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Climate Change to Sink Credit Rating

It seems that despite this warning (Shane Wright, The Age August 21) and a cascade of others supported by dramatic evidence of global warming and climate change (extreme weather, firestorms, loss of biodiversity and species loss) and the impact this is having on communities and their ability to maintain a liveable existence, the need for radical change in city and transport planning continues to fall on deaf ears.

It seems that despite this warning (Shane Wright, The Age August 21) and a cascade of others supported by dramatic evidence of global warming and climate change (extreme weather, firestorms, loss of biodiversity and species loss), the impact this is having on communities and their ability to maintain a liveable existence, the need for radical change in city and transport planning continues to fall on deaf ears.

Mitigation efforts to-date and planned for the future remain superficial and will barely make a difference and the loss of Australia’s triple A rating by the end of the decade will be the least of our concerns.

It should be obvious to a growing number of people that the rate of change is increasing and turning this situation around is mission impossible. Whilst it is still possible to slow the warming process humanity has no choice but to adapt and the sooner governments at all levels start planning accordingly the better for everyone.

There is no use pretending that electric cars, solar and other forms of “green” energy and technology will solve our problems. They have made little difference to-date and emissions are still rising at an exponential rate. Smart use of technology will help if it facilitates behavioural change but will not stop the warming process and in this respect Australia is particularly vulnerable.

As we have noted on numerous occasions, adaption will require a radical change in behaviour supported by very different expectations and aspirations to those that exist today and choices made in the future.

Humanity will be forced to use/consume less of everything – including travel and operate within an economy in which growth rapidly becomes negative and supports fewer and fewer people. In some parts of the world this is already happening but the scale will  rapidly increase. These conclusions were very clear decades ago, and reflected in the Club of Rome’s first report on Limits to Growth in 1972 even before concerns of global warming were factored in.

TfM has presented numerous strategies since it was established more than ten years ago to respond to this challenge. All we can do now is repeat them, encourage government to listen, take them seriously and act accordingly. The problem is not cost but lack of will and mindset to make the commitment.     

2 replies on “Climate Change to Sink Credit Rating”

I should have replied long ago
credit rating could be an effective lever for change but there are many more, and many more that could be very effective
I think TfM’s role is to identify practical ways in which transport outcomes can improved in line with environmental imperatives which are
to travel and transport goods and services less, less often, over shorter distances and more efficiently in a way that places less demand on supporting infrastructure – a focus on the transport system as a whole ie that includes all modes of transport
There are no magic single fix solutions ofcourse but I think we will be most effective if we focus on practicalities that can deliver measureable outcomes
not sure whether this answers your question
cheers
Roger

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