Monday, January 22, 2007
Howard's minority support US global warming policy
Disapproval of the Bush administration's performance is higher in Australia than the global average according to a poll by the BBC World Service.
The survey found 60 per cent of Australians now hold a mainly negative view of the US role in the world, compared with the average of 52 per cent. 26,381 people were questioned in 25 countries. 56 per cent disapproved of its stance on global warming.
54 per cent of Americans polled disapproved of how the United States was handling global warming.
The survey found 60 per cent of Australians now hold a mainly negative view of the US role in the world, compared with the average of 52 per cent. 26,381 people were questioned in 25 countries. 56 per cent disapproved of its stance on global warming.
54 per cent of Americans polled disapproved of how the United States was handling global warming.
President Bush expected to crumble on Kyoto today
Britain's Observer newspaper reported on 15/1/07 that President Bush would announce a major shift in policy on "Cap & Trade" Carbon Credits markets during the State of the Union Address later today.
The Reason? Well, surveys reveal that George W. Bush is the most unpopular president at this point in his presidency since Nixon at the lowest point of his popularity.
65% of Americans believe his actions are wrong.
Whatever, wherever George goes, there goes John Howard, who continues to be the most popular prime minister in history, despite being as wrong as often as George. (The difference is in the bodybag count.)
The Reason? Well, surveys reveal that George W. Bush is the most unpopular president at this point in his presidency since Nixon at the lowest point of his popularity.
65% of Americans believe his actions are wrong.
Whatever, wherever George goes, there goes John Howard, who continues to be the most popular prime minister in history, despite being as wrong as often as George. (The difference is in the bodybag count.)
Just another day...
Climate Change news agency Point Carbon gives us three headlines for 22/01/07
• The European Commission plans to work with emerging emission trading
schemes in the US, though a direct link will not take place until 2013, an
official at the European Commission said.
• Lack of global leadership from both developed and developing countries
hampers efforts to negotiate an international regime to deal with climate
change after 2012, said Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• A group of major US manufacturers and power companies together with
environmental organisations issued a joint statement to US lawmakers on
Friday demanding mandatory greenhouse gas reductions in the US through a
cap-and-trade programme.
• The European Commission plans to work with emerging emission trading
schemes in the US, though a direct link will not take place until 2013, an
official at the European Commission said.
• Lack of global leadership from both developed and developing countries
hampers efforts to negotiate an international regime to deal with climate
change after 2012, said Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• A group of major US manufacturers and power companies together with
environmental organisations issued a joint statement to US lawmakers on
Friday demanding mandatory greenhouse gas reductions in the US through a
cap-and-trade programme.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
John Howard dangerously climate challenged
Why do people doubt the PM’s belief in climate change? Surely this nice man wouldn’t risk the future of our children and grandchildren by playing political games with our nation’s response to global warming? No? You be the judge.
As a famous “dog whistler” (1/) John Howard crafted his latest disinformation campaign on climate change perfectly. “On 10th December, 2006 the PM announced the establishment of a joint government business Prime Ministerial Task Group on emissions trading.” It was not an “enquiry” that might make an honest attempt to deal with the issue objectively. But it sounded like one. And that’s all the clever bastard needed to get off the hook when the electorate went into high anxiety after Gore’s visit and Stern’s Report. “At last he’s doing something,” thought the white bread Aussies that he relies upon not to think too deeply about anything.
It was a “joint government business task force”. Now task forces don’t look for answer; those are supplied. They execute the plans of others. In this case climate sceptic Howard. His plan is to put off doing anything that might interrupt the Australian consumer binge long enough for climate change to be revealed as a hoax and all this weird weather confirmed as normal variation.
He presses all the right code word buttons for the old economy barons of industry to reassure them that Big Coal and Big Energy and Big Oil were still in control. EG. “As a world community we need to find new practical global solutions to climate change that include all major economies and emitters and that take account of national goals for economic prosperity, energy security and environmental sustainability.
Australia is blessed with abundant coal, gas and uranium reserves and significant renewable assets. In assessing Australia’s further contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions these advantages must be preserved."
Which means that he's as serious about kerbing greenhouse gases as Muslim militants in Badgdad are about making peace with each other.
"While there is no one single solution to the global climate change challenge we need to maintain the prosperity that our abundant fossil fuels have given us while at the same time exploring options for global climate change solutions and accelerating the development and deployment of low emissions and clean coal technologies."
