We cannot leave transition to our children

June 14, 2024

Andrew Glikson highlights once again how humanity is facing an existential crisis as our environment decays.

Too many are either ignoring these imminent threats or denying the need for substantial, uncomfortable actions to prevent them. These attitudes are likely rooted in the comforting words from successive governments – either that climate science is ‘crap’ and must be ignored, or that they accept the science and have the issues in hand so don’t worry. But actions are not being taken fast enough.

The Climate Change Minister seems to be making some progress, but his colleague in the Environment Ministry seems less convincing, and both appear to be battling with the Resources Minister and her support for the fossil fuel industry. We get no sense of a government team working together with a common purpose to tackle the existential issue of our time.

As Glikson observes, it is far from clear who would be able to save life on Earth. He puts his faith in our children, but will they have sufficient time to build the authority needed to reverse our seemingly inevitable demise?

We cannot leave this challenge to future generations. For all our sakes we must act together, now.