@Tombee: May I ask which source you used as the basis for you statement "she has got the economics wrong"? It can't be the team of economists who were sent out by the MPCCC to review 1000 different policies and recommend the best? Nor could it be the 2/3's of top Australian economists (as reported in the Age) who believe that the CEF policy quite a good one (including the director of ANZ) and the coalition alternative is an economic wash out.

Also, it doesn't matter whether or not Aust has global impact. The global economy is moving towards renewables. This is also @Mareelorraine. Europe has an ETS. Countries like Denmark, Sweeden, Germany, France and Spain have been investing in large-scale renewables in the order of billions of dollars for years. Last year the UK conservative government announced one of the most ambitious carbon reduction packages in the world. Many states in the US have ets'. The US also just invested more than $700 million in a Solar Thermal plant for Nevada. Yes, China is growing more every year. However it is also investing the most in renewables of any country in the world. A little squiz at the holder of all knowledge (wikipedia) shows that it had 197GW of Hydro in 2009 (I believe the whole of Australia uses roughly 180GW), it also had 26GW of wind, and it produces 30% of the world's photovoltaics... need I go on?

Most importantly: The government has agreed to a carbon tax because it is finally listening to the science. Our future is on the line. We need all hands on deck to make sure our clean energy future happens and as citizens of a democracy, we're in one of the best places to make that happen. Further, please look again at the policy. Economists, the MPCCC, the Government etc are all showing how the policy will not compromise our economy. It is frankly ridiculous and uninformed to state that this policy will send our country towards being a third world nation

Well written, yes the youth of today will inherit the legacy of today's decision makers...and I or one, want to do everything I can to leave my children and grandchildren a cleaner prosperous future!

Industrialization and consumerism has seen the world become a place where we measure our success by the money we have and the things we own...now our natural resources are being depleted and our world polluted.

Having said that I am not for a moment insinuating that society should regress, rather I believe our future is about reducing the impact our lives have on our physical environment...a clean energy future must be more than an aspirational target.

Whilst I am the first to admit the proposed climate policy is not everything I would have hoped for, I understand it is further than many people think necessary...thus I believe it is the best way forward for Australia.

As for Australia acting before the rest of the world, we are not breaking new ground here, there are a number of other countries that are ahead of Australia. Some say that we should wait until all countries act together, well that was tried at Copenhagen...and failed

So good on you Heather and AYCC... keep speaking on behalf of the future!

(Hello Ms Bruer, nothing personal intended here but I'm gonna try using bonmot's method of article critique to see if it works.)

<!--start new method-->

So the International Co-director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition believes in some fairy-land notion that carbon dioxide is a pollutant.

No wonder the majority of the Australian population ignore fruit-loops.

<!-- end new method -->

It's a bit rude, but I wonder if it works?

And Yo, bonmot, how do you do?

Many thanks for that link you provided for me the other day. I downloaded it and am working my way through it, very interesting, but at the moment I'm a bit busy and it's a low priority. I'll get back to you about it later.

Cheers all.

I'm not a fan of Bon Mot's method, but decided it was relatively benign in one dose. If it's going to become commonplace I'll start deleting.

GrahamY Moderator

Hello GrahamY,

I'm pleased you see the point. Your comment is welcomed and endorsed. Many thanks.

Cheers.

@ voxUnius

Cuts both ways Vox (you must have noticed, no?) ... but I take Graham's point.

And yes, it is benign.

Glad you are finding the paper interesting. Take your time, 'it' is more complicated than your original post.