Spending time with my friends in their home village of Mabao, Shanxi Province, has meant that I’ve been able to directly experience the significant benefits of two important aspects of Chinese thought – ecological civilization and whole-process people’s democracy.

It is entirely possible to encourage and respect decentralised knowledge and problem solving while retaining an overriding purpose and command structure.

The diverse views in regard to hazard reduction burning all have their foundation in a popular narrative, but the unpopular scientific knowledge tells a different story.

Important published research and historical evidence in regard to climate history and the role of fire in the Australian landscape have been missing from the bushfire crisis debates.