Climate Change is drastically affecting life as we know it, with a visible change to sea levels Climate Change Action
Climate Change Action is and should be on everybody’s lips. A few years ago, many people had their heads in the sand on this topic. No longer. The deceivers have been shouted down. The truth is prevailing.
But is the truth making us take steps? Are we actually doing things to minimise the terrible climate change trajectory we are already on? Perhaps not much. Certainly not enough. The world is still pumping out carbon at an alarming rate. It makes me sad. But I still want to do what I can…
At the end of the year, during holidays, religious festivals (like Christmas, in my case), and times of rest; it’s a good time to reflect on things.
As for me, I’m reflecting on climate change action. I didn’t do it on purpose today. It’s just that I was looking at the Tasmanian Glenorchy Council documents about it. I was looking at how the planning rules are affected by climate change.
We were looking at the possibility of a Superpod® project coming up in Tasmania. A planning permit will be needed. We want to build certified passive houses there.
The reason that we do certified passive house buildings, is that the Passive House Standard is the world’s best practice for comfortable, healthy living AND the world’s best practice for low energy consumption. These certified passive house buildings don’t use much energy because they RECYCLE ENERGY in a really clever way. And that in itself is the BEST WAY for buildings to HELP US AROUND THE WORLD TO RESIST CLIMATE CHANGE. But I digress.
Local Council Planning Rules
The Glenorchy council planning rules say something about Climate Change Action:
“3. Extreme sea level events
High water events causing coastal inundation comes from a combination of sea level, tide, storm surge and wind waves. Sea level has been rising at a rate of 3.3 ±0.4 mm/year in the recent period, and are expected to continue rising with further climate warming.
The upper range of model projections indicates a rise of up to 0.82 m global average sea level by 2100 under a high emissions scenario.
The sea level rise varies in different locations, and for Tasmania the sea level rise for this scenario is close to the global average.”
Back to the title of this blog. What I don’t understand.
I don’t understand why there is still ANY DEBATE about climate change in certain high profile sectors of the community. (Just like I don’t understand why people would prefer a cheap big uncomfortable unhealthy power guzzling house to a smaller, comfortable, healthy, low power house. But I digress again.)
This public debate amongst certain noisy high profile sectors is particularly ironic sometimes. Particularly when local councils around the country just accept the scientific truth, as it is accepted around the world by the scientific community. And as the Paris talks have just confirmed.
When you look at planning requirements for local councils around the country, they say stuff just like what the Glenorchy Council has written in Tasmania, Australia.
Governments
Even our State Government in Victoria, Australia, gets it. They passed legislation about it, and although I doubt that it’s had much effect, it is a public acknowledgement.
The average person’s take on climate change
And big business
If local councils get it, why can’t the average person get it? Greed can be very compelling, even when it comes to life threatening events. Unfortunately lies are spread by big companies who deceive us in order to increase their profits. These companies need to emit carbon in order to get richer. Why do people believe their lies?
If local councils require us to build higher in the face of rising sea levels, then the average person should accept that climate change is making everything different. We should also be noting that those sea levels are connected with carbon emissions, as well articulated by the international scientific community.
Why are there people who are not humiliated by making public statements to the effect that our climate isn’t changing? Who can possibly claim now that humans have no effect on our climate?
And why don’t people start to build buildings that use less power?
Maybe they will make less money, or it will cost more money, to build better buildings. Or maybe they are just scared that it will make them less money, or cost them more money, to build better. Fear can be a big motivator. Well, short-term fear, anyway.
It comes back to short-sighted self interest
If we don’t take Climate Change Action, it could be due to fear, laziness or ignorance. But ignorance won’t be an excuse. Ultimately, it is because we are focussed on ourselves and what benefits us in the short term.
Greed can be very compelling.
