It's a scary thought. But one that would make John Howard happy. To rein in climate change, we should go back to the lifestyles of the 1950s, which we know Howard regards as the Golden Age of all Australian history. He's been trying to take us back to the '50s since the 1970s.
Kenneth Davidson explains why, in mind-numbing detail, a return to the 1950s could save the world, or something. But here's the key guff :
Living in a 1950s world of energy consumption? Terrifying? Politically impossible? Even for the few million people who might win the lottery to survive at the poles at the end of the century in the disastrous wake of the softer option, it will sure beat the alternative.
A few million at the poles? If all the ice melts there will be room enough up there, and down there, for tens of billions of people. You could fit the entire world's population of today (6.4 billion people) into medium density suburban housing and fit everyone into the state of New South Wales, and still have room enough left over for a few parks. With swings.
Australia may well mostly be on its way to becoming one massive desert by the time monumental migration to the south and north poles takes place, but then we can always come back to Australia when the climate changes again.
In a few centuries.
