Submission from Dr Gideon Polya to the Senate Inquiry into Australia’s Faunal Extinction Crisis (12 August 2019).

Credentials. BSc (Zoology and Chemistry majors, University of Tasmania, 1965), BSc Honours (First Class, University of Tasmania, 1966), PhD (Biochemistry, Flinders University of South Australia, 1969), Postdoctoral research fellow, , New York (1969-1971), Queen Elizabeth II research fellow (Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, 1971-1972), variously as a fulltime Lecturer to Reader (Associate Professor) (La Trobe University, 1972-2003), part-time lecturer (School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2004-2006, and at La Trobe University, 2007-2013). I have published about 100 scientific research papers, 19 chapters of books [1] and 3 substantial books, namely “Biochemical Targets of Plant Bioactive Compounds. A pharmacological reference guide to sites of action and biological effects” (2003) [1], “Jane Austen and the Black Hole of British History. Colonial rapacity, holocaust denial and the crisis in biological sustainability” (1998, 2008) [2], and “Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950” (2007) [3]. I write and publish extensively overseas about the horrendous impact on Humanity and the Biosphere of violently-backed resource exploitation [1].

Growing up in Tasmania I was aware of the extraordinary beauty of the Tasmanian environment and after reading “Silent Spring” by Dr Rachel Carson [5] at the beginning of my zoological and chemical studies was horrified by the impact of chemical industry on animal life and became convinced that Man has no right to destroy any species, let alone complex ecosystems containing numerous plant, animal and microbial species. This view was reinforced by the likely extinction of the Tasmania tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus) [6, 7], the biocidal pollution of the environs of Queenstown, and the drowning of numerous ecosystems by the Tasmanian Hydroelectric Commission (HEC). We cannot destroy what we cannot replace and any ecosystem or species is priceless. While Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and Michelangelo’s “Pieta” can technically be reproduced with great fidelity for visual pleasure, species extinction is effectively forever (although advances in genomic biotechnology may permit, for example, a re-creation of a “proxy” woolly mammoth similar to the original) [8].

Australia is among world leaders for animal species extinction, with 40 animal extinctions to its name ranking it 4th in the world after the US (237), French Polynesia (59) and Mauritius (44) [9]. While arguably involved in the disappearance of the megafauna, Indigenous Australians practiced sustainable use of the Australian ecosystems for 65,000 years. This horrendous Australian speciescide has come about through hunting particular species to extinction (notably the Tasmanian tiger) [6], ecocide and hence speciescide through land clearing in forestry, agriculture, industry and urban development (notably the iconic koala, Phascolarctos cinereus) [10] , over-exploitation and pollution of scarce water resources [11], and the deadly impact of feral animals (notably foxes, dogs, cats and the cane toad).

A worsening climate emergency is threatening animal species survival (notably the mountain pigmy possum Burramys parvus [12]) and is devastating reefs that represent complex, multi-species ecosystems and are subject to the triple consequences of greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution, namely ocean warming (with expulsion of symbiotic photosynthetic zooanthellae and associated coral beaching and mortality) , from dissolution of carbon dioxide (CO2) (that is inimical to organisms with a calcareous exoskeleton), and agricultural run-off (with attendant turbidity and algal and predator growth promoted by fertilizer run-off) [12-20]. The IPCC issued a report in 2018 that details the numerous bad outcomes of a global +1.5 degree Centigrade (+1.5C) of warming versus the catastrophic outcomes from a +2C , notably a further 70-90% decline of coral reefs at +1.5C versus more than 99% loss at +2C [18-20].

Australia is among world leaders for the following 14 activities or parameter variously impacting the climate and hence species and ecosystem survival : (1) annual per capita greenhouse gas pollution [21-23], (2) live methanogenic livestock exports [24-32], (3) natural gas exports [33- 35], (4) recoverable shale gas reserves that can be accessed by hydraulic fracturing (fracking) [36 ], (5) coal exports [37-41], (6) land clearing, deforestation and ecocide [42, 43], (7) speciescide or species extinction [9, 44], (8) destruction [13-19, 45-49], (9) whale killing and extinction threat through global warming impacting on krill stocks [50], (10) terminal carbon pollution budget exceedance [51- 60], (11) per capita Carbon Debt [53], (12) ultimately GHG generating iron ore exports [61, 62], (13) climate change inaction [63], and (14) climate genocide and approach towards omnicide and terracide [64-67].

