From playtime to climate reality

My delight arose from watching this little person learn, through play, what does and doesn’t work, along with bonding with his dad. And, of course, he is an extension of myself.

The dilemma?

I would be failing in my responsibilities to this community, my family, and, critically, my three grandsons, including the aforementioned two-year-old, not to comment on the recently released “Climate Risk Assessment” report.

And, beyond that, I must comment on behalf of those named earlier on the position taken by the Federal Labor Government’s new target of cutting emissions by 62-70 per cent of 2005.

Our government should have aimed for 100 per cent, quietly hoping for at least eighty.

The facts of what we face are frightening but how do I talk about those unfolding realities - with my family it is difficult and challenging, with some friends those discussions flow quickly and easily, but other friends refuse to accept any evidence of climate change and see me as obsessed or maybe even a little loopy.

One line in the Climate Risk Assessment Report” caught my eye as it noted in the section headed “Key climate risks to Communities” and relevant to the City of Greater Shepparton.

It said - “Regional communities are highly vulnerable to climate change due to their reliance on climate-sensitive industries, such as agriculture and tourism”.

The first being the fundamental reason for the Goulburn Valley’s continuing success, and that of the City of Greater Shepparton

The latter, being tourism, has been encouraged in recent decades and many initiatives in the city have been backed with public cash and moral support, by a council eager to see more visitors in the area.

Considered through a prism of what was, a sound agricultural base is clear economic and social good sense demanding that council do whatever it can to ensure the vitality of the Goulburn Valley’s farming industry remains intact.

And that, taking note of the Federal Government’s Climate Risk Assessment Report, may no longer allow our council to “stay in its lane” as argued by many who live with both their reasoning and logic rooted in a world that no longer exists.

As risks outlined in the report unfold, and those changes are accelerating at a pace beyond that anticipated by climate scientists, tourism may become increasingly difficult and maybe even impossible as this Century advances.

Decision makers of all stripes in this area need to read these two paragraphs from the risk assessment report:

“Farming communities are at the frontline of climate change impacts. Water security is a major concern, with increased competition for water having the potential to impact agricultural productivity, community livelihoods, and effective response to extreme hazard events.

“Increasing heat will make it harder for outdoor workers. “Additionally, supply chains face significant disruptions from

extreme weather events, affecting jobs and the movement of goods, leading to food shortages and spoilage. These changes are likely to

result in localised food insecurity and migration away from high-risk regions, with impacts on social cohesion and community structures.”

And there is more, statements that our decision makers from the Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell, and the State Member for Shepparton Kim O'Keeffe, down to all decision-makers should read and include in their determinations.

“Climate change poses immediate risks to critical and essential services such as health services, aged care, water supply, energy, and transportation.

“Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and shifting rainfall patterns threaten the reliability, efficiency, and accessibility of these services, particularly in high-risk locations”.

The report argues that despite progress to date, there remains an adaptation action shortfall in every system, risk category, jurisdiction, and region across Australia.

However, I hope for my couch-cushion, home-building grandson, that people across the country, whatever their role, respond adequately to these threats.