Here's the text of a letter I just sent by snail mail to our dear Prime Minister.
Dear Prime Minister
First of all, let me begin by congratulating you on your and your party's recent election win. You have been handed a huge and difficult responsibility, and I pray for wisdom and compassion for you and your colleagues as you lead us over the coming three years.
I should perhaps say, by way of honesty, that I didn't vote for your party. I disagree with you on a number of things I regard as important. However, one thing I know you and I will agree on is the value of a democratic system in which governments are elected and removed peacefully by the people. This system requires all of us to compromise at times. So I am happy to have the opportunity to graciously accept the choice of the majority of my fellow citizens, as I know you would have graciously accepted the opposite outcome.
I am also not a member of any political party, nor a loyalist. If Labor had won the election, I would have been sending a very similar letter to Bill Shorten.
The purpose of my letter is to ask you and your colleagues to end the 'climate wars', and begin in earnest the difficult task of transformation that climate change requires of us.
I am 57 years old, happily married with two adult children and two young grandsons who are the loves of my life. The one thing that keeps me awake at night with that twist in my gut that I'm sure you've experienced in your life is the thought that our current ecological trajectory will lead to trouble and hardship for my children and grandsons. This anxiety is far from unreasonable. The series of IPCC reports over the past two decades have clearly tracked the increasing evidence that human emissions are leading to the warming of the earth, with its consequences for agricultural productivity, sea level rise, extreme weather events and species loss among many others.
This is why I am troubled that for the past decade, climate change has been a political football. Since the task of transformation requires sustained investment over a number of years, this kind of warfare is counterproductive. As a result, we are not as advanced along this transformation as we should or could be. I would urge you to end this cycle of blame and opposition, and work towards a sustainable bipartisan approach to this crucial economic and ecological issue.
I know you don't need policy advice from me. As Prime Minister you have access to the best minds in the country to give you advice. However I would like to suggest three general directions we should be taking as a nation.
1. Enthusiastic Participation in Global Mitigation Efforts
It goes without saying that climate change is a global problem and that no single nation acting unilaterally can address it. What is required is a high level of global cooperation in reducing emissions. I would be excited and proud to see Australia taking a lead in these efforts, rather than merely participating at a formal level and doing the minimum needed to conform. I would love to see us exceed our current Paris targets by a significant margin, and set ourselves on course for net zero emissions at the earliest possible date. The more countries that do this, the better our chances of limiting climate change, and the more momentum we will create for laggards to get on board.
2. Planning Our Economic Transition
Whether we like it or not, climate change will drive significant changes in the Australian and global economy. As major nations decarbonise, markets for Australia's coal and LNG will shrink and markets for renewable technology will grow. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity, as you are of course well aware after the recent election! A decline in coal and LNG exports will hit already struggling regional economies, and we need to be prepared to support these regions through the change, not abandon them to the vagaries of the market. At the same time, there are huge opportunities in industries like renewable power generation, alternative fuels, electric vehicles and new agricultural methods. As a nation we need to get on the front foot in planning and preparing for this transition, situating new industries in hard-hit regional areas and making the most of our natural advantages. If we don't, the change will happen to us rather than us managing it and we will all be worse off.
3. Getting Serious About Adaptation
We are now at the point where climate change is already happening and will continue to progress to some extent no matter what we and other nations do. It is only a question of how much. We have seen the effects particularly over the past year in heat-waves, drought, intense floods, bushfires where there have not been fires previously, coral bleaching and various other effects. As you will be well aware after your recent visit to the Solomons, our Pacific neighbours are facing even greater challenges. We need to openly accept this as a nation and get on with the job of adapting. There is a lot involved in this - changing water use and agricultural practices, resetting our urban and regional planning frameworks, reviewing our bushfire management and emergency response capabilities and so many more issues.
I know that these issues are very difficult for you politically. There is a cacophony of voices in parliament, in the media and across various lobby groups that are ready to pounce on any action on this issue. There is no risk-free option here. However, the worst option is to do nothing, to kick the issue a little further down the road in the hope it will become someone else's problem, or try to get away with the minimum response that makes it look like we are responding without really getting to grips with the issue.
I will be praying for you over the next three years, that you will be able to act with wisdom and courage on this and other important issues. I trust that my children and grandchildren (and even my own generation!) will be able to celebrate your legacy as the Prime Minister who was finally able to break the political impasse and get us moving forward on climate policy.
