The post was originally published at Ongoing History of Protest Music.

No strangers to socially conscious music, veteran Australian rock band Midnight Oil speaks out against climate change with their latest single and video “Rising Seas.”

The tune was released just in time for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).

Doing what the band does best, the song is an urgent plea for real change. Politicians can’t just offer lip service; they need to take concrete action, as highlighted by the lyric: “Let’s confess we did not act with serious urgency. So, open up the floodgates to the rising seas.”

“‘Rising Seas’ has been burning a hole in our pockets ever since we started tracking it two years ago,” stated guitarist/songwriter Jim Moginie. “The climate crisis calls for a real sense of urgency so we decided not to wait any longer to share it.”

“We encourage everyone to make their voices heard in their own way on this existential issue,” added lead singer Peter Garrett. “The Prime Minister is fiddling while Australia literally burns. Scott Morrison may have reluctantly accepted net zero emissions by 2050 at last, but that’s nowhere near enough. No more coal or gas and a clear plan to cut carbon pollution by at least 65% below 2010 levels by 2030 is urgently needed.”

“The rest of the world knows that our future will be all about renewable energy – that’s where the jobs are and that’s our only way to avoid a climate catastrophe. We all have a right to let our leaders know that they need to do much more to address carbon pollution. And they need to start right now.”

Listen to Midnight Oil’s “Rising Seas”: