| Introduction | | | | when the combined impact of Cyclone Larry, severe |
| It is now well documented that humans are causing | | | | drought and bushfires wiped billions off the Australian |
| climate change by adding huge amounts of carbon | | | | economy and impacted on the hip pockets of ordinary |
| dioxide (C02) and other greenhouse polluting gases into | | | | Australians through increased food prices and higher |
| the atmosphere. Despite its relatively low population | | | | insurance premiums. |
| total of approximately 22 million, Australia is not only a | | | | Australia is vulnerable to continued climate change |
| significant contributor to the current carbon problem it | | | | Australia is particularly vulnerable to climate change as |
| will suffer major impacts if the trend of increasing | | | | it is one of the driest inhabited continents on the planet |
| temperatures continues. The main reasons for this | | | | on par with Africa. Australia is currently enduring a |
| claim are as follows: | | | | record breaking drought and water rationing is now a |
| Australia is a major contributor to Climate Change | | | | standard practice in most capital cities during the |
| Australia is a major contributor to the current climate | | | | summer months. The economic and psychological |
| change situation for two main reasons. Firstly, Australia | | | | impacts on Australian farmers have been particularly |
| has large amounts of coal reserves and has been a | | | | devastating and a number of rural communities have |
| leading exporter of coal to Japan and Europe for | | | | been decimated by the ferocity of this unprecedented |
| many years. The biggest source of greenhouse | | | | drought. Continued climate change will only make |
| pollution is burning fossil fuels such as coal for energy. | | | | Australia drier and drought conditions will become the |
| As a result, Australia has provided the resource for | | | | norm in many areas. Water shortages in large cities will |
| many countries to emit large quantities of carbon and | | | | be commonplace, further forcing up the price of |
| as such has a moral obligation to tackle climate | | | | essential food produce. The likely alarming impacts on |
| change. However there are many factions within | | | | future generations should be sufficient incentive for |
| Australia who are opposed to fighting climate change. | | | | any Australian to do everything they can to fight |
| The Australian Coal Industry sees action against | | | | climate change and in fact any behaviour to the |
| climate change as a direct threat to their livelihood and | | | | contrary could be deemed as criminally irresponsible. |
| will threaten the job security of its employees. They | | | | The majority of renowned climate experts and |
| fear that as the rest of the world moves to renewable | | | | scientists agree that large parts of the Arctic and |
| energy sources in order to meet their carbon reduction | | | | Antarctica are melting at alarming rates as higher |
| commitments, the demand for Australian coal will | | | | global average temperatures continue to rise. You |
| reduce. Rather than allowing a drop in the demand for | | | | don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out that as |
| coal to impact their business, forward thinking | | | | large areas of land base ice continue to melt, the |
| Australian coal producers should be looking to develop | | | | inevitable result is an increase in overall sea levels. As |
| alternative energy sources. There is a great | | | | an island continent with the majority of the population |
| opportunity for Australian energy producing | | | | living in cities located in coastal areas, Australia is |
| organizations, located in the sun blessed country, to | | | | particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels. There have |
| become world leaders in renewable energy such as | | | | been a number of reports of luxury waterfront |
| solar power, creating thousands of jobs and providing | | | | properties in some areas of New South Wales and |
| new export opportunities. | | | | Queensland coming under threat of rising tides, forcing |
| Secondly, statistics show that per head of population, | | | | home owners to flee their property. This trend has not |
| Australia is at the top of the rankings when it comes | | | | escaped the notice of insurance Companies who are |
| to carbon emissions. There are many theories on why | | | | have sharply increased home insurance premiums in |
| this is the case, ranging from the large distance | | | | some coastal areas to match the higher risk. |
| between major cities to the high availability of cheap | | | | Conclusion |
| coal fire energy. In any event it is a statistic that | | | | As a major exporter of coal and leading the table on |
| Australia cannot ignore and the countries politicians | | | | carbon emissions per head of population, Australia has |
| must show leadership to nearby developing nations by | | | | an obligation to take a leadership role in the global fight |
| taking a stance on climate change. Unfortunately some | | | | against climate change. Furthermore, as one of the |
| sections of Australian politics are taking the opposite | | | | driest continents Australia will be particularly impacted |
| approach by deliberately stalling any serious action on | | | | by increasing temperatures and its coastal regions will |
| climate change for fear of the impact on the | | | | be vulnerable to rising sea levels. As a result Australia |
| economy. These groups fail to see the reality that the | | | | has many reasons to play a leadership role in the |
| impacts of climate change can also result in large | | | | global fight against climate change for the sake of |
| scale economic losses. This was the case in 2006 | | | | current generations and future generations to come. |