Wednesday, October 29, 2014

C News: Two wrongs don't make a right..with action on climate change.. or the art of compromise.


The Federal Coalition is pleased to get its Direct Action policy on Climate Change passed thru the Senate yesterday with the help of Clive Palmer's PUP amendments to it. Clive had previously maintained that Direct Action was a waste of money, ditto the Labor and Greens Parties. I too think that this is the case. However, the problem is broader and more complex than first seems.

Palmer has insisted with his amendments that the Coalition maintains in existence the Climate Change Authority headed by Bernie Fraser, and this is to research a report on Emission Trading Schemes operational in all countries of the world. The Coalition initially wanted to scrap the CC Authority (and still does) but it has negotiated this deal with Palmer. i.e. Pass our Direct Action scheme and we will maintain the CC Authority until the next election

In my opinion, these are the two wrongs on climate change legislation. Ideally, we don't need either.

I say ideally, because the Coalition has to have an understandable Climate Change policy to counter that of the Labor and Greens. At least Direct Action plan, earmarked at 2 1/2 billion, is flexible in scope and dollar amount. In the future, once the populace has realized that the sky hasn't fallen in, and global temperatures have not risen, then Direct Action can be phased out and money channeled to more deserving activities. Ditto the Climate Change Authority which is an icon organization coveted by the Greens and warmists to promote propaganda we don't need.

In conclusion, the way ahead on climate change legislation is not ideal, but it is better than what it was. Further advances rely on education of the populace that the world is not coming to an end, and that emissions of CO2 are a good thing for the biosphere. The idea promoted by the UN and EU that we must move to a low carbon economy by reducing our emissions of CO2 is bunkum and unsupported by scientific evidence.

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