We need a ceasefire in the war over climate change.
It may only be a verbal war but for those of us who sit in the centre it is a waste of time.
The interesting thing is that both sides of the argument employ similar tactics: yelling hyperboles at each other.
Those on the left are screaming that we’re all doomed unless we start living like cavemen again.
Those on the right return serve by ridiculing common sense things like electric cars and renewable energy sources.
Well, here’s some advice to both sides from the suburbs, where most Australians live: pull your heads in.
This verbal trench warfare must stop so we can consider how we move forward in a sensible, practical approach to reducing our emissions.
Out here in the suburbs we see climate change as real and all we ask for are solutions, not zealotry, not populism, not a cargo cult mentality.
For example, there should be a timeline developed by the federal government to phase out coal in an orderly way so there’s no impact on the power grid, nor loss of jobs for those affected.
Whether that’s over 10, 20 or 50 years is up to the experts to determine.
But that’s what the warriors of the left and right should be arguing about, solutions, not who can yell the loudest on social media.
They have been talking about this issue for more than 20 years now and it is true that no country on earth has got really serious about tackling climate change.
Maybe they are paralysed by the force of the two extreme arguments that tend to dominate the debate, instead of considering that the vast majority of people in the centre are only interested in solutions.
Of course we don’t like to yell out here; we like to get on with life, with our families and friends.
At the same time we don’t like to be taken for granted for too long, so maybe politicians should take note of that and start producing some long term plans to fight climate change.
I agree, there’s too much talking, not enough action