Some good news for a change!
As I struggled against the wind, pulling cords and doing up zips with numb, icy fingers, I thought of those who had been shipwrecked in such weather along our coast.
On that day, when I felt vulnerable and powerless in the face of wild weather and a ferocious sea, our country finally took its first steps to reduce its impact on climate change through the introduction of a price on greenhouse gases or as it has come to be incorrectly called, the carbon tax.
Since then, according to the NOAA’s National Climatic Data Centre, September 2012 has been the warmest month in recorded history and the Earth has experienced 330 consecutive months of above-average temperatures.
Polar ice is shrinking, forests fires are increasing, species are disappearing and the ocean is heating up and acidifying. But the news isn’t all bad.
Today the Australian Energy Market Operator announced that the price on carbon is working.
Since its introduction, there has been a decline in emissions with the greatest reduction in South Australia (which has a strong solar/wind energy sector) of 16.1 per cent and in Victoria it was reduced by 8.7 per cent.
As coal and gas-fired power continues to decline and renewable energy increases, our future will look ever brighter and July 10, 2011 will go down in the history of Australia as a great day indeed.
Lisa Owen, Kelp Street, Warrnambool
