Climate talk myths

PEOPLE need to use a bit of common sense when discussing climate change.

We repeatedly hear and read a lot of outlandish claims that when considered critically, are quite nonsensical.

Many claims revolve around fossil fuels, in particular, coal and the people who want to see a quick and fair transition to clean energy (most Australians).

It’s time to debunk the most common ones.

Claim one: “Those people who want to stop coal still drive cars, use airconditioners and cellphones, live in houses … all this makes them hypocrites.”

Everybody recognises the benefits that fossil fuels provided us in the past century, but technology is allowing us to move on and transition to more efficient and cleaner sources of energy.

When we transitioned from horse to car, did people immediately put their horse to pasture and walk to work until the car was perfected? I don’t think so.

People will continue using cars and cellphones as we transition to clean energy. That does not make them hypocrites. The manufacturing industry is already using clean energy to build many components used in our cellphones, cars and houses.

Claim two: “They want to shut the coal industry now.”

Not the case. We all recognise the sooner we stop using fossil fuels the better for all, but this won’t happen overnight.

However, we need to start by immediately stopping the expansion of the thermal coal industry (the main contributor to greenhouse gas emissions).

The next step would be to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2035.

Australia will also need to reduce its thermal coal exports to zero by 2035.

A final step would occur when technology allows us to transition away from coking coal, hopefully by 2050, if not sooner.

With the impacts of climate change increasing each year, we have little time to make the necessary reductions in our carbon emissions.

It is time to apply some common sense to the discussion and get on with the job. TONY FONTES,

Jubilee Pocket.