Australia’s Prime Minister Abbott says climate-bushfire link is ‘complete hogwash’
Climate and fires link ‘hogwash’: PM HERALD SUN AAP OCTOBER 25, 2013 PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has described attempts to link the NSW bushfires with climate change as “complete hogwash”, as Australian scientists warn there is a clear connection between global warming and the probability of extreme fire days……
Mr Abbott ramped up the rhetoric on Friday, dismissing suggestions that climate change was behind the bushfire crisis.
“That is complete hogwash,” he told News Limited.
“I suppose, you might say, that they are desperate to find anything that they think might pass as ammunition for their cause.”
He said it was “bizarre” people were drawing parallels between the two, given there had been worse fires in Australian history, stretching back to the earliest days of European settlement. Mr Abbott said the longer the period of time, the greater the likelihood of extreme weather events, and broken records didn’t prove anything about climate change.
The prime minister earlier this week accused UN climate chief Christiana Figueres of “talking through her hat” by suggesting the fires were the result of global warming….
Greens leader Christine Milne said Mr Abbott was continuing to make a laughing stock of Australia on the world stage by ignoring the climate science. “It would be laughable if it were not so serious,” she said in a statement. Opposition leader Bill Shorten said he believed climate change was fundamentally linked to human activity, but didn’t want to speculate on the fires while people’s homes were still on the line. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/climate-and-fires-link-hogwash-pm/story-fni0xqi4-1226746632119
VIDEO: Prime Minister Abbott sitting on a barbed wire fence, about climate change
PM a climate fence sitter? (11:06) http://media.theage.com.au/news/national-times/pm-a-climate-fence-sitter-4855111.html
Climate Institute chief John Connor sees Prime Minister Abbott as straddling a global warming ‘barbed wire fence’, after the PM dismissed claims of a link between bushfires and climate change.
AUDIO: Australia’s Prime Minister and Environment Minister talking through their hats on climate change?
Hunt disputes fire link to climate change http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2013/10/24/hunt-disputes-fire-link-climate-change
The federal government is continuing to play down claims of links between bushfires in Australia and climate change. By Santilla Chingaipe World News Australia Radio The federal government is continuing to play down claims of links between bushfires in Australia and climate change.
It comes amid international claims of such a link. But questions are also being asked whether the debate should be held amid the current New South Wales bushfire crisis.
Earlier this week, the United Nations climate chief, Christiana Figueres said it was clear bushfires were absolutely linked to climate change.
She told CNN, after watching footage of the New South Wales fires, it showed the need for action to combat climate change.
“The WMO, the World Meteorological Organisation, has not established the direct link between this wildfire and climate change yet. But what is absolutely clear is the science is telling us that there are increasing heat waves in Asia, Europe, and in Australia – that these will continue, that they will continue in their intensity, and in their frequency. So what we have just seen on the screen is an example of what we may be looking at unless we take actually vigorous action.”
Speaking to Melbourne’s 3AW, Prime Minister Tony Abbott accused Ms Figueres of talking through her hat.
Greg Hunt and what Wikipedia actually does say about climate change and bushfires
Greg Hunt uses Wikipedia research to dismiss links between climate change and bushfires October 23, 2013 Esther Han, Judith IrelandEnvironment Minister Greg Hunt has hosed down suggestions of a link between climate change and increased bushfire intensity, saying he had ”looked up what Wikipedia” said and it was clear that bushfires in Australia were frequent events that had occurred during hotter months since before European settlement.
Wildfires become more pervasive and dangerous
His comments come as scientists, environment groups and politicians have raised concerns, in the wake of massive bushfires in New South Wales, that the increasing extreme weather events are linked to climate change…..
The head of the UN’s climate change negotiations, Christiana Figueres, and former US vice-president and climate change activist Al Gore have this week both weighed into the debate, criticising the Abbott government over its moves to scrap the carbon price. They also said the evidence was clear that extreme weather would be more frequent as the planet warmed.