These people have less than 6 months to do what 162 nations of the world have taken more than a decade to do: find solutions. Clearly impossible, but that's not the point. This 'task force' from a discredited nation (one of only 2 to refuse to ratify Kyoto) is going to also "advise on the nature and design of a workable global emissions trading system in which Australia would be able to participate". Do you get the joke? Australia is going to tell the world how to solve global warming, PLUS our task forcers will design the carbon trading system. He has such a hide, that man. We are - despite what our foreign minister may say - widely despised as ecovandals and wreckers at many levels overseas. (The Germans, the highest value tourists we attract, are scathing.)
But the best part of the joke is the people on the task force, hand-picked to guarantee the outcome.
Here we have two names listed in the release as members:
Mr Peter Coates, Executive Committee Member, Xstrata
Mr Tony Concannon, Managing Director, International Power
The full name of XStrata is XStrata Coal just as the full name of International Power is International Power. Why so coy about the word "Coal"? Because coal burning power stations spew 50% of the CO2 Austalian industry emits into the air.
Two other members are also big polluters:
Mr Chris Lynch, Executive Director, BHP Billiton
Mr John Marlay, Chief Executive Officer, Alumina Limited
The Group is chaired by Dr Peter Shergold, Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The other members of the Task Group appears below. 2/
Bet I can guess what their recommendations will be. That we continue burning lots of coal and oil and selling it, and digging up uranium, and using it as well. (They can't make any other recommendation - it's in the terms of reference. See below.3/)
Mr Howard can do what he likes. He's the king. Want a finding in favour of nuclear power for Australia: appoint a telco exec to head the enquiry, but make sure he's a nuclear physicist, which people won't notice/
The PM, when he is finally dragged screaming out of the job, will leave us an enduring legacy of political craftsmanship and strategic mastery, unequalled in the history of the British parliamentary system.
I wonder if he'll live long enough to see the fruits of his cleverness visited on his children and their children.
.............
1. Dog-whistling in politics means to use coded language, which appears to mean one thing to the general population but which has a different or more specific meaning for a targeted subgroup of the audience, according to Wikipedia
2. Members of the Prime Minister's Task Group on Emissions Trading include:
Mr David Borthwick, Secretary, Department of the Environment and Heritage
Dr Ken Henry, Secretary, The Treasury
Mr Russell Higgins, Non-Executive Company Director Australian Pipeline Trust
Ms Margaret Jackson, Chairman, Qantas
Mr Michael L’Estrange, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Mr Mark Paterson, Secretary, Department of Industry, Tourism and Resource
Mr John Stewart, Managing Director, National Australia Bank
3. Terms of Reference
Australia enjoys major competitive advantages through the possession of large reserves of fossil fuels and uranium. In assessing Australia’s further contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, these advantages must be preserved.
Against this background the Task Group will be asked to advise on the nature and design of a workable global emissions trading system in which Australia would be able to participate. The Task Group will advise and report on additional steps that might be taken, in Australia, consistent with the goal of establishing such a system.
As a famous “dog whistler” (1/) John Howard crafted his latest disinformation campaign on climate change perfectly. “On 10th December, 2006 the PM announced the establishment of a joint government business Prime Ministerial Task Group on emissions trading.” It was not an “enquiry” that might make an honest attempt to deal with the issue objectively. But it sounded like one. And that’s all the clever bastard needed to get off the hook when the electorate went into high anxiety after Gore’s visit and Stern’s Report. “At last he’s doing something,” thought the white bread Aussies that he relies upon not to think too deeply about anything.
It was a “joint government business task force”. Now task forces don’t look for answer; those are supplied. They execute the plans of others. In this case climate sceptic Howard. His plan is to put off doing anything that might interrupt the Australian consumer binge long enough for climate change to be revealed as a hoax and all this weird weather confirmed as normal variation.
He presses all the right code word buttons for the old economy barons of industry to reassure them that Big Coal and Big Energy and Big Oil were still in control. EG. “As a world community we need to find new practical global solutions to climate change that include all major economies and emitters and that take account of national goals for economic prosperity, energy security and environmental sustainability.
Australia is blessed with abundant coal, gas and uranium reserves and significant renewable assets. In assessing Australia’s further contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions these advantages must be preserved."
Which means that he's as serious about kerbing greenhouse gases as Muslim militants in Badgdad are about making peace with each other.
"While there is no one single solution to the global climate change challenge we need to maintain the prosperity that our abundant fossil fuels have given us while at the same time exploring options for global climate change solutions and accelerating the development and deployment of low emissions and clean coal technologies."
These people have less than 6 months to do what 162 nations of the world have taken more than a decade to do: find solutions. Clearly impossible, but that's not the point. This 'task force' from a discredited nation (one of only 2 to refuse to ratify Kyoto) is going to also "advise on the nature and design of a workable global emissions trading system in which Australia would be able to participate". Do you get the joke? Australia is going to tell the world how to solve global warming, PLUS our task forcers will design the carbon trading system. He has such a hide, that man. We are - despite what our foreign minister may say - widely despised as ecovandals and wreckers at many levels overseas. (The Germans, the highest value tourists we attract, are scathing.)
