Climate change...

[Q.]

It is still IMO the biggest "con" we have seen in this country.

No, that would be anti-terror legislation.

[Barto]

[redandblack]

Great chart, Barto

[Psyber]

A by-product of the Carbon tax is to fund development, improvement, implementation of renewable energy sources.
There is an opportunity to catch a ride on the inevitable solar energy boom and it would be unforgivable if we weren't the forerunners.

Since it can't really deliver reliable base load under all weather conditions, I think solar power is always going to be an adjunct to other forms of energy generation.
(Unless of course you are using solar power generation from orbit and microwave transmission to Earth stations.)
Wind is similarly an adjunctive source of power, equally vulnerable to weather fluctuations.

Tidal power may have prospects, but Australia is not well endowed with conveniently located geothermal energy sources.
We are going to need an alternative to coal that works under all conditions.

It would have made sense for Japan (and NZ) to explore the geothermal option rather than nuclear power, which Japan used and mismanaged.
The nuclear option is not a good one in such geologically unstable places.

[fish]

Phew!!! The problem is over. It is solved. Australia will save the world.

SP I assume you're only joking but no single country, Australia included, can solve the problem of human induced climate change on it's own.

All we can really do is cut our fair share of emissions and lead by example so that other countries do their fair share too. This is exactly what putting a price on carbon does.

Massive emissions of approx. 1.4 % of the world. No other country with follow this.

1.47% of the worlds emissions from just 0.33% of the worlds population - we produce far more than our fair share of the stuff - four and a half times the global average emissions per person!

Sitting on our hands doing nothing and pointing the finger at others to act is simply irresponsible for such an intensive polluter as we are.

Australia is not the first country to put a price on carbon and it certainly won't be the last. Make no mistake we will eventually have a global agreement on emissions reduction based around a price on carbon. It won't happen overnight but it will happen.

[fish]

It is still IMO the biggest "con" we have seen in this country.

No, that would be anti-terror legislation.

What about John Howards Weapons of Mass Destruction?

[tipper]

*cough*children overboard*cough*

[Sky Pilot]

FFS get real. Carbon emissions _ China 23.33% - USA 18.11% - Europe 14% - Australia 1.32%. How can a carbon tax here be anything but a miniscule, miniscule contribution to a reduction world wide? Just plain BS and a scare campaign by the absolutely stupid Green party. Can we please have an election?

[Sky Pilot]

Sorry - I meant Green/Labor Party

[Sojourner]

[Sky Pilot]

Faaaarking hilarious!

[fish]

FFS get real. Carbon emissions _ China 23.33% - USA 18.11% - Europe 14% - Australia 1.32%.

We can't expect these countries to do their fair share if we don't do ours.

[Sky Pilot]

FFS get real. Carbon emissions _ China 23.33% - USA 18.11% - Europe 14% - Australia 1.32%.

We can't expect these countries to do their fair share if we don't do ours.

Yes we can. Why can't we? You say something like: "Listen you blokes we are sick to death of your outrageous levels of pollution. Do something now or we'll send Christine Milne over to sort you out."

[Barto]

A rain drop never thinks it's responsible for a flood.

[fish]

FFS get real. Carbon emissions _ China 23.33% - USA 18.11% - Europe 14% - Australia 1.32%.

We can't expect these countries to do their fair share if we don't do ours.

Yes we can. Why can't we?

SP if you seriously believe China is going to tackle it's emissions if the high-carbon-intensity developed countries sit around and do nothing you are sadly mistaken. It aint going to happen. China will only do their fair share if the developed countries (who have developed with little or no constraints on their emissions) do theirs.

Meanwhile Surf Lifesaving Australia is not hiding their head in the sand (pardon the pun) and has found that more than half its clubs are under threat from climate change. Their findings can be found here

"A report for Surf Lifesaving Australia shows more than half of country's surf lifesaving clubs are being threatened by extreme tides and weather conditions.

The report used data from Geo-Sciences Australia and climate change modelling to assess which clubs will come under threat.

It has found that 63 per cent of surf clubs are in zones of potential instability, areas under threat from the impact of rising sea levels and changing weather conditions caused by climate change.

Surf Life Saving Australia's head of strategic development, Norm Farmer, says the report shows a great deal of work needs to done to protect clubs.

'When [you] put it on a map, look at it and start to quantify the level of activity that we have to do, the level of funding that we have to source to respond to these changes, that is the potential scary part," he said.

Across the country, a huge number of clubs are predicted to fall into the zones of potential instability. In Victoria, 84 per cent of clubs would be affected, while in South Australia and Tasmania, 89 per cent of clubs would be affected".

[Jimmy_041]

mmmm - just like adjusting their exchange rate?
The Chinese have a plan to be the dominant country in the world again.
The environment means nothing to them
It is a short term problem that is expendable in a long term plan

[fish]

Here is US President Barack Obama's view on Australias carbon price and global action on climate change:

US President Barack Obama says Australia's action on climate change has been bold, but concedes that global action will be tough given the prevailing economic difficulties.

Mr Obama said he shared the view of Prime Minister Julia Gillard that climate change was a real problem and it was the responsibility of all countries to find ways to reduce carbon emissions.

"Each country is trying to trying to figure out how to do that most effectively," he told reporters at a press conference in Canberra today.

"Australia, you've moved forward with a bold strategy."

The president said while the US had not passed a cap-and-trade system to address carbon emissions it had taken steps to double fuel efficiencies on cars and had invested heavily in clean energy research.

Ultimately a mechanism which meant all countries were making an effort was the goal to tackle climate change, he said.

"It's going to be a tough slog, particularly at a time when a lot of economies are still struggling, but I think it's actually one that over the long term can be beneficial," Mr Obama said.

The US would continue to insist at the upcoming Durban climate talks that emerging economies including India and China were "part of the bargain".

"It doesn't mean that they have to do exactly what we do, but in terms of per capita carbon emissions they've got a long way to go to catch up to us," Mr Obama said.

[Sky Pilot]

Obama is a socialist and a PR identity. I have no interest in anything he says

[redandblack]

Obama is a socialist and a PR identity. I have no interest in anything he says

A socialist

I think you've been watching Fox News too much.

[Sky Pilot]

Obama is a socialist and a PR identity. I have no interest in anything he says

A socialist

I think you've been watching Fox News too much.

What you think is totally irrelevant.