Antinuclear

Australia’s strange rejection of science, on Climate Change

Australia is missing out on a boom in the growth industries of the 21st century. Early adopters of new energy technology have prospered. …….. Globally, renewable energy has attracted more investment than fossil fuels three years in a row……..

Australia lags as the rest of the world acts, The Age, March 29, 2011 GEOGRAPHY has always isolated Australia. Rarely, though, is the effect so obvious as it is in the debate on climate change. Globally, the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions is widely accepted. Visitors to Australia are surprised to find that not only is the effect of emissions in dispute, but even scientific records of climate trends.
In the past week, The Age has examined at length the premises of the local debate. These reports have shone a light on fallacies about scientific opinion and uncertainty, economic impacts and global action on emissions…….if laypeople are prepared to dismiss the weight of scientific opinion what is left of informed debate?……
As a bloc, the European Union is the world’s largest economy, but produces only about 14 per cent of global emissions, compared with China’s 22 per cent and the United States’s 20 per cent. Even then it is not accurate to argue that a lack of action by China and the US makes anything Australia does irrelevant.
In the past four years, China’s emissions have been cut to almost 20 per cent below business-as-usual projections. China is committed to a carbon market and an increase in energy from renewable sources from 8 per cent to 11.4 per cent by 2015 (Australia’s renewable input is barely 5 per cent). In the US, 10 states already participate in an emissions scheme, while California, which ranks in the world’s top 10 economies, is set to start pricing carbon next year. Amid these developments, Australia stands out as the biggest emitter per person in the world. This country is regarded as a policy laggard……
Many argue a case of pure self-interest: Australia’s contribution to global emissions is minor, so why lead the way? This assumes any damage to Australia is only to its reputation. Australia is missing out on a boom in the growth industries of the 21st century. Early adopters of new energy technology have prospered. Germany’s renewable energy sector rivals its famed vehicle industry. Globally, renewable energy has attracted more investment than fossil fuels three years in a row……..
Australia lags as the rest of the world acts

March 29, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming | climate change - global warming