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The Forum > Article Comments > Climate change and the world's poor > Comments

Climate change and the world's poor : Comments

By Andrew Hewett, published 3/7/2007

Climate change is arguably the gravest threat ever faced by humanity.

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Oxfam does a great job given that they and many other NGO’s “are up against it” when it comes to government support.

Unfortunately, governments from developed countries like Australia and the US are paying lip service to their obligations under the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development’s Agenda 21 programme.

Andrew Hewett is right of course, the people most at risk from the impacts of climate change are those least able to adapt, let alone mitigate.
Why are not countries like Australia helping?

One could be forgiven for thinking it is all about power and control – of wealth and the masses.

In Australia (as in the United States), Clive Hamilton presents a very clear case of this power and control – through his book “Scorcher” – really the dirty politics of climate change.

The “developed” countries of the planet really do have an opportunity to make things better, for themselves and for others.

However, it is the lobbyists and political leaders with a blinkered vision (read blind) that have a vested interest in maintaining the “business as usual’ approach to climate change on the one hand, and “Peak” hydrocarbons (oil, gas, coal) on the other.

One way they do this is by subverting the science behind climate change. Look at the Global Warming Swindle "swindle" coming up next week on the ABC - a masterly stroke by the controversial UK Channel 4 to discredit the science behind climate change.

Australia doesn’t need those leaders, neither does the world.
Posted by davsab, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 10:12:08 AM
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"After all it is the world's wealthiest nations that are responsible, for the most part, for our changing climate ......"

This is merely the author's opinion: one pushed by the media in their constant quest for sensationalism and scare-mongering opportunities.

The scientists who say that it is nature, not human emissions, causing climate change are kept out of the discussion as much as possible.

It never ceases to amaze me, however, that the people who blame human activities for climate change never mention our increasing population as a possible factor; no, they just blame the evil developed world and, as this welfare king has done, cynically exploit climate change to further extract money from the developed world to give to millions of backward people who have proved beyond a shadow of doubt that they are incapable of using financial aid it to good effect
Posted by Leigh, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 11:01:18 AM
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In fact this whole article is just espousing the usual apocalyptic predictions:
"Climate change is arguably the gravest threat ever faced by humanity."
"more of a threat to global peace and security than terrorism and diseases"
"millions of people displaced"
"climate change refugees"
"to keep global warming below 2C"

So far the greatest threat has amounted to at most a 0.6 degree rise in temperature. I don't think anyone has been displaced yet, let alone millions. The so-called warming isn't progressing very quickly at the moment, in fact global temperatures appear to be slightly declining.

Why don't we wait and see if any of these things come to be before emptying funds into the bottomless pit of foreign aid.
Posted by alzo, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 12:59:18 PM
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"Climate change is arguably the gravest threat ever faced by humanity."

At least the author is honest enough to say arguably. When the Bureau can get it right 2 days in a row you might be able to mount some case for some of these ridulous catatrophic predictions. We would be a lot better pouring money into feeding the poor than arguing about this fantasy.
Posted by runner, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 1:23:16 PM
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There is, arguably, a greater threat: "The most successful supporters of tyranny are without doubt those general declaimers who attribute the distresses of the poor, and almost all the evils to which society is subject, to human institutions and the iniquity of governments." ~ Thomas Malthus

To these distresses we can apparently now add rising sea levels, though they are at about their lowest level in geological history, enabling Bangladesh's very existence - all that jute thanks to climate change. Should it continue to change, the response is, as always, simple: Blame America.

I don't reckon the poor of the world, on a dollar a day, are as concerned about climate change as those in the West suffering from Clive Hamilton's debilitating spiritual illness, Affluenza.

Thanks PJ.
Posted by Richard Castles, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 4:23:26 PM
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African nations are going to need all the help they can get if the climate change fanatics get their way.

EU campaigns to buy locally produced food and travel to local destinations particularly hit out against African products.

Naturally they want African Nations to adopt expensive and experimental power sources instead of developing their oil and coal reserves.

As Kenyan economist James Shikwati says "I don't see how a solar panel is going to power a steel industry....."

He describes restricting the world's poorest people to alternative energy sources as "the most morally repugnant aspect of the Global Warming campaign."
Posted by Admiral von Schneider, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 5:36:01 PM
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