Australia’s environment minister complained that his job is being made hell by ‘crazy leftie activists,’ and aspiring ‘Greta Thnbergs.
David Speirs from South Australia is a center-right politician. He lamented the’myths’ and nonsense promoted by left-wing activists that he claimed put ‘all of the world’s problems down to climate change.
At a private fundraiser, Mr Speirs stated that while he supports cutting carbon emissions and being green, activists need to target climate “laggers” such as India or China rather than Australia. Australia is currently phasing into renewable energy.
David Speirs (climate minister for South Australia) said it was necessary to take action on carbon emission but that it’s not being assisted by ‘crazy Leftie’ activists or wannabe Greta Thunbergs.
Last week, the 36-year old lost his bid for South Australia’s deputy leadership. He said that he liked this job, but that he would be happy to talk with Premier John Howard about possible opportunities.
According to The Adelaide Advertiser, he said that ‘the crazy leftie activists can wear you down… so every few years, you should see a bit more of a refresh’.
‘There’s only so many times you can deal with the Greta Thunbergs of South Australia.’
The opposition Labour Party immediately seized on the remarks to accuse Scotland-born Mr Speirs of ‘disparaging… those who care about our environment.’
When questioned about his remarks made during parliament, he replied that he “may have spoken something similar” but that he was simply defending climate policy practices and not a poster-waving movement that does not lead to results.
Greta Thunberg rose to prominence worldwide with her “school strike for climate” protests. She has decried global emission targets as “blah,blah and blah”.
Mr. Spiers mentioned a recent Extinction Rebellion demonstration that shut down Adelaide’s largest streets. Activists had glued themselves onto the street as part of their problem (file).
As an example, he pointed out a protest that Extinction Rebellion supporters had held up to one its main roads at rush hour in Adelaide.
He also said that he had made the point about practical action and adaptation to reduce carbon emissions… more important than liking or posting videos on YouTube.
Australia is ranked 14th on a worldwide ranking of carbon-emitting countries, in both terms of total emissions and per capita.
Since 2004, its carbon emissions per capita are decreasing almost indefinitely. But, overall its emissions have stagnated at 400 million tons. This is due to its increasing population by 4million.
This country emits just over 1 percent of all C02 per year. It has also contributed roughly the same amount to the atmospheric pollution of the past.
Australia is a favorite target for climate activists, largely because of its near total reliance upon fossil fuels and large coal mining sector that includes exports to China.
Australia is only 1% of the world’s carbon emitters, but activists love Australia because of its coal-mining industry.
Australia’s current energy use is 93% from fossil fuels, and the rest comes from renewables.
It is currently the world’s second-largest exporter of coal – after Indonesia – earning £30billion annually from the trade and has committed to digging for more.
Canberra politicians also failed to meet their emissions reduction targets. The pledged cut of 25% was only half that set out by US and UK officials.
A pledge of more than two thirds of the world’s nations supporting a goal of zero emissions by 2050 by the government was also rejected by the government.
At the recent COP26 summit, in Glasgow it was among a few nations who refused to give up the possibility of increasing its 2030 climate targets.
Australia does not have a nuclear industry domestically, as many developed economies do. But that might change. Australia has been granted nuclear technology under the AUKUS Pact to build military submarines.
Campaigners are calling for the development of the nuclear industry, even though the government has not yet spoken out on domestic nuclear power.