Climate change, inequality, species extinction, resource depletion, pollution etc etc are all symptoms of the neoliberal false belief of continued growth on a finite planet.
There are still many people who seem to believe that, because we are a small country, we have no real effect on climate change and no responsibility to do anything about it. It's an insidious argument that comes up all the time, particularly against Green Party statements and policy. Everyone needs to take responsibility. Currently, our carbon footprint is much higher per capita than it should be. We are part of the problem and need to be part of the solution. We used to believe in moral leadership - what happened to that idea?
Oh, I think it's far more than Winston Peters. How about Christopher Luxon, David Seymour and almost all members of their respective three parties - far too many to mention here!
If this wet and wild summer isn’t a stark indication of things to come then I don’t know what is. Maybe when the sorted lose their beach houses from tsunamis or rising sea levels there might be some realisation but I’m not holding my breath. These climate deniers think they’re being pragmatic - thoughtful, sensible, measured - Mother Nature doesn’t do thoughtful sensible measured. The planet has an ecosystem which is balanced - a fine balance of the forces of nature. These people who want to rationalise and mitigate are like King Canute commanding the tide to go back. Nature does not have a personality you can appeal to, it has a cold, scientific structure so that when humans monkey with that system nature strikes back to find a new way to balance the structure. Dunderheads like the coalition are not going to be convinced to turn their closed minds to this terrible threat to our very existence. We just need to turf them out, listen to the science and do some about it.
Maybe it should be more forcefully pointed out that ACT's argument for a 'better climate policy' actually means 'trash the planet as quickly as possible for short-term gains for the wealthy'. It could easily be interpreted by the naive as a party that wants a better future with a good climate policy. It's vital to convince the politically unaware and the completely selfish that the wellbeing of all New Zealanders depends on future-oriented climate policies, and help for those already affected by the disasters we are seeing so regularly. The coalition is just abandoning them to a very unpleasant future, with no homes, and no recompense.
Also, as somebody commented on one of the TV news programs yesterday (unfortunately, I can't remember which channel it was, now), the capping of rates will make remedial work following climatic events much more difficult to achieve. In my opinion, for a number of years now, Governments of all stripes have been passing the buck on these issues over to local bodies, expecting them to deal with these issues, including most of the funding. That is why local bodies have sought to raise rates so often. By capping the rates, Government must recognise that they have once again made themselves responsible for leading and financing these issues. To me, that's where the responsibility should lie, anyway! They make the policies, so they should be responsible for subsequent occurrences.
THE election issue. It must be possible to convince some of the selfish set (the floating voters) that they (and their offspring) will suffer the consequences - not just the woke and the poor
It is more than disappointing that Labour have failed to mention the climate as one of their top election priorities. We must combine to pressure them to put climate at the top of their agenda, and to stop banging on about economic growth. That is the coalition's selfish and unsustainable agenda.
Action on global heating well overdue. Why oh why can the current crop of politician at the cabinet table not take note of science? Perhaps the hate for Jacinda Adhern could give us a clue. She and her cabinet hand in hand with the scientists navigated us through a global pandemic with the lowest loss of life, a health system not placed under extreme distress with thousands of infections and one of the lowest covid debts in the OECD. What was the result of this care? A brilliant and lovely Prime Minister hounded out of the country with obscene threats. Another loss for NZ. Time for most, to change position and believe the scientists.
As you say, Bryan, it must be high on the list of issues in the election. What we need though is a focus on 2 broad, overriding matters which are leading to the host of bad decisions being made. These 2 are the decline in the quality of our democracy and the fractionating of our society. Can I recommend that subscribers listen to Geoffrey Palmer being interviewed by Kathryn Ryan (on RNZ) in early December and then this interview last week with Shamubeel Eaqub - https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/summer-days/audio/2019019977/road-trip-shamubeel-eaqub.
We all need to promote these ideas within our collective groups to ensure the parties of the Left pick up on them.
My point, which I may have not made clearly, is that having policies that address the issue of climate change, can only move us forward if we have good decision-making procedures. These need a society with equity, not one which is fractionated, which was Shamubeel's point.
Even now Winston Peters saying to attribute recent climate events to climate change is "alarmist"......well yes alarms sounded by scientists for half a decade! But call it alarmist and make people think we don't want to over react.
Unfortunately, there are still far too many of the 'blue rinse set' who believe Winnie's word is gospel. I'm of that generation - but without the blue rinse - and in think the only thing that Winnie can be thanked for is the Gold Card. Otherwise, he's been nothing much more than entertainment value. but now he's not even that anymore! And, as for some of his party, they're positively primeval and totally selfish in their thinking. I'd use the word 'antediluvian', except that it refers to the flood of prehistory, and now we're into another era of floods, only this time some of us know it is not all from natural causes, and that we, the human race need to wake up and do something about it.
