Climate
Politics And The Climate Movement In Australia
Verity
Burgmann and Hans Baer
Melbourne
University Press
ISBN:
(Paperback)9780522861334
ISBN:
(E-Book)9780522861341
15/Jun/2012
399
pages
Paperback
$59.99
E-Book
$49.99
This
is a book about activists by activists and for activists. The authors
are both significant scholars with impressive records of research and
publication in the social sciences but they have somehow found time
to combine their academic careers with the pursuit of social and
political causes well beyond the narrow confines of university life.
In a sense this book is an example of action anthropology at its best
in that it combines well-documented participatory research with a
resounding call to action and a clearly formulated concluding section
on what they see as the best approach to the politics of combatting
dangerous climate change. The book was launched by Adam Bandt, still
the solitary Green in the House of Representatives, and he praised
the book for its comprehensive analysis of climate politics in
Australia and especially for its ambition to go beyond analysis and
suggest a program of effective action. The authors are upfront in
their political stance and in their enthusiasm to promote the cause
of climate action and contribute to the building of a powerful
climate movement in this country.
I
should make a full disclosure and declare my own interest in the
book. One of the authors is a close friend and I am slightly
acquainted with the other. I have great admiration for both of them
and for the energy, intelligence and courage that they bring to their
work. They are people who walk the walk and, by contrast with some of
the high priests of the climate movement, they do their very best to
ensure that their lifestyles reflect their concerns about the
climate. However, my friend describes me as a 'climate agnostic' and
has spent many long hours trying to convert me to what he calls
climate realism. I think that he was hoping that after reading this
book I might shift from my agnosticism. In fact, I have shifted but
probably not in the direction that he hoped. It has always been clear
to me that the climate is changing and has doubtless been doing so
since the planet was formed. It also seems clear that it is not
changing now in the way that was predicted by some of the models of
change that were developed in the first decade of this century. I can
accept that humans contribute in some way to climate change inasmuch
as we are part of the biosphere but I don't see compelling evidence
that human activity is a major driver of global warming. I am
certainly doubtful that we can halt the warming (or cooling) of the
planet by limiting the amount of carbon dioxide that we produce. That
seems way too mechanistic an approach to an incredibly fluid and
complex phenomenon like the climate. A better approach might be to
think of adapting to probable changes and getting prepared to
maximise the benefits of possible changes in the climate. I just
don't believe we have the capacity to halt climate change and to act
as a sort of planetary thermostat even if that were desirable.
The
book begins by asserting that climate change is the hottest topic of
the twenty-first century. This is a nice play on words but others
might argue that there are many hot topics and that, for instance,
the issue of refugees and asylum seekers is a more pressing concern.
I guess the authors could suggest that climate change exacerbates
many other social problems and is likely to generate a tidal wave of
refugees fleeing from rising sea levels, fires, drought and flooding.
I am not convinced that addressing climate change is the best way of
dealing with other issues like poverty, migration and indigenous
health. If, on the other hand, you believe that climate change is a
priority then this is the book for you. It lays out the options
clearly and is not just a call to action but also provides a
persuasive strategy. I'm sorry to confess that I remain agnostic
about anthropogenic global warming but I do believe that this a book
worth buying, reading and keeping on your shelf. Actually, as it is
available as an ebook I'm sure the authors would rather you purchased
the electronic version for its smaller carbon footprint.
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