Former Australian Coal Executive Calls For Clean Energy Amid 'Existential Threat' Of Climate Change
This 10 minute piece on NPRs Here and Now today is worth a listen.
Dunlop is no stranger to the fossil fuel industry he was once an international oil, gas and coal executive and former chair of the Australian Coal Association. He says he left his position in the late 80s after recognizing the science behind climate change and since then, has been an advocate for clean energy.
As times gone by over the years, the science has improved dramatically and the evidence has gotten clearer and clearer, and there comes a point when you have to do something about it, he says.
While coal is a major economic source for the country, there are different ways to initiate change, he says. For example, Australia is blessed with a range of potential renewable options that can be tapped into, such as their naturally high levels of sunlight and high wind conditions.
There will be a cost in making the switch to a low-carbon economy, but in the long run, its worth it, he says.
It's not just going to happen easily. It is going to have an impact on economies all around the world, he says. But the costs of doing nothing are far greater, as we're now starting to see in Australia, because the impact on the economy of what is now happening in the last three or four or five weeks is going to be enormous.
More (and audio) here:
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/01/08/australia-fires-coal-climate-change