OUR SAY: Pay price now for the planet

'In our busy lives it's easy to throw our hands in the air and accept that diminishing coral reefs, melting ice caps and island nations under imminent threat'

FED UP: Grafton students are calling on politicians to do more about climate change. Picture: Adam Hourigan

THE global temperature spike over the past two decades is no anomaly. It is unprecedented, historically out of step and is the effect of "anthropogenic greenhouse emissions”, according to the latest journal published in Nature.

"This paper should finally stop climate change deniers claiming that the recent observed coherent global warming is part of a natural climate cycle,” Professor Mark Maslin, from University College London, said.

Abundant evidence proves human actions are driving rapid changes to the climate. So why are we still making decisions that counter the fight to reduce emissions, like the approval of the Adani coal mine?

The problem is as individuals it's easy to be complacent. In our busy lives it's easy to throw our hands in the air and accept that diminishing coral reefs, melting ice caps and island nations under imminent threat from rising sea levels are facts of life beyond our control.

And in a democracy, that sets a dangerous precedent. As we saw at the May election, people vote for their own individual circumstances. But governments must be bold enough to look out for the greater good, which is sometimes unpopular.

It's time to take political games out of the climate debate. Decision-making needs to factor in the long term's rising costs of natural disasters and future lost productivity instead of focusing purely on today's vote and the short-term corporate gains.

Originally published as OUR SAY: Pay price now for the planet