We Need to Talk About Politics

When it comes to climate change, we can't afford to be too polite to talk about politics.  Veterinary professionals have an important role to play in letting our elected representatives know that climate change is hurting the animals we love, and that we want them to take action to prevent further harm.

by Elise Anderson, Regional Lead

 

A Setback for the Global Climate Movement

Many of my friends and family were surprised by how crushed I was by the result in the recent US election. There’s nothing you can do about it, they said, there’s no point worrying about it.  It’s not even our country, it won’t affect us that much. But the reality is, politics - whether it is going on halfway around the world, or whether it is here in our own backyard - dictates policy, and that does have a direct impact on all of our lives, especially when it comes to climate change. 

There are only a little over five years left in this important decade: a rapidly shortening period in which all nations across the world need to make sustained and lasting cuts to their carbon emissions if we are to have any hope of limiting warming of the planet to agreed targets, and keep the damage caused by climate change to a minimum.  Knowing that America, the second biggest global contributor to carbon pollution, will be in the hands of an administration that is openly sceptical about climate change - whose mantra during the campaign was “drill baby, drill!” -  for four out of those vital five years, is a devastating blow for many of us advocating for climate action. It is going to make our job that much harder.

Harder, but still possible! 

Australia Can Still Choose Another Path

Australia has one of the best electoral systems in the world, our democracy is robust and vibrant. Everyone has a part to play to make sure that politicians in Australia do as they were elected to: represent our views and act on the issues that are important to us. 

There are many ways to interact with our members of parliament and make our views known.  Voting is certainly one, and an important part of our duty as citizens.  With the Australian Federal Election coming up in the first half of 2025, I hope that action on climate is one of the key issues that we’re all taking into account when deciding how to cast our ballot. 

However, I would strongly encourage everyone who cares about climate action to go further than that, by considering taking one of the following actions to interact with your local member of parliament.  You can:

  • Take just a minute or two to interact with an MP on social media 
  • Write an email expressing your concerns about the impact of climate change on animals 
  • A face to face conversation is even better yet - this might be an organised meeting, but for those of us in country towns it’s not unusual to run into our MPs at local events, or even down the street, providing great opportunities for a more casual chat.  


Vets Have an Important Role as Climate Champions

It can be easy enough to assume that our elected representatives aren’t interested in hearing from us. Or worry that we somehow aren’t qualified to speak to them on the issues that concern us, like climate change.  This couldn’t be further from the truth, especially when it comes to veterinary professionals living and working in rural and regional areas.  

Veterinary professionals are important members of our local communities, serving vital functions both economically and socially.  With over 60% of Australian households owning pets, and hundreds of thousands being employed in the agricultural sector, we meet and speak to a vast cross section of the population every day.  More than that, we are an established and highly trusted source of information and advice when it comes to animal health and welfare.  This makes us ideal candidates to advocate to politicians at all levels for action on climate that helps protect the animals we love and care for.

 

VfCA Staff and board members campaigning against fracking the Beetaloo Basin outside Parliament House (source: Steff Goldring)

At Vets for Climate Action we are proudly and staunchly non-partisan.  We support good climate policy - policy that will lower emissions, and benefit animals and people as they coexist together - regardless of where on the political spectrum it comes from.  Likewise, we will call out and push back against poor policies, both those that contribute to the problem, and those which aren’t ambitious enough. 

Being non-partisan doesn’t mean we wash our hands of politics, for the very reason mentioned above - politicians make climate policy.  However, politicians don’t operate in a vacuum; it’s their job to represent the views and needs of their constituents, and it’s their responsibility to take the advice of experts to ensure that their policies are fit for purpose.  Vets definitely have a role to play in both of those aspects.

We have some great resources on our website (you can find them here) that can help you out if you’d like to get in touch with your local MP and share your concerns, or please reach out by email [email protected] if you’d like any help or advice.