A brief comment on climate change Wednesday 28 Jan

I look at opinions coming from Australia and there's concern about climate change.

Probably largely inflamed by the recent heatwave and fires, plus shark attacks. Warming water, overfishing, pollution from the recent storms.

And on fb there are plenty of nasty and useless comments. Have we lost the art of rational argument? How to discuss the issues rather than attack the person for their opinions?

Of course Australia emits only a tiny percentage of pollutants and greenhouse gases compared to China, India and the USA.

That doesn't mean Australia (and others) should do nothing to control their own contributions and gleefully say it's the big contributors who should act.

Of course the big emitters should do more. That doesn't mean Australia should do less.

And to those who think human induced climate change isn't happening, what happened to the precautionary principle? The just in case scenario? Or the old Boy Scout motto ‘Be Prepared’?

Wouldn't it be better to take action now ‘just in case’ climate change and its adverse impacts are real, and likely to compromise the lives of our children and grandchildren?