Pity about the Planet

'Pity About the Planet' by Judy Horacek is a four-panel digital illustration in a two-by-two grid published in the Australia Institute on the 19th of January 2024.   

The first panel reads, in black text on a speckled purple background, 'The 21st century is nearly a quarter over and the world is still reliant on fossil fuels. And fossil fuel companies still wield enormous power over government policies.'  

In the second panel, two men in suits, simply drawn with angular lines, sit opposite each other in maroon chairs. One is bald with beige skin and one has black hair and brown skin. They clink champagne glasses together. The man on the left says, in a speech bubble, '2024! My how time flies when you're raking in profits.' The one on the right says, 'Seriously, who would've thought we'd get away with it for this long!'  

In the third panel, a man in a suit with pink skin appears between them and says, 'Pity about the planet…' The first two people sit agape.   

In the last panel, the man in the centre uncorks a bottle of champagne and says, 'Ha ha, joking!!!' They all laugh.  

The label text for this cartoon reads: In the day-to-day discussions about the climate emergency, much is made of personal responsibility and government policy. Judy Horacek reminds us, however, of the crucial role fossil fuel companies play in the crisis. A recent report released by the Carbon Majors database stated that between 2016 and 2022 80 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide could be traced to just 57 oil, gas, coal and cement producers.