I would like to respond to professor Peter Newman’s article “Forget fossil fuels grown wealth with renewables.”
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The climates of the world depend on the axis of the earth in relation to the sun. This axis has never been stable and thereby major ice ages have alternated with minor ice ages and with expanding and shrinking tropical climates.
Besides this solar flares have also major impacts on the earth’s climates.
Major volcanic eruptions have also caused sudden and great climate variations
The never-ending flights of countless thousands of passenger jets and military jets 24 hours per day have a totally underestimated influence on air pollution and therefore on climate. When after the 9/11 disaster in New York, all aircraft in the USA were grounded for three days it had an immediate impact on air quality over the USA.
While the use of coal within Australia is being reduced, maximum exports to China and India completely nullify our reduced coal consumption
Considering all these facts do we still imagine that with our puny efforts, which hurt our industries and economy, we can influence the world’s climate? Do we seriously imagine that with our puny efforts we could reduce the increasing number and severity of cyclones, tornadoes, floods, bushfires, hail storms etc? You would have to be unrealistic and naive to believe so. Moreover it is a fact that wind and solar power are not reliable because of unpredictable windless and sunless periods. To make sweeping statements such as ‘we don’t need fossil fuels anymore’ is simply unrealistic, idealistic and naive.
For industrial and private consumption it is imperative that we have reliable and affordable energy. We must never have all our eggs in one basket, that would be utterly idealistic and irresponsible management.
Paul Bosman, Wagga
Taking a stand
I support changing the date of Australia Day. Why? Well my heart is heavy because as someone who has grown up as a proud Australian, I want to feel proud on Australia Day, but I can no longer celebrate on a day that does not respect the feelings and history of Indigenous Australians.
For many years I have proudly performed at local Australia Day events however this year I will not be participating. I have decided to withdraw out of respect for the descendants of our First Nations people. I am tired of waiting for our government to really listen to the voices of Indigenous Australians. And I am deeply disappointed with the current federal government’s response to a wide range of Indigenous issues. I want to stand with Indigenous Australians in their call for real recognition.
Our country needs to acknowledge its chequered history, and show deeper respect to those Indigenous Australians who are still offended by January 26, the day that heralded the genocide of Indigenous Australians.
My ancestors were early settlers in Tasmania and Victoria in the 1820s and might have contributed to that genocide. I may never know how they treated the First Australians, but they most certainly contributed to their displacement. Whatever they did I cannot change because it is now history, but I am not proud of the mistreatment of the First Australians.
Let’s create a new Australia Day that unites all Australians; and while we’re at it let’s create a treaty and true recognition of our Indigenous history.