The word ‘emergency’ has been part of the English language since around 1630. Its most common political use today is (as expressed by the Oxford English Dictionary): ‘as a political term to describe a condition approximating to that of war…’. Approximating war, okay? That’s how it should be used. But is that how our pollies use it? The South Australian Parliament has passed a motion declaring there is a ‘global climate emergency’ – which seems rather beyond their remit (rather like South Hurstville council declaring a ‘nuclear-free zone’).