Against the Tide by Steven Friedman

 As the world experiences record heat and extreme weather, citizens are beginning to demand that governments deal with climate change and the damage it is doing to the future of the planet. But climate change remains a non-issue here despite the fact that it may destroy our future - and despite the fact that we have experienced floods and droughts. The reason is that the brunt of climate change here is borne by the two-third of the country who the debate ignores.  So, climate change will remain a non-issue until it affects the suburbs.

This is the view of my weekly Against the Tide column sent to subscribers this morning. To read it, visit the Against the Tide website and subscribe. If you want to read it but can't afford a subscription, contact us at info@againstthetide.co.za

Steven Friedman is a public commentator and an academic, currently employed as a Research Professor at the University of Johannesburg. He has been writing on South African politics for the entire democratic period both as a scholar and public commentator. He has published books on South Africa’s transition to democracy, the role of the trade union movement, and current South African politics. He has also written columns and articles for several South African newspapers. His writing seeks to use academic research to shed light on current politics but to ensure that this is conveyed in a way easily understood by people who have no academic training.