I find the Gold Card next to useless anyway I get a surprise if anyone asks for it & it's value is next to nothing. I can't understand why anyone in their right mind would think voting for him is a good idea he's just an old has been hanging on for God knows what.
Agree this election must be about climate change it is a number one priority all legislation enacted by this government was manipulation to take away all environmental protections. And the latest to get rid of regional councils and nullify Te Triti is the worst. Parties need to be challenged on regional councils and commitment to treaty principals as legally binding.
It is a thing of wonder that there really are still those who deny that there's a problem. 30 or 40 years from now I suspect that the scales may have fallen from their eyes, but it may well be too late.
We're supposedly the most intelligent beings on this planet, yet we seem hell bent on destroying our home.
Green is now the only hope we seem to have, abeit a slim one, but we cannot continue down the road of greed based Neo Liberalism.
I fear for my grandchildren & great grandchildren; mine & everyone else's.
Labour might just win the next election I think, if they grew a spine & conscience & apologised for imposing Neo Liberalism, stated their intention to remove it as swiftly as possible if voted in & fix the damage done. Best not hold our breath though...
Bryan this is a stirring contribution _ thank you so much! I appreciate the whole appraisal of the current climate change situation in Aotearoa . Climate change must be an essential component in the run-up to this vitally important November election. Or otherwise our country will be fractured on a variety of aspects….
Its not just climate change, but our response to the changes which are lacking. Re Mt Maunganui, in the last few years, Tauranga City Council removed some large trees which were stabilising those slopes. As we know, (hopefully) tree roots are an essential part of holding the soil together. In NZ we seem to have a policy of removing mature trees (which not only hold soil together but also mitigate climate change, create coolness and shade) and leaving bare earth. This needs to stop! Let's not just focus on one factor, but look at the whole picture.
The current government are culpable in that their retrenchment, or outright abandoning, of climate initiatives for 'magic will happen before 2050' is criminal
Climate change, inequality, species extinction, resource depletion, pollution etc etc are all symptoms of the neoliberal false belief of continued growth on a finite planet.
Yes and their doctrine has ALWAYS failed
There are still many people who seem to believe that, because we are a small country, we have no real effect on climate change and no responsibility to do anything about it. It's an insidious argument that comes up all the time, particularly against Green Party statements and policy. Everyone needs to take responsibility. Currently, our carbon footprint is much higher per capita than it should be. We are part of the problem and need to be part of the solution. We used to believe in moral leadership - what happened to that idea?
Two words: Winston Peters
Oh, I think it's far more than Winston Peters. How about Christopher Luxon, David Seymour and almost all members of their respective three parties - far too many to mention here!
If this wet and wild summer isn’t a stark indication of things to come then I don’t know what is. Maybe when the sorted lose their beach houses from tsunamis or rising sea levels there might be some realisation but I’m not holding my breath. These climate deniers think they’re being pragmatic - thoughtful, sensible, measured - Mother Nature doesn’t do thoughtful sensible measured. The planet has an ecosystem which is balanced - a fine balance of the forces of nature. These people who want to rationalise and mitigate are like King Canute commanding the tide to go back. Nature does not have a personality you can appeal to, it has a cold, scientific structure so that when humans monkey with that system nature strikes back to find a new way to balance the structure. Dunderheads like the coalition are not going to be convinced to turn their closed minds to this terrible threat to our very existence. We just need to turf them out, listen to the science and do some about it.
Love your comment, yes these dunderheads need chucking out
🎯🎯🎯
Love your comment, Dugald!
😊
Maybe it should be more forcefully pointed out that ACT's argument for a 'better climate policy' actually means 'trash the planet as quickly as possible for short-term gains for the wealthy'. It could easily be interpreted by the naive as a party that wants a better future with a good climate policy. It's vital to convince the politically unaware and the completely selfish that the wellbeing of all New Zealanders depends on future-oriented climate policies, and help for those already affected by the disasters we are seeing so regularly. The coalition is just abandoning them to a very unpleasant future, with no homes, and no recompense.
Also, as somebody commented on one of the TV news programs yesterday (unfortunately, I can't remember which channel it was, now), the capping of rates will make remedial work following climatic events much more difficult to achieve. In my opinion, for a number of years now, Governments of all stripes have been passing the buck on these issues over to local bodies, expecting them to deal with these issues, including most of the funding. That is why local bodies have sought to raise rates so often. By capping the rates, Government must recognise that they have once again made themselves responsible for leading and financing these issues. To me, that's where the responsibility should lie, anyway! They make the policies, so they should be responsible for subsequent occurrences.
