Australian Politicians Working Hard to Destroy the Planet

In the lead-up to COP26, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison is facing greater and greater international pressure to set a net zero emissions target for 2050, members of his government are working hard to make sure he can’t. 

Senator Matt Canavan (Liberal = conservative, like Republican) decries renewable energy as snake oil — a product that doesn’t deliver. Keith Pitt (Liberal) is calling for a $250 billion loan facility to bail out the coal mining industry. George Christensen (LIberal) is pushing for significant concessions to be provided to the resources sector (read: coal – because the nickel, lithium, and iron ore miners aren’t having any problems) if Australia commits to a formal decarbonization target.

Barnaby Joyce (National = conservative, like Republican) wants the government to finance coal, because the banks won’t. He is the deputy prime minister.

Mushrooms with their heads in the sand, or maybe somewhere worse.

Unfortunately, these views are backed up by Gina Rhinehart (Australia’s richest miner). She recently returned to her high school pedaling the view that climate science is propaganda. In the past, Gina has funded climate deniers Lord Monckton and Professor Ian Plimer to address senior students and “debunk” the climate science. 

“Rinehart is the owner of Hancock Prospecting, which has interests in coal projects in Queensland’s Galilee Basin, and has plans to massively expand the company’s coal operations overseas,” Renew Economy writes.

I don’t think I would like to have Scott Morrison’s job. Things have gotten so bad that he is now talking about not going to the Glasgow talks. He obviously doesn’t want to be “Nigel no friends” in the climate conference playground. I don’t think that Greta would share her lunch with him. Even if he gave her his pet black wonder rock and whispered into her ear, “This is coal. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared. It won’t hurt you.”