Local MP and senior NSW minister Andrew Constance has asked for no big P politics while the South Coast continues to battle devastating bushfires. Ignoring his plea, the NSW government has just made a deal with Prime Minister Scott Morrison to make climate change worse. The two governments plan to subsidise gas generation of electricity and open a huge new gas fracking field in Narrabri in north western NSW, while pretending this will bring down emissions.

By Lucy Manne, 350 Australia CEO As we look back at the last few months of unprecedented, devastating bushfires and drought, and look towards a hot, dry summer, it’s more important than ever that we build a politics of hope. At 350 Australia, we have a new strategy for the new decade, and we are feeling resolute.

As we enter 2020, Australia has no national climate change policy. There are no mechanisms to reach our vastly inadequate commitments under the Paris Agreement1.  Meanwhile, our nation suffers through unprecedented drought and bushfires, and we face yet another brutally hot summer of heatwaves and coral bleaching2. Yet as public concern about the climate crisis reaches record levels, our Government’s refusal to act only becomes more entrenched. 

For 350 Australia these bushfires are personal. All of us seem to know someone affected by these megafires – whether it’s folks being evacuated from their homes, those that have lost theirs, or some we are still waiting to find out about. At this stage, 4 people have died. Our thoughts are with their families and friends and those communities devastated by these fires.