A pro-climate change ad campaign that calls for a tax on carbon has sparked a row in Australia. The ad campaign funded by environmental groups including Greenpeace and the Climate Change Institute, features the actor Cate Blanchett who has been dubbed "Carbon Cate" by some of her critics. In the ad she calls on Australians to "finally" do something about climate change.
Australian conservative leader Tony Abbott, who once described human-induced climate change as "crap" is steamed about the ad campaign. He dismissed Cate Blanchett as an "out of touch" celebrity.
Guardian:
The conservative opposition leader... lambasted the advert. "People who are worth $53m have a right to be heard – but their voice should not be heard ahead of the ordinary working people of this country..."
Abbott also aimed criticism at Australian PM, Julia Gillard - "This is a prime minister who is happy to listen to actors but she won't listen to voters..."
The use of the term 'actor' in an attempt to in some way diminish Blanchett's climate change advocacy is a cheap shot. The resentment toward her in some quarters isn't only related to her stance on carbon, it is more generally directed at members of perceived cultural 'elites' who speak out on environmental issues. In the eyes of some Australians Blanchett's celebrity status and personal wealth make her suspect.
She took the criticism in her stride: “I’m not really surprised by the reactions of people on the other side of the debate. People are entitled to their opinion."
Cate Blanchett brings more than a Hollywood name to the climate change debate. She and her husband, John Upton are joint artistic directors at the Sydney Theater Company. They are behind the 'greening' of the Sydney theatre where rooftop solar panels have been installed. Attention has also been given to improving waste management and recycling at the facility.
Cate Blanchett in the solar farm of the
Sydney Theatre Company
The carbon fight has been heating up in the Australian parliament. PM Julia Gillard's plan to cut greenhouse emissions through a carbon tax and emissions trading has met with stiff resistance. She recently warned that the famous World Heritage Kakuda wetland of "Crocodile Dundee" fame is endangered by climate change.
Gillard:
"Salt water will get into the fresh water in Kakadu, changing the ecology, being a real risk for the native animals that live there, being a real risk for the indigenous communities that still rely on this ecosystem ... "
Australians are ranked among the world's worst per capita polluters. Despite the growing threat to the environment from emissions, 60% of Australians are opposed to a carbon tax. This is in part due to scare tactics used by opponents of the tax who claim that a carbon tax would inflate the cost of energy leading to an overall increase in the cost of living.
This is a shortsighted approach. Unfortunately it may take more tangible evidence of the effects of climate change before attitudes change across the board.
The Chief Executive of the Climate Institute, John Connor, accused opponents of waging "a furious scare campaign." He said "Australia is a high-polluting economy and we want to get the simple fact through that this approach would be one which started to make the big companies pay for their pollution."
Link also to Guardian - BBC - Toronto Star