THE election issue. It must be possible to convince some of the selfish set (the floating voters) that they (and their offspring) will suffer the consequences - not just the woke and the poor
Get statements from insurance companies about what insurance is going to cost in 10 years time (for those places that are still insurable)
It is more than disappointing that Labour have failed to mention the climate as one of their top election priorities. We must combine to pressure them to put climate at the top of their agenda, and to stop banging on about economic growth. That is the coalition's selfish and unsustainable agenda.
Action on global heating well overdue. Why oh why can the current crop of politician at the cabinet table not take note of science? Perhaps the hate for Jacinda Adhern could give us a clue. She and her cabinet hand in hand with the scientists navigated us through a global pandemic with the lowest loss of life, a health system not placed under extreme distress with thousands of infections and one of the lowest covid debts in the OECD. What was the result of this care? A brilliant and lovely Prime Minister hounded out of the country with obscene threats. Another loss for NZ. Time for most, to change position and believe the scientists.
As you say, Bryan, it must be high on the list of issues in the election. What we need though is a focus on 2 broad, overriding matters which are leading to the host of bad decisions being made. These 2 are the decline in the quality of our democracy and the fractionating of our society. Can I recommend that subscribers listen to Geoffrey Palmer being interviewed by Kathryn Ryan (on RNZ) in early December and then this interview last week with Shamubeel Eaqub - https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/summer-days/audio/2019019977/road-trip-shamubeel-eaqub.
We all need to promote these ideas within our collective groups to ensure the parties of the Left pick up on them.
My point, which I may have not made clearly, is that having policies that address the issue of climate change, can only move us forward if we have good decision-making procedures. These need a society with equity, not one which is fractionated, which was Shamubeel's point.
Even now Winston Peters saying to attribute recent climate events to climate change is "alarmist"......well yes alarms sounded by scientists for half a decade! But call it alarmist and make people think we don't want to over react.
Winston is so ridiculous he has no credibility anymore.
Unfortunately, there are still far too many of the 'blue rinse set' who believe Winnie's word is gospel. I'm of that generation - but without the blue rinse - and in think the only thing that Winnie can be thanked for is the Gold Card. Otherwise, he's been nothing much more than entertainment value. but now he's not even that anymore! And, as for some of his party, they're positively primeval and totally selfish in their thinking. I'd use the word 'antediluvian', except that it refers to the flood of prehistory, and now we're into another era of floods, only this time some of us know it is not all from natural causes, and that we, the human race need to wake up and do something about it.
I find the Gold Card next to useless anyway I get a surprise if anyone asks for it & it's value is next to nothing. I can't understand why anyone in their right mind would think voting for him is a good idea he's just an old has been hanging on for God knows what.
I couldn't agree more, Pauline! He's done his time, whatever that really was!
Agree this election must be about climate change it is a number one priority all legislation enacted by this government was manipulation to take away all environmental protections. And the latest to get rid of regional councils and nullify Te Triti is the worst. Parties need to be challenged on regional councils and commitment to treaty principals as legally binding.
It is a thing of wonder that there really are still those who deny that there's a problem. 30 or 40 years from now I suspect that the scales may have fallen from their eyes, but it may well be too late.
We're supposedly the most intelligent beings on this planet, yet we seem hell bent on destroying our home.
Green is now the only hope we seem to have, abeit a slim one, but we cannot continue down the road of greed based Neo Liberalism.
I fear for my grandchildren & great grandchildren; mine & everyone else's.
Yes I'm wondering when Labour might reply to the question of neo Liberalism.
Labour might just win the next election I think, if they grew a spine & conscience & apologised for imposing Neo Liberalism, stated their intention to remove it as swiftly as possible if voted in & fix the damage done. Best not hold our breath though...
Bryan this is a stirring contribution _ thank you so much! I appreciate the whole appraisal of the current climate change situation in Aotearoa . Climate change must be an essential component in the run-up to this vitally important November election. Or otherwise our country will be fractured on a variety of aspects….
Its not just climate change, but our response to the changes which are lacking. Re Mt Maunganui, in the last few years, Tauranga City Council removed some large trees which were stabilising those slopes. As we know, (hopefully) tree roots are an essential part of holding the soil together. In NZ we seem to have a policy of removing mature trees (which not only hold soil together but also mitigate climate change, create coolness and shade) and leaving bare earth. This needs to stop! Let's not just focus on one factor, but look at the whole picture.
Good one Bryan. Let’s hear what the parties are mandating for the election.
But trump says climate change is a hoax.....
The biggest hoax around is Trump himself and he has inflicted himself not just on the US but the whole world.
The current government are culpable in that their retrenchment, or outright abandoning, of climate initiatives for 'magic will happen before 2050' is criminal