Renewables are not the answer to stopping bushfires

Johannes Leak’s cartoon (11/11) was right on the ball. Greens MP Adam Bandt firmly believes climate change is created by global warming, which in turn is created by increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide all of which results in more frequent bushfires.

He suggests that to solve the bushfire problem we should install more solar panels and wind turbines. Nature alone controls global climate — and wind, rainfall and temperature. These things are constantly changing in severity and frequency.

Perhaps he can advise the Prime Minister about how to change this natural phenomenon to better suit humans. Perhaps it is time to accept that climate has been changing since time immemorial and that humans need to be prepared to move to other places to live if the climate makes living in their region impractical.

Raymond Fealy, The Basin, Vic

Natural causes, green local council bans on land clearing, and arsonists all get off scot-free. According to Chris Roylance (Letters, 11/11), human-induced climate change is the cause of these devastating bushfires.

Is Roylance’s solution to this crisis to shut down coal-fired power stations, as anti-coal zealots demand, and to step up our use of renewables? Fans of solar panels and wind turbines are fooling themselves if they think these toys can stop climate change and, in turn, bushfires.

Dale Ellis, Innisfail, Qld

This week we have seen the best of the ABC. Its non-stop radio coverage of the bushfires in Queensland and NSW has been superb. Updates on danger areas, evacuation advice and assembly points are invaluable for residents in affected areas.

But back in the city we saw the very worst of the ABC. Last Monday, Q&A assembled a panel of anarchists, one of whom told us to “burn things”.

John Summers, Noosa, Qld

Those blaming our drought and fires on so-called human-induced climate change should note that by building hundreds of coal-fired power plants, India and China obviously do not agree, and that much of Africa is also turning to fossil fuels to help lift millions of Africans without electricity out of poverty.

At a recent African oil conference in Cape Town, anti-fossil fuel protesters were ignored as energy ministers from various countries outlined plans to improve living standards by exploiting oil and gas resources as well as coal. The view that outsiders had no right to impose their views on African energy plans was widely stated, along with a determination to get more of the world’s poorest continent moving with fossil fuels.

Activists should ask themselves why we should abandon coal, when half the world’s people in China, India and Africa are embracing it wholeheartedly, or why these people would think otherwise because some people in rich Australia don’t like it.

Doug Hurst, Chapman, ACT

Our politicians commiserating with bushfire victims is rather like Donald Trump commiserating with mass shooting victims, when we all know what the underlying causes are.

Australian federal and state politicians should accept responsibility for doing too little about climate change. Putting Queensland jobs ahead of banning coal exports was just another example of putting political expediency over common sense. And it was counter to what most of the Australian electorate wanted.

It’s time for Scott Morrison and his predecessors to accept responsibility for the catastrophic fire situation — and for our political ditherers to engage in action on climate change.

C. Williams, Forrest, ACT

Attempts to blame the Prime Minister for the bushfire emergency are the worst kind of political ambulance chasing. The real causes of destructive and deadly bushfires are found in the volatility of native vegetation; the established climate pattern of periods of heavy rain followed by drought; and the proclivity for Australians to build flammable homes in bushland.

The trouble begins with rain. The record shows that the greatest dangers exist in the higher rainfall areas that produce dense forests and scrub.

The toll has been worsened by a century of neglect of bushfire research, education and reckless land zoning policies.

It is sometimes claimed that climate change will make the fires more frequent. If that is true it is even more urgent that we address the causes.

Fred Bennett, Bonner, ACT