When the mercury soared, so did the disinformation - from the Climate Council as well as the MSN

Don Owers humorously points out the not-so-funny posturing in the Climate Council's loud criticism of Sky News and News Corp regarding disinformation on climate change, in the face of its own strange silence - dare we say collusion? - about the principal drivers of carbon emission growth in Australia, namely government and lobby-group-engineered population and intensive development growth.

Response to Amanda McKenzie, CEO of the Climate Council from Don Owers:

Hi Amanda,  

Re: When the mercury soared, so did the disinformation.  

Yes we had lots of news items that were short on facts or downright disinformation.  The SMH was not too bad but like all the others it neglected to mention that demand has increased  dramatically - largely because Sydney's population has increased by 750,000 in just ten years.   And most of those people are living in Sydney's west -  areas that  get hot even without climate change extremes.   What makes this worse is that the houses are badly designed - black roofs, large buildings occupying most of the block, not enough green spaces and all car dependent.   The need for A/C is paramount and vulnerable people will die if a black out does occur and then the Murdoch press will have a field day.

regards,
Don Owers.

Paradoxical Climate Council posture does not inspire confidence

It is paradoxical that an organization aligned with climate scientists and dedicated to preventing climate disaster—attributed primarily to carbon emissions—does not actively critique the principal drivers of carbon emission growth in Australia, namely government and lobby-group-engineered population and intensive development growth. If the members of this organization genuinely believe that millions could face imminent peril due to climate-related catastrophes, one would expect them to openly confront both governmental and private entities that advocate for overpopulation and unsustainable development practices. The reluctance to do so raises questions about whether the preservation of employee salaries and professional relationships within government and business takes precedence over the urgent need for accountability and advocacy in the face of climate change.

While it is conceivable that a lack of awareness may contribute to the Climate Council's stance, it is difficult to accept that individuals in the organization, particularly those identified as climate scientists, could genuinely be uninformed. The general populace, especially among the middle classes, has been subjected to misleading narratives from both government and mainstream media regarding the root causes of homelessness and housing shortages. Nevertheless, it is implausible to assume that climate scientists or senior advocates within the Climate Council are unaware of these dynamics. This raises the possibility of a culture that either perpetuates ignorance or enforces silence among lower-level members of the organization. Clearly, the Climate Council does not actively seek to inform the public about the underlying realities of these pressing issues."

Here is Amanda McKenzie, CEO of the Climate Council's fund-seeking letter to Don Owers:

Hi don,

When the mercury soared, so did the disinformation.

Last week, outages at NSW’s ageing coal-fired power stations led to blackout warnings during the heatwave.1 But instead of reporting on the facts, the usual suspects tried to pin the blame on renewables and call for more fossil fuels.2

It’s just the latest example of vested interests spreading lies designed to pollute our politics and stall climate action.

But with your backing, we’re getting the truth out:

Worsening heat waves are fuelled by climate pollution from burning coal, oil and gas.
Our coal generators are now mainly old clunkers, at any one time ¼ of coal capacity is down on the east coast. 
Renewables, solar and wind backed by storage, are being rolled out around Australia. This must be accelerated to tackle the climate crisis and to replace old coal.
It is going to be a hot summer and we can’t let Australians be misled about climate action in the run up to next year's Federal election.

But thanks to a group of generous donors, if you chip-in today, your donation will be doubled*.

Double my donation
During last week’s heatwave, 4 of the 12 generating units at NSW’s polluting coal-fired power stations were offline for repairs or maintenance – prompting the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to issue blackout warnings. Most of our coal generators are close to the end of their operating life - so we can expect more outages as they get more unreliable. Like a 50 year old car, it gets harder and more expensive to keep it running. 

Fortunately, due to climate action policies, around 40% of our electricity now comes from clean power. We must scale up safe, clean, renewable power backed by storage (like batteries and pumped hydro) to both tackle the climate crisis and to replace old coal. Countless experts tell us that Australia’s energy needs can be reliably met if governments get on with delivering the renewable energy and storage projects in the pipeline.3

None of this stopped the Sky News and News Corp crowd from going into meltdown. Using the opportunity to run piece after piece of tired myths about renewables and feverishly calling for more fossil fuels. Funny they never mention that climate change is driving hotter, longer heat waves that is putting pressure on our ageing energy system. It’s infuriating but predictable, and unfortunately is misleading many Australians.

don, this isn’t just misleading. It’s dangerous.

This latest disinformation is part of a deliberate and sophisticated strategy to sabotage the rollout of renewable power in Australia. All so unscrupulous politicians, multinational coal, oil and gas corporations and their lobbyists can keep profiteering from pollution for longer - at the expense of our kids’ futures. With the BoM predicting a hot summer you can bet there'll be more of this misinformation every time there is a heat wave.

But we know how to fight this. With your support, we’ll put our expert-led, evidence-based strategy into action: “pre-bunking” myths with factual, compelling messages about climate solutions; dismantling myths via traditional and social media; and arming voters with the tools to separate fact from fiction. 

Here’s what we’re working on today to set the record straight:

Briefing journalists across Australia on the facts and accurate key messages.
Publishing a report later this week on the summer heat outlook, including the facts about blackout risk.
Stepping up a wide-ranging list of spokespeople for media interviews.
Providing briefings to politicians across the political spectrum.
Placing an op-ed from one of our expert Councillors in a major masthead.
Publishing an explainer article on our website.
Promoting facts across social media channels, including an explainer video.
Already, our community has chipped-in more than $49,000 to fight disinformation ahead of the election. Will you help us reach $80,000 by the end of today?

I'll drown out climate lies
Today is Giving Tuesday. An annual event created in 2012 around a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has inspired hundreds of millions around the world to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

To inspire more people to take action this Giving Tuesday, a generous group of Climate Council supporters have pledged to match every donation made before midnight tonight (up to a total of $22,075)*. That means that today your $50 donation becomes $100! Will you join us, and help win the battle for hearts and minds? 

Yes, I'll double my impact today
I’ve been so encouraged by the groundswell of support for this campaign so far. Our caring community has been the beating heart of our work since the day we were founded, helping us take on the deep pockets of the fossil fuel industry and win. And I know that together, we’ll win this fight too. 

With hope,

Amanda McKenzie

CEO 

Climate Council

P.S. Fossil fuel interests are counting on misinformation to win. With your help, we can drown out their lies and secure a safer future for our children. And today, your donation will be doubled—don’t delay!

*All donations to our climate disinformation appeal received before 11:59PM AEDT on 3rd December 2024 will be matched by a generous group of donors, up to a total of $22,075.

References

1. NSW's energy supply is 'extremely tight'. Here's how another heatwave could tip it over the edge, ABC, 29 November 2024

2. ‘What a farce’: Australians witness the ‘crumbling’ of Labor’s global warming policies, Sky News Australia (via msn), 27 November 2024

3. Energy roadmap lights the way to net zero, AEMO, 26 June 2024