There's a couple of ways to make the Chinese take notice
1) not sell them any coal
2) put a 'carbon' tariff on what we import from them.
Let them get coal from the Indonesians or whomever because some (eg Richard Heinberg) are now saying world coal output will peak within 15 years. That's a side benefit of cutting back now because we will conserve the resource and find alternatives. Even if glaciers start forming in the Dandenongs while we shiver in the dark at least we are preparing for the long haul.

I'd hesitate to dismiss the IPCC report because if the dams don't fill before summer it will become the new Bible.

People are missing one point. The Chinese are already going more an Australia. Solar, energy efficent cities and reaforestation programs.
I don't like the Chinese Government because of the genocide in Tibet but credit where credit is due. They have a huge mass with a billion people wanting some of the things we have, there is corruption but they are starting to count the cost of pollution and make changes, which is better then our lot.

Just the usual rabid right wing ratbag rabble ranting again, have a look at history pal, most of the innovative social and political changes in the world were spearheaded by small countries, big ones are weighed down by bureaucrats and inertia.The bit you don't get is we/they might not have any choice, with neatherandls like yourself runnimg the show we are headed for huge famine's where about half the world population are likely to starve to death, then we won't need all that elecricity. You lot are like little kids johnny is going to jump off the cliff so I will follow him.

y, alanpoi, maybe 1/2 the world will die sooner. but this disaster will happen anyway if a fixed amount of land is infested by an ever growing population of humans. so relax, have a bex and a biscuit with your tea.

The arrogance of humanity is alive and well and as misplaced as ever. The earth has been evolving - undergoing a constant process of change for four to five billion years and is still doing so. All we are doing is dirtying our own nest, and suffering the direct consequences of our own actions. It matters little which occurs first - a Malthusian stalemate, or we all choke on our own waste - the earth doesn't care. The only possible way to hang on as a discrete species is to halt population growth, and allow the biosphere to regenerate. It is up to us - the biosphere is only a 'biosphere' to the current crop of living organisms which exist within the current life parameters. There have been many life forms before, and will be many again until the sun eventually becomes a red giant and the earth is no more.

Two sensible climate change articles in one day, I'm impressed. Both well written and thought out.

"There's a couple of ways to make the Chinese take notice
1) not sell them any coal
2) put a 'carbon' tariff on what we import from them."

1) will only hurt Australia as plenty of other countries will sell to them.
2) might work but only if the big countries do it. Australia's buying power is effectively squat

"I'd hesitate to dismiss the IPCC report because if the dams don't fill before summer it will become the new Bible"

Thats exactly why I'd dismiss it, as it is accepted with a religious unquestioning fervour.

"we are headed for huge famine's where about half the world population are likely to starve to death"

maybe you could help out by sacrificing yourself if you are so sure..

"a fixed amount of land is infested by an ever growing population of humans"

doom doom doom...

"The arrogance of humanity is alive and well and as misplaced as ever"

you got that right, most of them reckon they can predict the future...