bending the facts on sex and climate change

Along with our review of Woody Allen’s latest meditation on paunchy, pessimistic older men hooking up with radiant, witty young ladies – Irrational Man – we had such a great chat this week about who we can believe when we want the facts about climate change; which scientists (the meteorologists, geologists or climate geeks), which politicians (Abbott, Shorten, Hawke, Howard), which corporations (Shell, Exon-Mobil, Adani)? Take your pick and weep or read Maria Taylor’s new book (it’s a free download) Global Warming and Climate Change. This engrossing dissertation declutters the history and clarifies the forces which have shaped both public opinion and government policy over the past fifty odd years. Taylor chatted with us about everything from the bias of different scientific disciplines  to the dominance of economic rationalism, to Judeo-Chrisitian attitudes to the natural world. Her book also provides a detailed record of who was advising which politician when, traversing the cliffs and ravines of a global challenge from a uniquely Australian perspective, and what will no doubt prove to be our greatest challenge in the decades ahead. We also talked about the current war on environmentalists with Jeff Angel, director Total Environment Centre – this is what Waleed Aly had to say about it last week.