Antinuclear

“This is the NSW government, we believe in climate change!” came the immediate response at the last month’s media briefing.

In the next few weeks, 2014 will likely be declared the hottest year on record globally, beating 2005 and 2010.

So, it seems, does Victoria’s new Labor premier Daniel Andrews. His minister for climate change – Lisa Neville – is expected to take a higher profile on the issue than her Liberal predecessor Ryan Smith. NewEnergy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has also signalled a keen interest in energy efficiency and renewable energy – both areas largely stalled under the previous government.

Gone, too, is the Coalition preference of eschewing “climate change” in Victorian agencies, such as in 2011 when agriculture minister and now state Nationals leader, Peter Walsh, launched aClimate Challenges Centre at Melbourne University. The jointly funded research interests include how crops might adapt to rising carbon-dioxide levels in an “evolving climate”.

If climate change was a liability for Prime Minister Tony Abbott in 2014 – witness how it dogged his visit to the United States and then dominated G20 coverage after President Barack Obama’s “Save the Reef” speech – there are many reasons to think it will be an even bigger issue in 2015.

By the end of this year, almost 200 nations will gather in Paris to negotiate a global treaty aimed at keeping temperature increases to less than 2 degrees above pre-industrial times (versus about a 1-degree increase so far). Each meeting in the run-up will scrutinise pledges, including Australia’s, for cutting greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2020.

Pope Francis will weigh in too, issuing the first-ever Vatican teachings to the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics to act on climate change. He is also expected to bring together other religious leaders for a summit ahead of the Paris gathering. ……… http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/heat-is-on-abbott-government-over-climate-change-as-world-turns-20150102-12ghrj.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nc&eid=socialn:twi-13omn1677-edtrl-other:nnn-17/02/2014-edtrs_socialshare-all-nnn-nnn-vars-o&sa=D&usg=ALhdy28zsr6qiq