But the best part of the joke is the people on the task force, hand-picked to guarantee the outcome.
Here we have two names listed in the release as members:
Mr Peter Coates, Executive Committee Member, Xstrata
Mr Tony Concannon, Managing Director, International Power
The full name of XStrata is XStrata Coal just as the full name of International Power is International Power. Why so coy about the word "Coal"? Because coal burning power stations spew 50% of the CO2 Austalian industry emits into the air.
Two other members are also big polluters:
Mr Chris Lynch, Executive Director, BHP Billiton
Mr John Marlay, Chief Executive Officer, Alumina Limited
The Group is chaired by Dr Peter Shergold, Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The other members of the Task Group appears below. 2/
Bet I can guess what their recommendations will be. That we continue burning lots of coal and oil and selling it, and digging up uranium, and using it as well. (They can't make any other recommendation - it's in the terms of reference. See below.3/)
Mr Howard can do what he likes. He's the king. Want a finding in favour of nuclear power for Australia: appoint a telco exec to head the enquiry, but make sure he's a nuclear physicist, which people won't notice/
The PM, when he is finally dragged screaming out of the job, will leave us an enduring legacy of political craftsmanship and strategic mastery, unequalled in the history of the British parliamentary system.
I wonder if he'll live long enough to see the fruits of his cleverness visited on his children and their children.
.............
1. Dog-whistling in politics means to use coded language, which appears to mean one thing to the general population but which has a different or more specific meaning for a targeted subgroup of the audience, according to Wikipedia
2. Members of the Prime Minister's Task Group on Emissions Trading include:
Mr David Borthwick, Secretary, Department of the Environment and Heritage
Dr Ken Henry, Secretary, The Treasury
Mr Russell Higgins, Non-Executive Company Director Australian Pipeline Trust
Ms Margaret Jackson, Chairman, Qantas
Mr Michael L’Estrange, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Mr Mark Paterson, Secretary, Department of Industry, Tourism and Resource
Mr John Stewart, Managing Director, National Australia Bank
3. Terms of Reference
Australia enjoys major competitive advantages through the possession of large reserves of fossil fuels and uranium. In assessing Australia’s further contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, these advantages must be preserved.
Against this background the Task Group will be asked to advise on the nature and design of a workable global emissions trading system in which Australia would be able to participate. The Task Group will advise and report on additional steps that might be taken, in Australia, consistent with the goal of establishing such a system.
The Age of Uncertainty
Letter writers in the Age reveal a sceptical reaction to the PM's climate change moves.
Excuse my scepticism
WHEN Prime Minister John Howard says "the truth is that I'm not that sceptical" on climate change (The Age, 14/11), how sceptical - or perhaps cynical - is that. It is noteworthy that the major mechanism proposed by the PM for implementing an approach to carbon trading is to establish a government-business group composed of the very interest groups that have opposed the introduction of carbon trading longest and loudest.
Bro Sheffield-Brotherton, Elsternwick
No worries
No matter what language is used, you can be secure in the knowledge that the Government has not brought in a single new line of legislation that would impact negatively on existing fossil fuel assets.
Mark Byrne, Aldgate, SA
The Costello factor
JOHN Howard's shift on carbon trading has less to do with getting onto the front foot with Labor in the climate change debate than keeping up with his perceived real opponent, Peter Costello, who the Sunday before, on ABC TV's Insiders program, made clear his personal support for an emissions trading system.
J. R. Hamilton, Brunswick East
Excuse my scepticism
WHEN Prime Minister John Howard says "the truth is that I'm not that sceptical" on climate change (The Age, 14/11), how sceptical - or perhaps cynical - is that. It is noteworthy that the major mechanism proposed by the PM for implementing an approach to carbon trading is to establish a government-business group composed of the very interest groups that have opposed the introduction of carbon trading longest and loudest.
Bro Sheffield-Brotherton, Elsternwick
No worries
No matter what language is used, you can be secure in the knowledge that the Government has not brought in a single new line of legislation that would impact negatively on existing fossil fuel assets.
Mark Byrne, Aldgate, SA
The Costello factor
JOHN Howard's shift on carbon trading has less to do with getting onto the front foot with Labor in the climate change debate than keeping up with his perceived real opponent, Peter Costello, who the Sunday before, on ABC TV's Insiders program, made clear his personal support for an emissions trading system.
