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November 22, 2007
The recent release by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of its fourth assessment report summary, Risks and Rewards of Combating Climate Change, says that "warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level."
Bill Leak
The Howard Government's minimal response--- the world is not going to end tomorrow---indicates its short term thinking. We are thinking about more than tomorrow in terms of the risks to unique and threatened systems, such as polar or high mountain ecosystems, coral reefs and small islands, and the risks of extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts and heatwaves.
Howard and Co have done little to use the wide range of tools available - higher taxes on emissions, regulations, tradeable permits and research, an effective carbon price---to address these problems. Fear of upsetting the Republicans in Washington, the coal industry, and the high energy industries appears to be the reason.
The best it has come up with is "aspirational targets" and the five point plan for a are-elected government doesn't even mention climate change. It struggles to achieve credibility on the issue after years of ignoring it.
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Gary,
Nice to see that two of us are
writing about climate change.
I love that cartoon!