She noted that the World Meteorological Organisation had not yet established a direct link between the NSW fires and climate change. Mr Hunt and Ms Figueres spoke by telephone overnight after Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday rejected Ms Figueres’ assessment that a clear link existed between bushfires and climate change, saying she was ”talking through her hat”.
On Monday, Ms Figueres had told CNN that the Coalition government would pay a high political and financial price for its decision to scrap carbon pricing. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/greg-hunt-uses-wikipedia-research-to-dismiss-links-between-climate-change-and-bushfires-20131023-2w1w5.html#ixzz2ilagdbdT
AND WHAT WIKIPEDIA ACTUALLY DOES SAY
Climate change Australia’s climate has been trending toward more bushfire weather over the last 30 years.[18] The Climate Commission found that “The intensity and seasonality of large bushfires in south-east Australia appears to be changing, with climate change a possible contributing factor.”[19]
A 2006 report by the Bushfire CRC identified South Eastern Australia as one of the 3 most fire-prone areas in the world,[20] and concluded that an increase in fire-weather risk is likely at most sites over the next several decades, including the average number of days when the Forest Fire Danger Index rating is very high or extreme. It also found that the combined frequencies of days with very high and extreme FFDI ratings are likely to increase 4-25% by 2020 and 15-70% by 2050, and that the increase in fire-weather risk is generally largest inland.[21]
The IPCC Fifth Assessment Report due to be released in 2014 warns that Australia’s very high and extreme fire danger days will increase by up to 30% by 2020, and up to 100% by 2050.[22] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushfires_in_Australia
Tony Abbott rubbishes top United Nations secretary on Climate Change
Tony Abbott accuses UN official of ‘talking through her hat’ on climate change (VIDEO) ABC News By chief political editor Emma Griffiths 23 Oct 2013, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has dismissed a UN assessment that the New South Wales fires are linked to climate change, accusing a senior UN official of “talking through her hat”.
Earlier this week, the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change,Christiana Figueres, said the fires proved the world is “already paying the price of carbon”.
She also criticised the Abbott Government’s direct action plan to tackle climate change as being potentially “much more expensive” than the carbon pricing scheme that it is moving to dump……http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-23/tony-abbott-fires-climate-change-rfs-un/5039932
Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, has an outstanding record of contribution to protection of the environment, and in particular, climate action.
She is one of the world’s most highly respected negotiators, having represented Costa Rica and the Americas before taking up her global role. I met her at the UNFCCC talks in Durban in 2011, and was impressed not only by her obvious knowledge and professionalism, but by the warmth she brought in her engagement with NGOs and government representatives alike.
For Tony Abbott to not even know who she is in the global climate change negotiation context, and to dismiss her role and expertise in such a cavalier manner, shames Australia and does not auger well for Australia’s engagement in the lead-up to the 2015 global treaty discussions.
Labor’s right wing pushes the nuclear power barrow: we’d better watch Shorten
Labor MPs urge rethink on nuclear power Financial Review, JAMES MASSOLA Political correspondent, 22 Oct 13
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has quashed a call by Labor MPs for the party to reopen debate about its support for nuclear power, just a day after the shadow ministry agreed to a post-election policy review.
Resources spokesman Gary Gray and Right faction senators Mark Bishop and Alex Gallacher called for the party’s approach to nuclear power and uranium exports to be discussed in a move that could provoke a damaging split with the party’s Left faction. Mr Gray said there was “absolutely no solution to global base load power generation that does not feature a strong role for nuclear power”……
Senator Gallacher said as a developed economy, Australia had a responsibility to examine how to implement “as clean an energy system as possible”.
“The nuclear option is exactly that, politically, there are so many emotional positions but there should be a scientific debate. …..
a spokeswoman for Mr Shorten said Labor had no plans to shift its position and “the prohibitive cost alone of creating a nuclear industry in this country makes it untenable”.
