Climate change: What is important to know before the Australian federal election?

In the fourth episode of the “Every Vote Matters” series, we discuss the importance of climate change in the context of the federal elections. What have parties in Australia historically proposed in this regard? Which of their own promises have they kept and what has been quickly forgotten?

Children holding placards getting ready to march in Melbourne, Australia Source: Asanka Ratnayake / Stringer / Getty Images

The fourth episode of the "Every Vote Matters" series is all about climate change. What is 'carbon tax' and who proposed it? Why doesn't Barnaby Joyce want to give up the coal industry? Who sued the Federal Minister for the Environment?

Marine biologist Katya Ovsyanikova explained how climate change is affecting Australia today. She also gave a historical perspective on how various parties in Australia have been suggesting to fight climate change.

Maria Schreider is a marine biologist and lecturer at the University of Newcastle. For this episode, Maria explained why biodiversity is important for humanity and also gave a crash course on what the scientific community of Australia considers necessary to do today, or better yesterday, to tackle climate change.