 Thousands of scientists may doubt global warming is heating the world to hell, but not so the Queensland Studies Authority, which tells geography teachers to ram home the following “facts”:
The investigation of these key questions should lead
to an understanding and consideration of the following key geographical
ideas, using the case studies selected by the school:…
•The earth’s climate system has demonstrably changed on
both global and regional scales since the pre-industrial era, with some
of these changes attributable to human activities.
• Human activities have increased the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and aerosols since the pre-industrial era…
• Key biophysical indicators of climate change are sea level
changes, duration of ice cover on rivers and lakes, Arctic Sea ice
extent and thickness, non-polar glaciers, snow cover, permafrost, El
Niño events, growing season, plant and animal ranges, breeding,
flowering, migration and coral reef bleaching…
• Resources critical to island and coastal populations such as
beaches, fresh water, fisheries, coral reefs and atolls, and wildlife
habitat will be at risk from rising sea levels — also necessitating a
shift in tourist destinations…
• The projected rate and magnitude of climate change can be
lessened by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. There is a range of
strategies: reducing energy use from fossil fuel sources, carbon
trading, sequestration, land use, better forestry practices, and fuel
cell technology…
• Cooperation between governments can result in the removal of
barriers preventing the introduction of low emission technology (Kyoto
Protocol, Asia Pacific Summit).
That’s right. There’s not the slightest suggestion anywhere that
global warming theory is contested. No mention of the fact the world
hasn’t warmed for a decade and the weather isn’t getting wilder. No
doubt entertained that Kyoto, even if implemented in full (which it
won’t be) would simply delay the warming expected in 2100 by four years -
and at a colossal cost. No notion given that cutting man-made gases
might not cut temperature. And, note also, in suggesting ways to cut
greenhouse gases, the syllabus omits any mention of the surest and
cheapest of all the alternatives - nuclear power.
This is not teaching but preaching. A decade from now a lot of
20-somethings will look back at their schooling and realise how they
were betrayed.
Reader Narelle, who alerted me to this, adds:
The Australian Geography Teachers’ Association is
holding a conference on the Sunshine Coast in late Sept/Oct and there
are 3 papers to be presented on climate change, all on one side. There
does not appear to be any questioning of the science.
And to think this is happening in a tropical state on which snow fell this winter.
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