The ALP’s 2011 policy platform expressly forbids “the establishment of nuclear power plants and all other stages of the nuclear fuel cycle in Australia”.
The opposition has will review all of its policies, except the disability insurance scheme and the better schools plan, but it reaffirmed its support for putting a price on carbon emissions. Australian Conservation Foundation anti-nuclear campaigner Dave Sweeney said nuclear power was “high cost and high risk with its global market share falling”. http://www.afr.com/p/national/labor_mps_urge_rethink_on_nuclear_QO9FaVus9ZpZhJJjSVfJ8I
Labor must keep Bill Shorten firm on carbon pricing
Bill Shorten puts majority of Labor policies up for review SID MAHER AND JOE KELLY THE AUSTRALIAN OCTOBER 22, 2013
BILL Shorten has put Labor’s carbon pricing policy up for review in a move that gives him maximum flexibility to manoeuvre ahead of the introduction of Tony Abbott’s carbon tax repeal bills next month.
The Opposition Leader called the review of most Labor policies as the government revealed it might not have to rely on the Senate to implement the centrepiece of its direct action plan: the $1.5 billion emissions reduction fund.
Mr Shorten, at the first meeting of shadow cabinet yesterday, put every Labor policy except the Better Schools and disability insurance up for review.
This includes carbon pricing. The frontbench had an “initial discussion” regarding the government’s climate change policy and “reaffirmed” Labor’s commitment to reducing carbon pollution.
The shadow cabinet has scheduled further meetings in the weeks before parliament sits.
Last week, Mr Shorten said he remained opposed to allowing the Prime Minister to abolish the carbon price, but declined to say whether Labor would campaign to ……: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/bill-shorten-puts-majority-of-labor-policies-up-for-review/story-e6frg6xf-1226744103753#sthash.KrDx232s.dpuf
Adam Bandt on Tony Abbott as a climate change criminal
Adam responds to the release of laws to repeal the Clean Energy Act Greens Deputy says Government is failing to protect Australians from climate change Australian Broadcasting Corporation Broadcast: 18/10/2013 Reporter: Steve Cannane In controversial twitter comments, Greens Deputy Adam Bandt has accused the Government of failing to protect Australians from the effects of climate change, saying that unless dangerous global warming is controlled Australians will experience regular, terrifying bushfires.
Transcript
STEVE CANNANE, PRESENTER:: The federal government has criticised the Greens deputy leader Adam Bandt for politicising human tragedy after he linked the fires to climate change.
Adam Bandt isn’t backing down from his comments on Twitter that coalition policies will lead to more bushfires.
Mr Bandt maintains Tony Abbott is failing to protect Australians from the effects of climate change.
ADAM BANDT, GREENS MP: This is what global warming in Australia looks like. And unless we get dangerous global warming under control we may be experiencing these kind of awful terrifying fires on a much more regular basis…..
CHRISTINE MILNE, GREENS LEADER: You can never say a specific fire at a specific time is a global event.
STEVE CANNANE: The opposition leader Bill Shorten says the focus should be on the many families affected by the fires. http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2013/s3872584.htm
As New South Wales bushfires rage, govt cuts NSW climate science group
O’Farrell cut climate change watchers, SMH, Peter Hannam, 21 Oct 13 Deep cuts to staff and funding by the NSW government have largely dismantled the state’s ability to investigate and prepare for the effects of climate change such as more frequent extreme fire weather, a former senior scientist with the government said.
Peter Smith, who led the state’s climate change science group until March, said his team of 10 had been slashed to just three whose work remained climate-focused. A similar cut had been made to a separate team of 10 working on climate adaptation, he said.
Dr Smith, who now works as an adviser on United Nations projects, was a contributor to peer-reviewed research reports that found Australia was already facing an increase in bushfire dangers. The shift was particularly clear in spring, with national mean temperatures rising 0.9 degrees since 1960.
