Climate change hots up

Great Southern Star
Tuesday 6/2/2007 Page: 13

Toora farmer Bruce Beatson says climate change is something we need to take action against now. Presenting on climate change at a South Gippsland Shire Council public briefing on Wednesday, Mr Beatson said changes to managing environmental conditions are vital and overdue.

"I have been a farmer for 40 years and in that time I have had a blatant disregard for environmental issues and concerns, but I have come to a point in my life where I see the devastating effects of such attitudes," Mr Beatson said. Having come full circle on environmental ideas and issues, Mr Beatson has spent three days in Sydney as part of a workshop with former American politician and environmental campaigner Al Gore.

The council briefing was organised as part of the Australian Conservation Foundation's Al Gore Climate Project. The project will see the Toora farmer travel around the region for the next 12 months to brief communities on the plight of the planet.

The presentation included footage of glaciers showing significant reductions of ice and snow, indicating the planet is warming up. "Ice core temperatures taken by scientific means show a direct link between their temperature and the effects of global warming," Mr Beatson said.

It is our current use of fossil fuels and the build-up of carbon dioxide that he says will lead to a serious global warming problem. "We just have to look at the decline in current rain patterns within our own South Gippsland area to see that there are problems," Mr Beatson said.

A CSIRO rain study has shown that rainfall has dropped due to tree-clearing but Mr Beatson says rain levels are continuing to decline. " South Gippsland was once known to have rain nine year and then rain would drop from trees for the remaining three months, but that kind of reputation just does not equate today," Mr Beatson said.

He doesn't agree with the theory of drought cycles either, and believes there are too many global indicators towards climate change, with serious consequences. "All life forms from the tropics to the arctic regions will be affected," Mr Beatson said. Increased temperatures will increase vector populations contributing to infectious disease spread and water levels will rise, affecting settlements of both low lying cities and island nations.

Renewable energy is something that Mr Beatson feels strongly about and as manager of the Dollar Wind Farm Information Centre he is playing an active role. "Solar energy is something that we were once world leaders in and now we are failing, we should be leaders in it," Mr Beatson said.

Environmental issues can be complicated when a salary is dependent on them but this doesn't have to be the case. "The issues surrounding climate change can be difficult to understand when a salary depends on it, but they do not have to be economically based," Mr Beatson said.

"The solution to global warming will be in our approach to greenhouse gas emissions. "We need to commit ourselves to lowering these levels, and lead the world in solar power and other renewable energies.".

Mr Beatson also believes that more can be done within the household, by extending renewable energy to homes and industry. Homes can be made more energy efficient, with transport also having the potential to be made clean. "CFCs were able to be out-dated in the 1980s so there is great opportunity to go further now:' Mr Beatson said.

With current approaches to renewable energy becoming a public concern, Mr Beatson says there is no reason why in the western world people should be able to refuse a renewable energy source in their area. "Whether it is solar, tidal, geothermal, or wind, these should be all looked at equally for our children's future. Otherwise there will be no future" Mr Beatson said.

Mr Beatson views current problems as being so important that there is no longer time for talking, but for action. "The past 12 years have shown a massive shift in people's ideas towards the environment, so the next 12 months should be an interesting period;' Mr Beatson said.

Mr Beatson also will present an extended version of his slide show to a public audience at the Dakers Centre in Leongatha on Friday, February 16 at 7:30pm.

Costs will be $5 for adults and $2 for children. A Poowong venue will be organised as an upcoming event.