THE Fire Rating Index was set at 100 for the conditions of the 1939 fires. The 1983 fires had a FRI of 97. In 2009, it was an unprecedented 150.
The last Queensland floods were unprecedented.
Hurricane Sandy in the USA and Typhoon Haian in the Philippines were unprecedented.
Norway’s forests burned, during the northern winter of 2012.
California’s current drought is unprecedented, as is the one in Brazil.
Last northern summer, there were unprecedentedly savage fires in North America’s western mountain forests, and in Siberia.
Climate change is here. It is real. It is killing people now.
We should be on an emergency footing to do something about it.
Instead, the Victorian COALition Government wants to export brown coal, the dirtiest fuel there is.
It wants to install a controversial tunnel instead of spending those billions on public transport. It is opposed to wind power, which has demonstrably had no bad effects on health. It uses taxpayer money to prop up VicForests, which is converting forest into woodchips, at a financial loss, and only employs some 400 people, compared to thousands in the tourist industries that depend on our beautiful surroundings.
If you want a future for yourself and your kids, you need to vote for the environment.
In our electorate, only one candidate stands for the environment: Marie Sellstrom of the Greens. She deserves to be placed first. Thanks to preferential voting, you can do that and still support whichever of the dinosaur parties you want.
Bob Rich,
Healesville.