”We know the [climate] science is unequivocal,” Environment Minister Robyn Parker told a Nature Conservation Council meeting on Saturday. ”It is for governments to respond. What we are doing is investing in climate change science, and so minimising the impacts of climate change on communities. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/ofarrell-cut-climate-change-watchers-20131020-2vuyr.html#ixzz2iNnGz1mI
Not good taste to talk about climate change during bushfire period
The Abbott government fiddles while NSW burns,Independent Australia , 19 Oct 13 FOR THE ABBOTT GOVERNMENT, it has emerged that talking about climate change during a “natural” disaster is taboo. Of course, how “natural” the NSW fires actually are is the issue here, as we witness over 100 separate fires across NSW.
These fires are the likes of which have never been seen in the month of October anywhere in Australia, let alone this close to population centres.
…….Notably, Bandt has not attributed just this one period of fires to global warming, and, as climate scientists will tell us, to ask of such a direct link is to ask the wrong question. But we can suggest that the dice is loaded toward such events occurring more frequently and in more intense forms.
Nevertheless, Bandt has been subjected to a barrage of censuring voices: on Twitter, on talkback radio, from LNP politicians and from unsigned opinion pieces on news.com.au…….http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/the-abbott-government-fiddles-while-nsw-burns/
Clean Energy Finance Corp is making a profit
Green investment bank profitable as Abbott axe looms, CEO Yates says, SMH, October 19, 2013
- Clean Energy Finance Corp., Australia’s green development bank earmarked for closing by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, is making a profit and prodding commercial banks to lend, according to its chief executive officer.
“We’re operating profitably already, with our contracted investments expected to earn an average return of around 7 percent,” which is above the bank’s capital cost of about 3 percent, Oliver Yates, CEO of the bank founded less than four months ago by the previous government, told delegates at a conference in London. He declined to comment on Abbott’s plan to close CEFC, citing public-service rules……
- The development bank has built a loan portfolio of around $536 million and helped projects get debt and equity of about $2.2 billion, including from other institutions, Yates said at the Climate Markets & Investment Association event earlier this week. The deals will cut emissions by about 3.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, he said. They include wind farms and a tomato farm that uses solar energy to desalinate seawater.
‘Meaningful impact’
“We’ve been able to make a meaningful impact offering finance on a commercial basis,” Yates said. “Though we have the capacity to provide concessional loans, for the great majority of cases that hasn’t proved necessary. Our job is not to make it easy for the banks, but to stretch them and encourage them to join into transactions with us.”
The bank has demonstrated it can generate carbon reductions at a net benefit to the taxpayer of $2.40 a ton of carbon dioxide, he said. http://www.smh.com.au/business/carbon-economy/green-investment-bank-profitable-as-abbott-axe-looms-ceo-yates-says-20131019-2vt12.html#ixzz2iNfY7eQ1
The Greens’ Christine Milne will be on the job in the Senate to keep carbon pricing
We’ll assess Senate carbon options: Milne http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/well-assess-senate-carbon-options-milne/story-fni0xqi4-1226741615225 AAP OCTOBER 17, 2013
AUSTRALIAN Greens leader Christine Milne has left open the possibility of flicking the government’s carbon tax repeal legislation to a Senate committee, delaying a vote until well into 2014.
The government will introduce a package of eight bills to parliament in November hoping the Senate will consider them before Christmas.
However, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has acknowledged an unsympathetic upper house may stymie that timetable.
Asked if the Greens and Labor would use their controlling numbers in the Senate to send the bill to a committee, potentially delaying the vote for months, Senator Milne told reporters in Canberra on Thursday: “We’ll look at all the parliamentary options that we have when the legislation is introduced.
“Rest assured, given the opportunity to vote on it we will vote on it and vote against any repeal.”
How the Greens would deal with the parliamentary process depended on “how things come through”.
Both the Greens and Labor have said they will block the repeal of the carbon tax, prompting threats from Mr Abbott of a double-dissolution election.
