This week, Martyn sounds the alarm. Extreme weather is here. Climate change is accelerating. And New Zealand’s resilience infrastructure is nowhere near ready. Worse — the polluters funding alt-right astroturf groups and lobbyists are actively undermining local government, so that by the time climate reality hits, no one in power can respond. We need serious Civil Defence investment, resilient infrastructure, and to finally expose the dark money sabotaging our response. You might not believe in climate change — but climate change believes in you.
Are we ready for climate change? Far from it. There’s a lot to take in.
Off the bat are recent severe weather events – gale force winds, intense temperatures, torrentual rain – directly related to climate change or simply indicative of extremely complex processes that are always at play? The science days yes. Yes, weather is dynamic but increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are most certainly the culprit. And the tipping point is not far off.
Floods, drought, coastal erosion, fires, and more are real events being played out. That too is complex. Often it’s as much to do with land use. Building on flood plains; planting pine forests in the hills above catchment areas. In hindsight poor decisions. But not too late to change?
Then theres the stuff we can’t really see happening = although those with skin in the game can. Take a recent conversation with a long term Hawkes Bay resident. Hes noticed changes that will long term impact on agricultural practices there. No doubt happening elsewhere’ in different ways – and not only in our neck of the woods. New pests getting a foothold in a changing climate is another story.
Adaptation or mitigation? Go down the renewables path big time. Subsized solar power installed in every home? Tinker around the edges knowing the datus quo is no longer sustainable. Nothing short of a paradigm shift regarding how we make and use energy and how it is priced and used. Some big decisions there.
Political initiatives or grassroots community initiatives? Individuals reducing their own footprints? All those?