with Carol Peterson and Kate Cahoon (Australian environmentalists and socialists)
The fires that are burning in Australia* are unprecedented but were predicted. They signal that we have entered a phase of climate crisis where tipping points cause weather events and disasters to occur more frequently and with greater severity.
The major political parties in Australia have waged a decades-long battle to prevent action that could ensure a safe climate future. And the current policy on disaster response individualises responsibility for disaster preparedness and emergency response, and at the same time militarises government disaster response.
The scale of the destruction of eco-systems and wildlife, as well as the tragic death of people in the disaster leave us with a burden of grief. In four major Australian cities people are facing unknown health effects after breathing dangerously polluted air for weeks.
The crisis will almost certainly continue until the end of March, with some experts predicting that dangerous, out of control the fires could flare up into May. How should we respond to this 'new normal'?
What is happening in Australia gives us an insight into the strategies that climate-crisis-denying elites use to maintain their grip on power, how important community controlled disaster preparedness is and the kinds of organising we need to build to avoid a future of escalating horrors.
On Monday, 27th January, the Berlin LINKE Internationals offer you the chance to discuss the bush fires in Australia and the international climate crisis with Carol Peterson and Kate Cahoon.
Carol went to school with survivors of the Ash Wednesday fires and has worked in recovery phase community development after the Black Saturday fire. Carol has been engaged in just transition work, both climate and through working for a manufacturing trade union.
Kate Cahoon is a campaigner for the environmental organisation 350.org and is a campaigner and climate activist based in Berlin. Both Carol and Kate are happy to share their knowledge about climate, just transition, Australian fire disasters and disaster recovery with you!
*This text uses the settler-colonial names for places but it should be noted that what we call Australia is made up of a large number of Aboriginal nations. The industrial revolution and ensuing climate crisis, just like the name Australia are a European creation.
At the time of writing the fires have wrecked destruction on lands of the Yuin, Ngarigo, Jaitmatang, Nagunawal, Dharung, Gundungurra, Kurnai, Bidwell, Peramangk, Kuarna, Palawa (and other, this is not an exhaustive list) peoples.
