Promoting climate change

I've read the job of a newspaper editor is to reflect the biases of the community, which leads me to despair for Leeton

Your editorial in Friday's edition of The Irrigator, that kids should stay in school to understand the science of climate change rather than protest against the lack of action to address it, conflates two separate issues.

The first point is that science is largely conclusive: temperatures are rising and climate change is a fact.

Some might argue about the causes but it needs to be recognised that the fossil fuel industry is actively supporting dissenting opinions, including organisations such as the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) -- who are shaping Liberal Party policies.

Just look at how many members of the government are also members of the IPA.

These opinions from so-called "think-tanks" aim to muddy the waters of debate and further delay actions to address a looming disaster.

It is heartening to see NSW Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair recently said the "sands were shifting" in the climate change debate, while acknowledging his views differ from "many of my colleagues".

Farmers are already seeing the impact of rising temperatures and The Nationals need to act.

The second point is that protest is an established method of putting pressure on governments.

For a disenfranchised group like teenagers, who are seeing their future threatened by climate change, protest is perhaps the most civil method available to effect an outcome.

Non-violent protest has a long history of promoting change and is clearly needed to correct our ineffective government.