It shows you how much people think they have at stake. In particular, the fantasy of pristine Nature. Everything about global warming denies us this fantasy. Giving up a fantasy is far more difficult than giving up a reality. No wonder 30 Australian professors working on climate science have had their security tightened.
The sadness of Australia was its attempts to remake itself in Europe's image: strictly fantasy, of the purest sort, really. And New Zealand. That place didn't even have mammals in it until the Europeans arrived.
"... didn't even have mammals in it until the Europeans arrived."
ReplyDeleteExcept for a few bats, whales, dolphins, seals, and the Polynesian dog and rat introduced by the Maori.
Tim - Don't Aboriginal Australian count (as mammals)? But even aside from them, I'm surprised to hear there weren't others. Were humans the only one who swam across and colonized the island? That (and the fact that I didn't know it) seems stunning to me...
ReplyDeleteAdrian, my somewhat hyperbolic phrase (Matt) was with reference to the mainland of NEW ZEALAND.
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