Pacific Islander speaks on climate crisis

Bette Boreham, an activist recently returned from volunteer work in Kiribati, told a Socialist Alliance meeting on November 12 about how the low-lying Pacific Island country is facing annihilation by rising seas. Boreham spoke of the courage of the Kiribati people, and the horror of knowing their country would soon be gone. She also recounted the important role that Cuban doctors are playing in the country, providing essential medical care.

On November 20, the Climate Emergency Network (CEN) held a forum on solutions to climate change. In debunking the false solution of geo-sequestration (or "clean coal") , geoscientist Lloyd Hamilton explained that "sequestration simply means hiding, as in sweeping under the carpet. Geosequestration means hiding under the earth."

Hamilton said that the technology still doesn't exist for geosequestration on a large scale and that there are no guarantees the sequestered CO₂ will remain underground.

Amy Thomas from CEN revealed the flaws in the federal government's plan for an emissions trading scheme, including business pressure for maximum handouts and minimum costs, and the tendency for corporations to pass on any increased costs to consumers.

CEN's Paul Benedek spoke about non-market-based solutions that involve public ownership, community control and planning for emission reductions, a fair transition for workers to green jobs, and a massive investment in renewable energy and public transport. The forum discussed the massive movement needed to implement the solutions to save the planet.

From GLW issue 776