Australian academic thinks that peer-reviewed climate science shows that if we keep emitting CO2, we "condemn our children and grandchildren to eke out a miserable existence, buffeted by violent weather, on a planet blighted by drought, fire, flood and no longer able to supply their basic needs"

We are guardians of the future - The Drum Opinion (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

The US still hasn't ratified Kyoto. I took my 14-year-old aside a few weeks ago and apologised to her. 'What for?' she gruffed.

'Because my generation has done something terrible to yours,' I said.

'We used up the planet, we changed the climate and trashed it, and all because we wanted more stuff than we could possibly find room for. When you are my age there will be more storms, less places to grow food, more wars because oil supplies have peaked, and so much of the species, the beauty, the sheer wonder and inspiration of this planet will be lost forever.'

It was the hottest December day on record and we looked down the empty street.

'This is the future,' I said, 'People holed up indoors to survive more and more days of extreme weather.'...For me the failure last fortnight to grasp the latest findings of peer-reviewed climate scientists, and act decisively to stop burning fossil fuels was my moral 'tipping point'. These reports are beyond alarming and frankly terrifying. They condemn our children and grandchildren to eke out a miserable existence, buffeted by violent weather, on a planet blighted by drought, fire, flood and no longer able to supply their basic needs.