JUNE 8 2019 LISTENER 3
EDITORIAL
Do your homework, kids
S
choolchildren have every right and incentive to
march for urgent action on climate change. We
should applaud their advocacy. It may indeed give
adults an extra prod of guilt to back meaningful
change.
Yet the students’ demands for immediate action
would mean a very bleak future if suddenly imple-
mented. They’re right that it has taken far too long
to address the planet’s catastrophic climate trajectory. However,
there’s a reason climate action needs careful consideration:
governments must work out how to save the planet without
destroying the fabric of people’s lives, creating poverty and per-
haps even endangering civilisation as we know it.
Advocates such as Sweden’s Extinction Rebellion heroine Greta
Thunberg need to understand where black-and-white advocacy
could lead. Many
of the things young
people enjoy as their
entitlements would
be heavily proscribed,
even prohibited. Very
high on the priorities
list for strict ration-
ing or banning is air
travel, with its burning
of aviation fuel. Yet
younger generations
have experienced
international school
trips and holidays
abroad far more than older generations did, and there are some
hard decisions ahead if they wish to act with moral authority.
Yes, it might be difficult for some of today’s students to safely
bike or walk to school instead of being dropped off in gas-guz-
zling vehicles. However, older generations safely used a whole
range of planet-saving devices. These include such things as push
mowers. Push mowers? They’re contraptions devised by adults to
consume teenagers’ entire weekends keeping lawns trimmed and,
as a result, fit for backyard cricket. Backyard cricket? That’s what
neighbourhood kids once did in lieu of holidaying in Fiji.
And how would today’s youngsters go with rationing of IT
devices? They’re affordable and disposable must-have items, but
would become scarce and expensive if we’re to reduce the mas-
sive use of both plastic and other manufactured materials and
mined resources such as metals and minerals.
Fast fashion and its sister, cheap fashion, both cause huge inor-
ganic waste, including micro-particle ocean pollution. Much of
today’s cosmetic and sparkly fun merchandise would be banned,
since their production and later dumping are harmful. As for get-
ting a puppy, pony or kitten for Christmas, some climate-change
experts advocate outlawing domestic pets because of their carbon
footprint.
Food production is another minefield. There would be far fewerfoods on our shelves if we counted all air miles and ate only items
that were produced locally, seasonally and carbon-neutrally. Fast-
food steak burgers could be off the menu altogether.
Sure, we would all benefit from fewer processed foods. But the
modern, youthful habit among the more privileged of curating
one’s food “lifestyle” would become quite the mission. No more
imported quinoa, tofu and other vegan protein staples.O
ur own food production would likely fall and become
costlier, given restrictions on petrol, fertiliser, pesticides and
imported machinery. A rapid transition here to a minimal
dairy industry and vastly reduced tourism sector would beggar
our economy and leave few households unscathed.
Even if our young future voters were willing to put them-
selves and their families through that, what of other countries
with fewer options and natural food-growing
resources than our own?
Which brings us to geopolitics. Would pro-
testers demand, for example, that the Chinese
Government put its children’s drastic improve-
ment in living standards into backward thrust to
curb China’s massive carbon output?
The protest-
ing students do us
proud with their
social awareness
and willingness to
think deeply about
difficult issues. Yet
the toughest lesson is
that – short of brutal
totalitarianism –
difficult or painful
economic and policy
changes can take
place only in stages,
and are effective only
if they come with a
degree of consensus,
incentives and transi-
tional assistance. If not carefully managed, they can create gross
new inequalities, hardship and even warfare.
In the end, a quality education is the surest way to ensure the
innovations we need for a new energy future. We want well-
educated students to research such things as hydrogen-based cars
and the new-era batteries essential for air travel with, perhaps,
lightweight energy cells capable of turning tiers of small propel-
lers for high-altitude cruising. Taking vocal action to ensure
students have high-quality, well-paid teachers is one of the best
ways to ensure the future of the planet.
Sacrifices will still need to be made. But let’s be clear that the
sacrifices students are demanding of adults will affect all lives.
And not least their own. lGE
TTY (^) I
M
AG
ES
We want well-educated
students to research
hydrogen-based cars
and new-era batteries
for air travel.