J. R. Hamilton, Brunswick East
Feds talk the talk, don't walk he walk
The Australian Government finally waved the white flag on Kyoto. Australia will introduce a "Carbon Tax" and begin trading carbon credits in the next round of Kyoto.
Treasurer Peter Costello said what PM Howard couldn't bring himself to say: "As the world moves towards a carbon trading system, Australia obviously can't stand out against the rest of the world." What? Australia was happy to stand out against the world alongside the other climate sceptic George W. Bush. Less than a week after the collapse of President Bush's ascendency, Mr Costello was frank: "I think the ground is changing," he told ABC television on 12th November, 2006.
"From Australia's point of view if the world starts moving towards a carbon trading system, we can't be left out of that." What? The world has a carbon trading system. Only we're not in it.
……………
The Carbon Coalition sent Senator Ian Campbell (Environment Minister) the information below and the same day he announces an enquiry. (If Only it was that simple.) Late in November, 2006, the Australian Newspaper announced that the Government had a budget of $100,000 for a "project" which will bring together US and Australian researchers to work on tools to measure the amount of carbon stored. (We can tell the Minister from bitter experience that a hundred grand doesn't get much methodology testing.)
……………..
The Carbon Coalition was lucky enough to do a personal pesentation to Independent MP for the federal seat of New England, Tony Windsor during the lunch break at Christine Jones's National Carbon Forum in Novermber 2006. Tony was the only federal politician to attend. He was only there for half a day, but he's a fast learner. A week later he asked the Prime Minister a question in the House wwhich put soil carbon credits on the National agenda.
On the 27th November, 2006, Tony Windsor asked the following question:
"Prime Minister... given that the black soils in question have potential under appropriate land use management to be a natural carbon sink, could you include the farm sector in the carbon task force recently announced?"
The PM replied:
"... This joint task force is to look at the potential shape of a world emission trading system. Whilst the farm sector has an interest in that, I do not think the interest is as great as, say, the resources sector. I will consider it."
The request has not been agreed to.
The PM's oblique reference to the resources sector masks the fact that he is referring to the coal industry, whose members dominate the task force. This has two implications: 1. The findings of the enquiry are already decided. 2. The coal industry's desires will be incorporated in the Government's carbon strategy. (The coal industry is still arguing that climate change is a myth.) The ability of the coal industry to actually write government policy was reveals in an ABCTV 4Corners program. The transcript of the program is available in our Library under "Carbon Conspiracies: Greenhouse Mafia".
Treasurer Peter Costello said what PM Howard couldn't bring himself to say: "As the world moves towards a carbon trading system, Australia obviously can't stand out against the rest of the world." What? Australia was happy to stand out against the world alongside the other climate sceptic George W. Bush. Less than a week after the collapse of President Bush's ascendency, Mr Costello was frank: "I think the ground is changing," he told ABC television on 12th November, 2006.
"From Australia's point of view if the world starts moving towards a carbon trading system, we can't be left out of that." What? The world has a carbon trading system. Only we're not in it.
……………
The Carbon Coalition sent Senator Ian Campbell (Environment Minister) the information below and the same day he announces an enquiry. (If Only it was that simple.) Late in November, 2006, the Australian Newspaper announced that the Government had a budget of $100,000 for a "project" which will bring together US and Australian researchers to work on tools to measure the amount of carbon stored. (We can tell the Minister from bitter experience that a hundred grand doesn't get much methodology testing.)
……………..
The Carbon Coalition was lucky enough to do a personal pesentation to Independent MP for the federal seat of New England, Tony Windsor during the lunch break at Christine Jones's National Carbon Forum in Novermber 2006. Tony was the only federal politician to attend. He was only there for half a day, but he's a fast learner. A week later he asked the Prime Minister a question in the House wwhich put soil carbon credits on the National agenda.
On the 27th November, 2006, Tony Windsor asked the following question:
"Prime Minister... given that the black soils in question have potential under appropriate land use management to be a natural carbon sink, could you include the farm sector in the carbon task force recently announced?"
The PM replied:
"... This joint task force is to look at the potential shape of a world emission trading system. Whilst the farm sector has an interest in that, I do not think the interest is as great as, say, the resources sector. I will consider it."
The request has not been agreed to.
The PM's oblique reference to the resources sector masks the fact that he is referring to the coal industry, whose members dominate the task force. This has two implications: 1. The findings of the enquiry are already decided. 2. The coal industry's desires will be incorporated in the Government's carbon strategy. (The coal industry is still arguing that climate change is a myth.) The ability of the coal industry to actually write government policy was reveals in an ABCTV 4Corners program. The transcript of the program is available in our Library under "Carbon Conspiracies: Greenhouse Mafia".
