Wind farm an opportunity for action: Suzuki

Denmark Bulletin
Thursday 28/9/2006, Page: 3

INTERNATIONALLY-renowned environmentalist Dr David Suzuki believes Denmark residents should view its wind farm project as a long-term vision of sustainable change. Dr Suzuki spoke recently at the Perth Convention Centre about the environmental challenges of the 21st century.

The 70-year-old environmentalist was on a world tour of educating and promoting a more sustainable society. University of WA social work adult student Joanne Carter of Denmark heard Dr Suzuki's address and spoke to him afterwards about the proposed Denmark windfarm.

Mrs Carter expressed concerns regarding the project and how it had divided community members. Dr Suzuki said it was a common global experience for communities to lock horns on environmental issues such as constructing wind farms.

The polarising of issues could lead to stalemates, or winners and losers, but he reminded the community that `if the Earth loses we all lose'.

In response to the concerns of constructing turbines on an aesthetically pleasing part Denmark's coast, Dr Suzuki responded emphatically that `aesthetics is all in your head'. "Would you rather have a smoke stack or a nuclear power plant?"

He called for communities to work together to achieve a more sustainable way of living. There was choice to act now to minimise the extremities of an uncertain future. The wind farm was an opportunity for the Denmark community to take positive action, for the sake of their children.

In his address, Dr Suzuki was emphatic that science was in no doubt that the world was on the edge of a global environmental catastrophe. He highlighted the embarrassing fact that Australia and America were the only two industrialised countries yet to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, despite it now being international law.

The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty designed to limit global greenhouse emissions. "Economic growth and success seem to be the prevailing arguments from the Federal Government as to why Australia won't sign Kyoto and move away from fossil fuels," Dr Suzuki said.

He implored his listeners to `stop listening to bogus arguments such as these'.

"When you look at countries like Germany and Denmark, which have made significant decreases in their energy demands because of wind power, and are reaping billions of dollars in export of this resource, I think Australia is completely out to lunch in what should be your leading area of science and technology," he said. "It's a tragedy," he said.