systems is more vital than many economic ones and they must develop the ability to explain this to the public. Continue reading »
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Will the Lake Eyre Basin be sacrificed on the altar of gas production?
The integrity of the ecology of the Lake Eyre Basin and its water supply from the Great Artesian Basin are threatened by oil and gas development and by ineffective state and federal administration. Continue reading »
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Defence strategy, climate change and the need for AUKUS in 2050
The AUKUS deal for nuclear submarines by 2050 indicates that government has little grasp of the likely chaotic state of the world after current trajectories on climate and environmental change have played out for the next 27 years. In turn this engenders insecurity over their knowledge and ability to deliver appropriate policies on these threats. Continue reading »
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Dire climate crisis requires shift to “Make it 16” voting
Government action must lead the way by having 16 and 17 year olds vote at the next national election. Let us copy the “Make it 16” campaign in NZ. Continue reading »
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Drastic economic reform needed to address climate change
Realisation is dawning that the climate and environmental crises will not be solved by current national policies. The reason is that the current market economy based on everlasting growth is the prime cause of these crises. Continue reading »
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We need urgent action to save our life support systems
We must modify our sluggish democracy to act urgently, transform our economy, and save our life support systems. The alternative is for economic change to be delivered brutally by nature. Continue reading »
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Deaths from heat waves can be prevented by community shelters
Australia has no national policy to prevent the rising death toll in heatwaves. The provision of insulated and air conditioned housing in many remote communities will take years. In the meantime heat shelters must be urgently provided. Continue reading »
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Badly injured developing nations promised palliative care at COP27
At COP27, oil and gas lobbyists triumphed, while badly injured developing nations were condemned to die with the promise of palliative care. Continue reading »
