As climate-fuelled disasters intensify, political leaders should stop treating discussion of their causes as untimely and confront the consequences of continued inaction.
Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah said last week’s deadly Himalayan flood was “not an ordinary” event but driven by climate change, as he demanded international action. In the meantime, Anthony Albanese and Angus Taylor both decline to speak of climate change in the context of the Nepalese catastrophe.
Following the Bondi massacre, it was immediately appropriate to address the causes of this outrage, condemn hate speech and call a royal commission.
Following recent atrocities committed by young men against women, it was immediately the right time to identify social media and ‘manosphere’ influencers as causes that needed to be immediately addressed.
The northern hemisphere summer has brought climate disaster after disaster to North America, Europe and parts of Asia. No event on its own can be attributed to human-induced climate change, but cumulatively the evidence is not simply beyond dispute; its extent is graver than science had predicted.
The most recent UN Climate report has just been released and states in part:
In 2026, the world is already about 1.4°C warmer than pre-industrial levels, and the damage and death toll from climate-boosted disasters is ramping up. The United Kingdom is warning of possible food shortages amid a historic drought. Wildfires hit new areas in France and Spain, while glaciers are melting rapidly and the oceans are at their hottest level on record. The enormous El Niño event emerging in the Pacific is likely to bring major disruption. Every fraction of a degree makes things worse.
With carbon release already in the pipeline, we have reached what was intended to be a ceiling in the Paris Agreement of 1.5 degrees global temperature increase over pre-industrial averages. We are rushing headlong to 2.0 degrees and, unless there is a U-turn in global policy, we could reach 3.0 degrees in the second half of this century.
The events that have already occurred cannot individually be ascribed to global warming, but their exaggeration can be. Multiply our current situation and, without serious policy change, we face a parlous situation.
Given the cost of ’natural’ disasters to human health, biodiversity, homes, infrastructure and food production, not forgetting the creation of more uninhabitable places, why would we not be talking urgently about it?
Perhaps one of the reasons is that the Nepalese government has every right to take a case to the International Court of Justice demanding that the greatest contributors to global warming must be expected to meet the cost now faced by the Nepalese government. The burden faced through loss of lives, way of life, homes and infrastructure, not to mention future revenue from tourism, is immense.
The science of global warming has long been settled. There is no rational argument to counter it. Unfortunately, the effects have been underestimated. Any news outlet or podcast that claims a different position should be challenged and face sanction on the basis that their position is causing harm and slowing necessary transitional action.
On 7 February 2009, Black Saturday’s devastating and unprecedented bushfires swept through the state of Victoria. 173 people lost their lives, 440 were hospitalised with severe burns and 2,029 homes were destroyed.
Prime Minister Rudd thought it appropriate to hold a memorial service at Westminster Abbey for Australian expats living in Britain. He asked me to preach, given I was then residing in Britain.
The following day the Australian newspaper savaged me for linking this disaster to climate change and, secondly, for hypocrisy in flying to London to preach. Predictably, a letter to the editor pointing out their error did not elicit an apology. As always with the Murdoch press, and more generally SkyNews/News24 and those who promote fossil fuels, the line they wish to promote is more important than any fact that might substantiate it.
The prime minister has just attended the Pacific Nations leaders conference in Palau. Again, he faced challenges from Pacific leaders that Australia is not doing enough. Meanwhile, predictably, ‘journalists’ from right-wing news outlets accused him of wasting too much taxpayer money on climate conferences leading to the November 2026 COP meeting in Türkiye.
It is past urgent that voices from all sectors of civil society combine to address the seriousness of the situation we face.
Economists: The cost of transitioning to renewable energy is far less than the mounting costs of no action.
Scientists: Continue to reinforce observed and tested data.
Insurers: Make clear the rise of premiums related to global warming, together with data illustrating the extent of uninsurable property.
Tourism: Especially the Snowy and Barrier Reef, make clear projections over the medium term.
Faith leaders: Be unequivocal about the sacredness of all life and the responsibility of human stewardship.
Farmers: Speak to the need for environmentally sustainable practice.
Business leaders: Condemn short-term gain and profiteering; encourage investment in long-term sustainable practice.
Politicians: Stop wedging one another on matters of critical importance to the nation and to world sustainability, harmony and peace. Don’t follow popular grievance; seek to implement transformative policy.
Now is always the right time to speak truth. Now is the right time to act on truth. Now is the right time to unmask false narrative and self-interest. Now is always the right time to invest in a sustainable future.
The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.