If one includes GHG pollution from combustion of its world-leading coal and gas exports, Australia (population 25 million) with 0.33% of the world’s population is responsible for 4.6% of the world’s GHG pollution [21]. Ian Dunlop and David Spratt (leading Australian climate change analysts) (2019): “We are already the fifth largest carbon polluter globally when exports are included – about 5% of global emissions. On current projections, by 2030 Australia will be responsible for a massive 13% of global emissions. Our fossil fuel industries are subsidised annually by about US$29bn or 2.3% of GDP, far in excess of anything given to the low carbon industries. And this in a country with probably the greatest low-carbon energy potential in the world – potential we are wasting, blocked by deliberately obstructive federal policy” [68].

Of course Australia is not alone , while being among world leaders in biodiversity destruction, speciescide, land clearing, coral reef destruction and per capita GHG pollution. The world must act to rapidly cease fossil fuel combustion and land clearing. Unfortunately it is highly likely that plus 1.5C will be reached in 10 years, and a catastrophic plus 2C in warming is now effectively unavoidable. However we are all obliged to do everything we can to make the future “less bad” for our children and future generations. In 2017 a shocking and dire warning was issued by over 15,000 scientists that we are badly running out of time to save the Planet from over-exploitation and man-made global warming. This warning, backed by data on disastrous trajectories in 9 out of 10 key areas over the last 24 years, came 25 years after a similar warning by 1700 scientists, coincided with the 2017 UN Climate Change Conference COP 23 in Bonn, and concluded “Time is running out” for action. Extrapolation from current trajectories indicates a worsening environmental disaster [69, 70], but a global environmental and biodiversity disaster to which Australia makes a disproportionately high contribution [21-57].

Massive harm has already occurred due to continuing carbon pollution, population growth and economic growth and it is clear that zero growth in these areas is insufficient – there must be negative carbon pollution (atmospheric CO2 draw-down to the pre-Industrial Revolution level of 300 ppm CO2 in the atmosphere from the present damaging and dangerous 415 ppm CO2) [71, 72] , negative population growth (population decline), and negative economic growth (degrowth) to halt and reverse this worsening disaster. Using coral as a "canary in the mine" , the world’s coral started dying when CO2 reached 320 ppm, at which time the earth's population was 3.3 billion i.e. the world's present population of 7.6 billion should be halved as should current resource exploitation (with the rich North bearing the brunt of this change) [73]. It gets worse - thus various climate experts (e.g. Dr James Lovelock, UK, , Professor Kevin Anderson, UK, Professor Clive Hamilton Australia, and Professor David Karoly, Australia) state that the sustainable human carrying capacity of the earth by 2100 may be a mere 1 billion or fewer [74]

Conclusions.

There are some obvious ways of urgently dealing with this appalling Australian ecocide and speciscide catastrophe that is disproportionately contributing to a relentless global movement towards omnicide and terracide: (1) rapid cessation of exports of coal, gas and methanogenically-derived meat; (2) rapid cessation of deforestation and other land clearing ; (3) rapid cessation of fossil fuel use for electricity and transport, and attendant subsidies; (5) massive re-afforestation and environmental restoration; (6) immediate priority given to the natural water flows in our rivers; (7) immediate cessation of any actions threatening Australia’s decimated biodiversity; (8) emergency action to wipe out damaging introduced plant and animal pests ; (9) urgent encouragement of rational and pro-environment lifestyle choices (vegetarianism, recycling, limited consumption and avoidance of air travel) , and (10) emergency action to preserve what is left of Australia’s indigenous flora and fauna.

For those neoliberals scoffing at these proposals, let me simply reiterate that every species is priceless, and not for this generation to destroy.

References.

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[3], “Jane Austen and the Black Hole of British History. Colonial rapacity, holocaust denial and the crisis in biological sustainability”, G.M. Polya, Melbourne, 1998, 2008.

[4]. “Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950”, G.M. Polya, Melbourne, 2007.

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