Yours sincerely
Jon
Dear Prime Minister
First of all, let me begin by congratulating you on your and your party's recent election win. You have been handed a huge and difficult responsibility, and I pray for wisdom and compassion for you and your colleagues as you lead us over the coming three years.
I am also not a member of any political party, nor a loyalist. If Labor had won the election, I would have been sending a very similar letter to Bill Shorten.
The purpose of my letter is to ask you and your colleagues to end the 'climate wars', and begin in earnest the difficult task of transformation that climate change requires of us.
I am 57 years old, happily married with two adult children and two young grandsons who are the loves of my life. The one thing that keeps me awake at night with that twist in my gut that I'm sure you've experienced in your life is the thought that our current ecological trajectory will lead to trouble and hardship for my children and grandsons. This anxiety is far from unreasonable. The series of IPCC reports over the past two decades have clearly tracked the increasing evidence that human emissions are leading to the warming of the earth, with its consequences for agricultural productivity, sea level rise, extreme weather events and species loss among many others.
This is why I am troubled that for the past decade, climate change has been a political football. Since the task of transformation requires sustained investment over a number of years, this kind of warfare is counterproductive. As a result, we are not as advanced along this transformation as we should or could be. I would urge you to end this cycle of blame and opposition, and work towards a sustainable bipartisan approach to this crucial economic and ecological issue.
I know you don't need policy advice from me. As Prime Minister you have access to the best minds in the country to give you advice. However I would like to suggest three general directions we should be taking as a nation.
1. Enthusiastic Participation in Global Mitigation Efforts
It goes without saying that climate change is a global problem and that no single nation acting unilaterally can address it. What is required is a high level of global cooperation in reducing emissions. I would be excited and proud to see Australia taking a lead in these efforts, rather than merely participating at a formal level and doing the minimum needed to conform. I would love to see us exceed our current Paris targets by a significant margin, and set ourselves on course for net zero emissions at the earliest possible date. The more countries that do this, the better our chances of limiting climate change, and the more momentum we will create for laggards to get on board.
2. Planning Our Economic Transition
Whether we like it or not, climate change will drive significant changes in the Australian and global economy. As major nations decarbonise, markets for Australia's coal and LNG will shrink and markets for renewable technology will grow. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity, as you are of course well aware after the recent election! A decline in coal and LNG exports will hit already struggling regional economies, and we need to be prepared to support these regions through the change, not abandon them to the vagaries of the market. At the same time, there are huge opportunities in industries like renewable power generation, alternative fuels, electric vehicles and new agricultural methods. As a nation we need to get on the front foot in planning and preparing for this transition, situating new industries in hard-hit regional areas and making the most of our natural advantages. If we don't, the change will happen to us rather than us managing it and we will all be worse off.
3. Getting Serious About Adaptation
We are now at the point where climate change is already happening and will continue to progress to some extent no matter what we and other nations do. It is only a question of how much. We have seen the effects particularly over the past year in heat-waves, drought, intense floods, bushfires where there have not been fires previously, coral bleaching and various other effects. As you will be well aware after your recent visit to the Solomons, our Pacific neighbours are facing even greater challenges. We need to openly accept this as a nation and get on with the job of adapting. There is a lot involved in this - changing water use and agricultural practices, resetting our urban and regional planning frameworks, reviewing our bushfire management and emergency response capabilities and so many more issues.
I know that these issues are very difficult for you politically. There is a cacophony of voices in parliament, in the media and across various lobby groups that are ready to pounce on any action on this issue. There is no risk-free option here. However, the worst option is to do nothing, to kick the issue a little further down the road in the hope it will become someone else's problem, or try to get away with the minimum response that makes it look like we are responding without really getting to grips with the issue.
I will be praying for you over the next three years, that you will be able to act with wisdom and courage on this and other important issues. I trust that my children and grandchildren (and even my own generation!) will be able to celebrate your legacy as the Prime Minister who was finally able to break the political impasse and get us moving forward on climate policy.
Yours sincerely
Jon
Comments
You've inspired me to write one also.
A good letter Jon. I may write one myself though I'd have to write one on the plight of the refugees still in limbo on Manus, Nauru and Australia first as I feel this is even more urgent
Where do you find the time to do all the reading and writing for your blogs? Maybe the writing comes more easily for you than most people!
BTW, still awaiting a reply!