But Senator Milne said the prime minister would “run a mile” from going to the polls next year.
“I don’t think Tony Abbott will have the courage to face the people,” she said, adding the Greens “absolutely” did not think it was in the national interest to rush to an election.
- There has been speculation that Mr Abbott may wait for the half-Senate changeover in July, which will transfer the balance of power to the more like-minded mix of the Palmer United Party bloc and conservative independents.
Australia facing $2 billion cost in early closing of carbon price scheme
Early repeal of carbon price scheme could cost government $2bn Financial Review 11 OCT 2013 GEMMA DALEY AND JAMES MASSOLA
The Coalition government could owe companies billions in refunds for freely allocated permits if it repeals the current Carbon Pricing Scheme before 2015, fresh analysis shows.
The early repeal of the scheme could lead to a cash windfall for metals, energy and power stations – the most intensive emitters – as they cash in on freely allocated permits, RepuTex analysis said.
“The earliest the carbon tax is likely to be disbanded is the start of October 2014, meaning that companies are likely to be liable for their emissions over the first quarter of the compliance year, but eligible to receive more free permits, which could be sold back to the government before the repeal takes effect,” said RepuTex head of research, Bret Harper. The government could end up with “a bill in excess of $2 billion to cash in nearly 87 million freely allocated permits”…..
Mr Harper said the earlier the scheme is disbanded, the higher the cost to government, with more excess permits being sold back by companies.
“If the repeal is held back until April 2015, the cost to government would only be around $138 million, as companies would continue to accrue carbon liabilities through the year, and would therefore have fewer permits to sell back to the government from their free allocation,” said Mr Harper……
MORE DETAIL NEEDED
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Peter Anderson said business wanted more detail from the federal government about how the Direct Action policy would work…..http://www.afr.com/p/australia2-0/early_repeal_of_carbon_price_scheme_SUY0FQ0LUJReEPyjOkSiJN
Abbott Government puts renewable energy projects in jeopardy
Abbott risking renewables ‘hiatus‘Business Spectator, 16 Oct, By a staff reporterAcciona Energy chief Andrew Thomson says investment in large-scale renewable energy targets could be put on hold if the Abbott government delayed confirming the Renewable Energy Target, The Australian Financial Review reports.The government is planning to review the RET next year but Mr Thomson said certainty was required to meet the existing 20 per cent, or 41 terawatt hours, target, the newspaper reports….
..Mr Thomson said Acciona’s Spanish parents would redirect capital from Australia as uncertainty reigned.
“There’s no advantage for a country or a market to keep changing the goalposts.”http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2013/10/16/renewable-energy/abbott-risking-renewables-hiatus
Christine Milne is right: Martin Ferguson’s new job a mockery of code of conduct
The code says: “Persons who, after 6 December 2007, retire from office as a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary, shall not, for a period of 18 months after they cease to hold office, engage in lobbying activities relating to any matter that they had official dealings with in their last 18 months in office”.
Greens’ claims over Ferguson lobbying are in the ballpark ABC News Fact Check 8 Oct 13
- The claim: Christine Milne says former resources minister Martin Ferguson’s new jobs make a mockery of the lobbying code of conduct.
- The verdict: By taking up the appointment within the cooling off period it can be argued that Mr Ferguson has made a mockery of the intent and spirit of the code.
- “……..Mr Ferguson’s new roles, six months after he resigned from federal cabinet in March, made a mockery of the ministerial code of conduct, Senator Milne said.”Martin Ferguson’s appointment as group executive of natural resources for Seven Group Holdings and as chair to a petroleum industry advisory board makes a mockery of the code of conduct which prevents former ministers engaging in lobbying activities relating to any matter that they had official dealings in,” she said.
The new jobs
Mr Ferguson accepted a role as chairman of an advisory board of the gas and oil industry’s peak body, the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association.
The association’s website acknowledges its status as a lobby group, Continue reading
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