In 10 Years, Australia Will Decide the Fate of Our Planet
The main battle for climate will happen in Australia, and it will happen soon
If countries were people, and fossil fuels were the drug, Australia would be the addict.
Not only it is the third-largest exporter of fossil fuels in the world, its entire economy is dependent on it. Australia still makes 40% of its energy by burning coal, with another 50% powered by oil and gas. Hundreds of thousands of people are currently employed in fossil fuel industries, and none of them want to lose their jobs.
This is not a unique situation. All countries are dependent on fossil fuels. Oil isn’t just how countries pay their bills and light their homes — it’s also the stuff we use to make tyres and Star Wars toys.
None of the developed countries want to pull the plug just to score some planet-points.
But Australia isn’t your typical developed country.
Located on one of the driest strips on the planet, Australia really, really doesn’t want the Earth to keep heating up. Even a few degrees can cause massive droughts in an otherwise fertile environment, and most of Australia isn’t a fertile environment.