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The Story of Stuff
19 11 2010Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Economy, Government, Politics
Categories : Carbon, Environment, World
‘Tony Abbott fiddles, Rome burns’
12 01 2010
WARRINGAH mayor Michael Regan says he is frustrated by the Federal Opposition’s approach to climate change, saying coastal areas such as Warringah will be among the worst to suffer if actions to mitigate the effects of climate change are not taken immediately.
In a thinly-veiled dig at Opposition leader and Warringah MP Tony Abbott, Cr Regan said arguments about whether dealing with climate change is a tax or a cost are akin to Nero fiddling while Rome burns.
Mr Abbott has repeatedly said a carbon emissions trading scheme is just “a great big, new tax” the Federal Government will inflict on the nation. He said a Coalition government will not introduce an emissions trading scheme but will soon announce other measures to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Cr Regan said Mr Abbott’s attitude “frustrates the hell out of me”.
Extract: Manly Daily
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Tags: Politics, Tony Abbott
Categories : Australia, Carbon, Environment
Copenhagen deal leaves Australia at high risk
20 12 2009
Strong national laws to cut greenhouse pollution and grow clean energy jobs are more important than ever after the Copenhagen climate talks ended in a weak result, the Australian Conservation Foundation said today.
“Even with a weak outcome in Copenhagen it is clear many major economies represented here are moving to dramatically cut emissions and shift to a low carbon future,” said ACF executive director Don Henry from the Danish capital.
“A comprehensive climate treaty that requires Australia to reduce emissions is a matter of when, not if. The smart thing to do is to prepare Australia’s economy now.
“Australia needs a comprehensive set of national climate laws, otherwise there is a very real risk we will be left behind.
“The former government’s Shergold Report found it was better for the economy to put a price on carbon ahead of global action. This recommendation was supported by the former Government, the former Opposition leader and the current Government. We expect them to honour this commitment.
“People around the globe still want strong government action on climate change and world leaders will be arriving home to citizens who will be demanding better.
“Australians who voted for ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in 2007 will expect international leadership from Kevin Rudd to extend the Protocol and build a comprehensive global treaty.
“We urge the Prime Minister to do what he can to make sure leaders come together again as soon as possible next year and deliver a fair, ambitious and binding global climate treaty alongside an extension to the Kyoto Protocol.”
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Tags: ACF, Copenhagen, Kyoto, Politics, Press Release, Rudd
Categories : Australia, Carbon, Environment
NZ PM changes mind on climate conference
3 12 2009- New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has decided he will attend climate change talks in Copenhagen after initially labelling them a “photo opportunity”.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key
Mr Key says it would have looked odd if he had not turned up.
He recently said there was only a 5 per cent chance he would go to Copenhagen, but today he changed his mind.
“On balance it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
Mr Key still does not believe there will be a binding agreement, but says he is much more optimistic there will be progress.
He says despite recent political ructions, he believes Australia will eventually get its emissions trading scheme (ETS) through the Senate.
“I’m confident Australia will have carbon capture and storage legislation on the books – or ETS legislation on the books – simply because it needs to put a price on carbon like every country does,” he said.
New Zealand’s ETS recently passed through Parliament.
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Tags: CCS, Copenhagen, ETS, New Zealand, Politics
Categories : Australia, Carbon, Environment
Climate Change Science – Abbott
3 12 2009
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Tags: Climate Change, ETS, Liberals, Politics, Tony Abbott
Categories : Australia, Environment, Humour
Australian Liberal Party policy on Climate Change
2 12 2009
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Tags: Cartoon, Climate Change, ETS, Liberals, Politics
Categories : Australia, Carbon, Environment
Origin Energy wants ETS
29 11 2009- Oil and gas producer Origin Energy Ltd says the federal government’s proposed emissions trading scheme (ETS) should be passed in order to provide certainty.
A parliamentary vote on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRD) is expected on Monday. Speaking to ABC’s Inside Business program, chief executive Grant King said choices would be clearer for the industry if Australia had an ETS. ‘In the context of the Australian energy industry, a scheme would bring certainty as to future decision-making,’ Mr King said. ‘The question we would ask simply is ‘what choice would society want us to make about fuel, what fuel should we use?’ and if that choice is not clear, we can’t build the power stations that the community needs in the long run to make sure we have a safer, competitive and less carbon intensive supply of energy.’ Mr King said he could not confirm Goldman Sachs’ estimate that the company would receive an earnings upside of four to nine per cent from the CPRS, but said Origin was well positioned to benefit if an ETS was introduced. ‘We’ve quite consciously positioned ourselves such that we don’t believe there’s any downside if the world decides to implement an ETS or a carbon reduction scheme,’ he said. ‘I’m not blessing the four or nine per cent, it sounds like a forecast, but we would expect to do better if a carbon scheme was introduced, but our business isn’t premised on a carbon scheme being introduced.’
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Tags: Business, Energy, ETS, Government, Oil, Origin, Politics
Categories : Australia, Carbon, Environment
Abbott ‘challenging Turnbull’ with emissions flip
22 11 2009- Former Liberal MP Bruce Baird says frontbencher Tony Abbott’s emissions trading flip could signal a leadership challenge.
Emissions flip: Malcolm Turnbull (right) says it is clear Tony Abbott has changed his mind on the ETS issue (AAP: Alan Porritt)
Earlier this year, Mr Abbott said he was in favour of the Coalition reaching a deal with the Government to pass an emissions trading scheme (ETS).
But he now says the Opposition should only agree to vote for the scheme if the Government agrees to all of the Coalition’s amendments.
Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says he has different views on climate change to his colleague, Mr Abbott.
Mr Baird has taken that to mean Mr Abbott is positioning himself as a leadership contender.
Mr Baird has told Sky news he thinks that is a sign that Mr Abbott is planning a move on the leadership. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: ETS, Government, Malcolm Turnbull, Politics, Tony Abbott
Categories : Australia, Carbon, Environment
Population boom will bust environment and quality of life
24 09 2009
New demographic figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show Australia’s population is on a collision course with our natural environment, the Australian Conservation Foundation said.
ABS data shows Australia’s population grew by 439,000 people in the year to March 2009, including net overseas migration of 239,000. Australia’s growth rate of 2.1 per cent was the highest since the 1950s.
“We cannot continue to add the equivalent of a city larger than Canberra every year to Australia’s population and still expect to maintain the health of our environment and our quality of life,” said ACF’s Charles Berger. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: ACF, Government, Politics, Population, Press Release, Research
Categories : Australia, Environment
Scientists call for 40pc emissions cuts
21 09 2009- Forty of the world’s leading scientists have signed an open letter calling on political leaders to take tougher action on climate change.
Professor Ian (Ove) Hoegh-Guldberg
The scientists say this week’s United Nations climate talks in New York must lay out a plan for and agreement to be delivered at the UN meeting in Copenhagen in December.
The joint statement calls for industrialised countries to cut emissions by at least 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.
Ove Hoegh-Guldberg from the University of Queensland is part of the group and says it is vital politicians heed the advice from the world’s scientific community.
“If you look at the commitment as we go towards Copenhagen they’re falling woefully short of what we need to do in terms of avoiding dangerous climate change,” he said. “[We're] really saying, wake up, this is a lot more serious than we think.”
“When you look at the science and you look at the potential impacts of runaway climate change, there isn’t any room for this argy bargy. It’s a really serious matter.”
Article: abc.net.au - Also visit: www.climateshifts.org
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Tags: Climate Change, Copenhagen, Emissions, Government, Politics, QLD, Research, Science, UN, USA
Categories : Australia, Carbon, Environment, World
