Octogenarian nun, Brigid Arthur, lost faith in Australian politicians a long time ago – making her a natural ally for defiant teenagers seeking to force action on climate change.
Equally fed up with political foot-dragging, the 86-year-old has joined eight students from across Australia in a landmark case seeking to block the expansion of Whitehaven Coal’s mine in New South Wales state.
Octogenarian nun Brigid Arthur pictured in Melbourne, Australia. PICTURE: Brigid Arthur
The lawsuit, which held its first hearing last week, argues that Environment Minister Sussan Ley has a duty of care to protect young people from climate change that endangers their future.
If successful, it could make it more difficult for coal mines to be approved in Australia, one of the world’s largest per capita carbon emitters which is highly reliant on coal exports.
“Our governments, for quite a long time now, seem to be swayed by short-term objectives, and in particular getting elected in the next election,” said Arthur, who spent years to working with children as a teacher and principal.
“They seem almost unable to do anything that is going to be a bit unpopular but in the long-term good for the country,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation from the southern city of Melbourne, citing climate, refugee and economic policies.
AUSTRALIAN RELIGIOUS GROUPS JOIN GLOBAL ‘DAY OF ACTION’ ON CLIMATE CHANGE
More than 100 faith communities from across Australia are expected to take part in a global multi-faith ‘Day of Action’ to “sound the alarm” on the climate on Thursday.
The day – which organisers say is being observed in 40 countries and involves religious organisations representing as many as 100 million people, will see churches ringing bells, rabbis sounding the shofar, imams calling the Azan and groups holding silent vigils in an effort to bring attention to the issue of climate justice.
The actions are being taken in support of the Sacred People, Sacred Earth statement which has been signed by more than 200 religious leaders including former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and Cardinal Turkson, Vatican Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, as well as high profile Australian religious leaders including Bishop Philip Huggins, president of the National Council of Churches, and Bishop Vincent Long of the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta.
The statement calls for wealthy nations to reach zero net emissions by 2030 instead of 2050 and for economic recovery money to be spent on renewables rather than fossil fuels.
In Australia – where the campaign is being spear-headed by the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, part of GreenFaith International – signatories are calling for Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Government to submit higher emissions reduction targets in-line with a net zero target by 2030 this year in the lead-up to the COP26 negotiations in Glasgow. They also want post-COVID recovery spending to target low carbon jobs and for finance to be provided to the UN Green Climate Fund for developing countries.
Bishop Philip Huggins said the transition to net zero emissions “requires we make a bold Australian contribution to COP26, as is expected by the Paris Agreement”.
“It means coordinating regional industry plans so that workers in fossil fuel industries can transition to durable and clean energy employment. We have the innovative expertise to ensure our economy flourishes and our climate is safe for this and future generations.
– DAVID ADAMS/Sight
The environment ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Climate change has long been a divisive topic in Australia, where the conservative government has won successive elections on a platform of supporting the fossil fuel industry, despite a push from environmentalists for greener policies.
Devastating bushfires last year, Joe Biden’s new green-leaning US administration, and the United Nations climate summit in November are adding to pressure on Canberra to set a goal to become carbon-neutral by 2050.
“We’ve always had bushfires…but it’s only in the last 20 years or so that we’ve had these huge, almost uncontrollable fires,” Arthur said in a telephone interview.
“We’ve [also] had lots of cyclones. All of these things always existed…but I believe they are increasing in ferocity and their frequency. It is very scary.”
Moral duty
As a Brigidine Sister – a Catholic order founded in Ireland more than 200 years ago – Arthur devoted much of her life to education in its Brigidine Colleges – and in 2001 set up the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project, a charity.
She did not think twice when lawyers involved in the climate lawsuit asked her to be the litigation guardian for the students, aged 13 to 17, who – as minors – legally required an adult to give instructions on their behalf.
“It was an easy sell. I passionately believe that we are doing damage to our planet, and seeing the world as we know it dying around us,” said Arthur, who has cropped grey hair and glasses.
“While I’m no expert about climate change, I can’t see how people and the world cannot believe that we have a total moral duty to do something about it.”
Australia is seen as a regional laggard on climate by some green groups, who cite pledges for zero-emissions by mid-century made in recent months by China, Japan and South Korea.
Climate Action Tracker, which measures government actions in relation to the 2015 Paris Agreement to tackle global warming, rates Australia’s policies as “insufficient”, highlighting its continued support for the coal and gas industries.
In an interview with The Australian newspaper this year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, a devout Christian, said he would not introduce a new carbon emissions target ahead of the UN conference, and was instead focused on technological fixes.
“I’ve lost a lot of faith in our current government. I don’t think I’d have much in common with Scott Morrison at all – either religiously or any other way,” said Arthur.
“He is often described as a marketing person – and without wanting to stereotype him – that’s what comes across too.”
She said the “smart kids” involved in the Melbourne lawsuit had all taken part in the global youth climate strikes – launched by teen activist Greta Thunberg – and they hoped to create a “tipping point” for governments to take climate action.
“Young people getting energised is capable of energising adults too,” she said, adding that the next big wave of asylum seekers would be the result of climate change.
“The more that young people become active, there is potential for enough pressure to be put on the government to make their policies much more active.”
A judgment is not expected for several months.
