Thread by @CloverMoore

Today’s Daily Telegraph features a double-page spread challenging the City’s commitment to climate action by accusing us of flying too much.

Sound familiar? It’s the same argument Minister Taylor levelled at the City some weeks ago.

We’re talking about fewer than 30 return flights each year, for the entirety of the City’s 2,000 staff. Travel that allows city representatives to meet their international counterparts, to share experience, learn and return with a better understanding of global best practice.

We offset all the flights we pay for, and were the first local council in Australia to be certified as carbon neutral. We're also on track to reduce our emissions by 70% on 2006 levels, and by July 2020, all City operations will be powered by 100% renewable electricity.

This isn't about flights though.

The underlying issues is what climate scientist @MichaelEMann refers to as “deflection”.

While those against action on climate change used to flatly deny climate science, their tactics have matured.

Now they don’t deny; they deflect.

Deflectors say they want to address climate change, but only if the onus is on the individual and big business profits/the fossil fuel industry are protected.

Deflectors accuse us of hypocrisy – that if we were truly concerned about climate change, we would not fly.

These tactics seek to distract us from the reality that our government is presiding over a period of shameful inaction.

Vested interests are failing us while saying: “We’re not the problem; look at the hypocrites over there!”

Shame.

We must not allow them to deflect from the reality that without urgent action on climate change, we are condemning our planet. And simply taking fewer flights isn't going to cut it – we need the Government to start taking this seriously, and enforce structural change.