Climate change has dominated the headlines in recent weeks, and its also been a favoured topic of conversation in many of the interviews I have undertaken in the wake of the HVACR Leadership Awards.
Before heading to Melbourne for the CCN Live event last month, the United Nations released a progress report to assess how much work had been done to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees (as per the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015).
The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the report in preparation for the upcoming climate change conference in Poland next month.
Sadly, it was a pretty poor assessment. It's clear we are not even doing enough to limit warming to 1.5°C, instead we are recklessly charging ahead toward 3°C of warming.
But, nobody wants to be an alarmist which may explain why IPCC Working Group co chair, Jim Skea, cushioned his remarks in science-speak.
He said it is possible to limit warming to 1.5ºC “within the laws of chemistry and physics” but it would require unprecedented changes (in climate policy). As we all know, change doesn't come easy in the real world.
On that happy note I flew to Melbourne to interview the 2018 winners of the HVACR Leadership Awards. Each winner was asked to identify the biggest challenges facing industry.
Interestingly, each winner referenced at least one of the following topics – sustainability, natural refrigerants, climate change and energy efficiency.
The environment is clearly at the forefront of many minds, and this was made abundantly clear upon my return to Sydney.
The voter disapproval that was unleashed on the federal government in the Wentworth by-election was absolutely astounding.
It proves that climate change isn't just a next-generation issue of concern to younger voters, even ageing conservatives take it seriously.
But even in the face of such a devastating backlash the government has made it clear its climate change stance will remain unchanged (see what I mean about change?)
I suppose its good news for the Independents running at the next federal election. (Just what we need more Independents with a lot more power than they deserve).
In closing and on a more positive note, I just want to say congratulations to all our HVACR Leadership Award winners and thanks to our sponsors for this year's event and awards – Refrigerant Reclaim Australia, ABB,
Daikin, Innotech, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air Conditioning, Toshiba and Totaline.
I also want to thank everyone that attended CCN Live 2018 for making it such a great event.
Your support is truly appreciated so whatever you do, don't change.