The last few weeks have been rather significant, I believe, but because many readers will have been distracted by local news, I’ll give the highlights here.

To begin with, two weeks ago the Northern Hemisphere briefly overstepped the 2º Celsius cap scientists had warned us about many years ago; this represents the tipping point for global weather patterns. Leading climate scientists have stated that we are now in a state of “climate emergency.” They have also used words like “stunning”, “shock”, and “unprecedented”.

Can I suggest that Simon Busuttil take a look at the data released by NASA? The sharp spike in temperatures for February 2016 provides a much better example of something truly “unprecedented” than the recent discovery of hidden accounts in Panama and all the shenanigans that followed.

To continue our news round-up, the Great Barrier Reef is showing signs of bleaching and is in danger of dying; bees and other pollinators are becoming extinct, threatening global food supplies. A second cyclone just barely missed Malta last week.

There have been some positive reports too, which were instantly quelled, however, by the response from the world of business-as-usual. India announced a massive solar energy project, but the World Trade Organisation immediately crushed it, citing a breach of trade agreements.

Teenagers around the world are following their peers in The Netherlands, who successfully sued their government for failing to take action over climate change. But in America, Exxon Mobile, Shell, BP, and more than 600 oil and gas companies are pooling their resources against these children, and are helping their government to fight back.

I do not know who is funding the teenagers or India’s solar project, but the fact that the children’s wholly legitimate claim to a safe future, and India’s attempts to provide it, are being crushed by the Goliath of Oil strikes me as a really topsy-turvy kind of justice. What kind of parents would allow such a thing to happen to their children?

As I said, your attention was probably taken up. Here in Malta, we’ve been hearing nothing but demands for resignations and gung-ho announcements, from the ones who provide our daily bread and circus show.

I signed Michael Briguglio’s original call for Mizzi and Schembri to step down, because in principle I agree that they should. I did not sign the second one because these are not the issues I want pushed at this point. At this point, I think it is not my job to ensure these resignations; rather, it is the job of the police and other authorities that are supposed to guarantee transparency and accountability in Malta. I do not yet know which authorities are involved, or if they even exist, but I do know that as EU members we have a right to democracy, transparency and accountability.

I think that the solution to our controversies is that these institutions – and also Environmental, Planning, Broadcasting, and all other authorities for that matter – need to be strengthened and made independent. This is so that they can run checks on whichever set of jokers we elect to government next time. Perhaps the only way to do this, in this stupidly-polarized country, is to ensure that they are headed by members of the Opposition, as was recently suggested by Marlene Farrugia for parliament’s environmental committee.

Speaking of whom, our politicians have already gone into election mode it seems, and are treating us to their usual song-and-dance, with fanfares and foot-stamping, in an attempt to convince us they’ll do a good job instead of our current government. But apart from demands for resignations and the launching of new political careers, I haven’t heard a single idea on how they will address, say, the climate emergency once they get there. Have you?

Instead we are treated to the usual dose of fear-mongering and exaggeration. The Mizzi-Schembri affair is a threat to national security, according to AD. Isn’t it amazing how these people see threats everywhere – except for the ones that scientists have been flagging for decades and which are now right under our noses?

All we ever get from our politicians are excuses and whinging. Listening to it reminds me of children’s arguments. “It’s not fair; he had more time on the Playstation! It’s not fair, some members of PN managed to make more money before corruption was exposed!”

While all this puerility was distracting us, let me remind you, temperatures, for a short time, overstepped the 2º C threshold which scientists had warned would disturb climate conditions with unpredictable results. All scientists agree that the social and economic costs to human lives will be massive. Yet governments all over the world are allowing the interests of the fossil-fuel lobby to override those of our children.

If, like me, you object to having your attention stolen away from the things that matter, can I suggest you keep these facts in focus? Some people get over-excited by the timing and opportunities for themselves they see in political events. Perhaps you and I are different and we can see through their egoism, stupidity, and plain, old, evil intentions.