I’m not usually shocked by news anymore, but finding out that climate skepticism has increased really stopped me in my tracks. Seeing that Australia is ranked sixth for climate skepticism sent me in to a smol despair spiral. The stats are the basis for a new campaign by the Australian Youth Climate Coalition called NewsJacker, asking young people to help hack skeptic’s phones to battle climate misinformation. It’s kinda wild! But desperate times call for desperate measures etc etc! I hope you’ll take part in it – visit the link for details.

I am so proud that Zee Feed is the media partner for the campaign, even though some might think it’s too controversial (including a bigger, well-known publication who initially turned it down 👀) We’ve published an article (scroll down) with the official Zee Feed stance, but my own personal view is not something I often see discussed:

Climate skepticism doesn’t fucking matter to climate action.
HOLD FIRE! I’ll explain…

There are two core truths I believe about the federal government and climate action. Truth #1: All politicians with actual power are very well informed on the science of the climate crisis. I’m not talking rogue backbenchers (Craig Kelly really did not understand lol), but the career politicians who actually steer the parties. The likes of Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong, Tanya Plibersek, Simon Birmingham, Marise Payne, and yes, even Peter Dutton, Sussan Ley and Barnaby Joyce. They’re smart, they know the science is real and settled, they’re advised by experts constantly. Do lobbyists present alternative data? Yes. Do I think these politicians actually believe the alternative data? No. The lobbyists, coal, oil and gas companies don’t either! You don’t have to believe something to use it as a cover.

Truth #2: The government does not need overwhelming public support to take a climate action. It doesn’t need public support to do anything, technically. Publicly unpopular policy is passed all the time, which they argue is beneficial to the country. See: AUKUS submarines; Stage 3 tax cuts.

So whether 3% or 83% of Australians that are climate deniers, it shouldn’t matter! The public is not in control of climate action. Government and industry are. They could, say, stop coal-fired power tomorrow if they wanted to. But they don’t, because the longer they can delay taking this inevitable action, the longer they can make money. For the resource companies that’s profits; for the Liberal and Labor parties it’s money for the economy in exports. Eventually one of the parties will have to be responsible for stopping coal plants, but they’re playing hot potato because neither wants to be the one to turn off the money tap. It’s all part of the childish “I’m better at the economy!” fight

Climate skepticism in the public is not something they care about at all – as in, the politicians don’t really care about representing or catering to those people’s opinions. But the existence of climate skepticism is a great political cover. It allows the federal government to pretend they are ‘considering’ a small portion of voters – whether that be coal miners or oil rig workers or small business owners or whoever. It’s a convenient excuse to ‘go slow’.

I see climate skeptics as victims in all this. They’re being excluded from education, all because it’s convenient to have them muddy the waters for the benefit of politicians who want more money time.

Why would I care about fighting climate misinformation, if I think it’s irrelevant to climate action? Because reducing skepticism removes the government’s excuse! We’ve gotta go hard at removing at any excuse they provide for not acting in the best interest of Australia, Australians, the planet and the human race. If we eliminate their justification (one they don’t even believe themselves), we force their hand. That means sharing accurate information and helping as many people as possible understand how the climate emergency will impact their lives.

As everyday citizens it’s one of the few nuggets of power we have. At this point, exercising that power is a moral duty.

– Crystal
Founder & Chief of Everything at Zee Feed
Follow me on Instagram or TikTok

Good stuff on Zee Feed rn:

42% of Australians are climate skeptics. So even though you probably know someone who thinks this way, having the climate conversation with them can be super uncomfortable… NewsJacker helps by breaking them out of their misinformation echo chamber. CLICK HERE TO READ.

Smart stuff on the Internet 💭

All the stuff I found on the web that made me think, smile, or have an ‘aha!’ moment. Spend your Sunday reading them – you'll be better off for it:

Climate criminal Woodside gets value for money from its political donations on Crikey
Relevant to literally everything I’ve just typed. "The confected outrage over a protest outside the home of Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill, and the fact that the ABC was present to film it, is a perfect example of Woodside’s state capture and dogged support of a compliant media."

This very insightful TikTok by Australian music critic Sam Murphy about why new artists can’t break through any more.

Montgomery Riverboat Brawl: A Cathartic Comedy Of Justice For Black America on NewsOne
“There’s a fine line between condoning senseless aggression and recognizing that sometimes, karma takes the wheel. The Montgomery riverboat brawl wasn’t just a random act of violence; it was a powerful display of self-defense and collective solidarity against oppression.”

There Is No Housing Crisis on The Walrus
This piece focuses on Canada, but it applies to Australia’s housing landscape too. In a nutshell: this isn’t a ‘crisis’, it’s the system working exactly how it was designed to – for the benefit of some, not all.

If you found this email thought-provoking, will you share it with a friend? Sharing helps us grow 🌱 and makes you look really smart.