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Do-nothing stance on climate not an option : Comments
By Martin Callinan, published 5/12/2005Martin Callinan argues Australia’s climate policy has become a degraded object for most Australians.
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Posted by Faustino, Monday, 5 December 2005 11:36:02 AM
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The warming we are experiencing now can easily be explained as part of a natural cycle of climate variation. The hysteria surrounding cllimate change and C02 emissions is another thing altogether. Take a look at yourselves. How can you listen to these people and believe that climate change is the greatest threat to the planet? cant you see that your being brainwashed by a mantra designed to keep the poor poor and the rich in a satanic paridise?
There may well be adverse effects of C02 on the environment but to say there is no discenting science and that it is the greatest problem we have to face (sorry third world no power grids for you) is insane. Do you think a country that wins brownie points by letting international financiers move its industry to the third world where the workers live and are treated like slaves is more admirable because it now has a lower c02 emission? Posted by Jellyback, Monday, 5 December 2005 2:45:38 PM
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This is Australia's new contribution to the world. Taking on the role of "second dissenter" along with the US.
There're just two of us.... It makes Japanese whale hunters seem like law-abiding global citizens. Posted by WhiteWombat, Monday, 5 December 2005 11:14:25 PM
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Faustino,
Thanks for posting the Minister`s press release. Exactly what did I write that conflicts with the facts? Our emissions continue to rise. Check the facts. Exactly what is the Government is doing to decrease (RESTRICT) our emissions? Tell me when, give me the year, under this Government`s policy, that emissions will start to decline? Check the facts. It is strange that you are so satisfied with the Government`s assertion that emissions aren`t growing as fast as they otherwise may have been thanks to non restrictive voluntary measures. Is this the sum of your attitude? Is this a solution? I am in Montreal now, along with 10,000 other people, trying to find ways to REDUCE the world`s emissions. The Minister turns up tomorrow, I hope he`ll have more to say than "in Australia things aren`t as bad they they could be". It won`t go down too well. Have a look at: http://www.fossil-of-the-day.org/go/ Posted by martin callinan, Tuesday, 6 December 2005 4:18:10 AM
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Faustimo, This is the equivalent of taking every one of Australia’s 14 million cars, trucks and buses off the road – and stopping all rail, air and shipping activity. What action has been taken to achieve this result that Campbell talks off. It would be very interesting to see the figures that will achieve this and the industries that will have to change for those results.
To believe that climate change is a natural cyclic event, flies in the face of reality. Presently our atmosphere has 27% more C02 that at any time in the last 250000 years. You either live in an city and never go anywhere that has a real climate, or you are just a slave to illusion. Faustimo, I look forward to your comments over the next 3 years regarding this, thats if where you live is still in one piece. Jellyback, continuing on the present path will keep the poor poor and the rich richer. To stop and reverse the current climate trends, would require a rethink of how we conduct our society, as it will be small enterprises that will be capable of change, rather than monopolies and large organisations and cities. Posted by The alchemist, Tuesday, 6 December 2005 9:18:40 AM
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Dear Alchemist,
in the spirit of learning together and fostering consructive debate, which societies, time periods or leaders from the past (say 1000 years) do you see as instructive as to the direction that 1) Australia should take and/or 2) the world as a whole should take. When I say say direction we should take I mean a direction that maximises the health, education, happiness, creative potential of the maximum number of that society's members. I would also include, but am sure you would disagree, the fostering of conditions amenable to population growth but you can leave that out if you consider it debatable. Do you have a different idea of what a "good society" is? Posted by Jellyback, Tuesday, 6 December 2005 2:57:08 PM
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This is nonsense, at variance with the facts. The proposed Kyoto target for Australia, which recognised that much of our emissions arise from export industries which serve other countries' needs, was 108% of our 1990 emissions in the period 2008-12.
DEH released a press statement on 30/11/05 which states that "A new report released today shows Australia remains on track to meet its Kyoto target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 108 per cent of their 1990 level by 2010.
The Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, today released Tracking to the Kyoto Target 2005, which measures Australia’s performance against its internationally agreed emissions target.
Senator Campbell said the report showed that actions taken by governments, industry and the community meant Australia would save 85 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year by 2010. This is the equivalent of taking every one of Australia’s 14 million cars, trucks and buses off the road – and stopping all rail, air and shipping activity.
Without such action, it is estimated that emissions would reach 123 per cent of 1990 levels by 2010.
“This result is a tremendous effort by governments, industry and the Australian community – all of which have taken up the climate change challenge,” Senator Campbell said.
“We are one of only a handful of industrialised countries that is on track to its target through domestic action alone.""
We haven't joined Kyoto, but we have met the targets; and the recent initiative with major current and prospective polluters the US, China and India is surely goiung to be far more effective than anything coming out of the EU.