If it’s a sporting event, the comment is – I hope it doesn’t rain, it’ll ruin the wicket; or I hope it rains, this horse likes the mud and so on. The weather invades every aspect of our daily activities whether we acknowledge it or not.
And while there is this humourous aspect of the weather to ponder, there is a more serious side, as attention is being drawn to our increasingly unpredicatable weather patterns. Daily, we read of greenhouse gas emissions and the pollution of the environment. We hear of rising sea levels, particularly in Pacific Island countries, and we hear of health problems as a result of coal mining and dust emissions. Put together, these symptoms of modernday living combine to present a serious picture.
Scientific research is attempting to resolve the problems associated with climate and human behaviour and it is clear that everyone has a duty to understand what is happening around us, as well as a duty to understand how we can protect the future of our children and grandchildren. As gatekeepers of their precious futures, we need to be informed in order to make responsible decisions.
The Diocesan Council for Social Justice takes the matter seriously and will be hosting a public forum on Wednesday 10 June, at St Pius X College in Adamstown, commencing at 5.30pm. A group of experts, including Dr Mark Diesendorf, Daniel Wallace, Dr Alan Rai, Prof. Peter Sainsbury and Thea Ormerod, will present their findings on the effect of climate change and what it means to us in the Hunter. There will be particular emphasis placed on a just transition for miners into other forms of livelihood and how we can support renewable energy in our region.
If you would like to contribute to the conversation you will have an opportunity to do so during the Q&A section of the forum. As David Whitson writes in his opinion piece above, we have a responsibility to care for our Pacific Island neighbours, as well as those in our own communities. Remember “it is choice not chance that determines your destiny”, so by coming along on 10 June, you are demonstrating a choice for humanity’s survival – it is that serious!
You can register for the public forum here.
