Details here at news.com.au
Meanwhile, let’s all sleep in tomorrow.
INTRODUCTION of the Federal Government’s emissions trading scheme has been delayed until mid-2011, 12 months later than originally planned.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made the announcement in Canberra today, saying the Government had also decided to increase the upper limit of its carbon reduction target range to 25 per cent of 2000 emission levels by 2020.
The Government had planned to introduce the scheme in July 2010 despite opposition from business, green groups and the Coalition.
Legislation setting up the scheme was due to be introduced to Parliament next month.
The announcement follows a decision by the Australian Greens to compromise and lower their demand for a 40 per cut in carbon emissions to 25 per cent.
Mr Rudd said the “significant” changes to the scheme were made because of three factors: the impact of the global financial crisis on the Australian economy; the need to provide a strong outcome at the Copenhagen (climate) meeting at the end of the year; and third, because it was in Australia’s fundamental national interest to provide “business certainty and investment certainty for the future”.
A one-year fixed price period will be introduced – permits will cost $10 per tonne of carbon in 2011-12 – with the transition to full market trading to begin on July 1, 2012.
“This, we believe, represents an appropriate response to the current uncertainty,” Mr Rudd said.
“Current uncertainty.”
I love how they think the uncertain will become certain in 2 years. But, at least, they did delay it. It’s a small step, and I’ll take it.
Does anyone reading this have access to GCM model runs?
I’m curious if there is a higher probability of a ten year pause in temperatures between different models?
Been having this back-and-forth on Chris Colose’s blog(‘Decadal scale coolings no unlikely), and this is a bottleneck.
I wonder why Mr. Rudd left out the getting voted out of office factor in his list of drivers of significant changes to the scheme.
For some context, the Greens in Australia are represented in the Senate. They get about 8% of the vote in national elections.
The opposition Australian Liberal Party (conservative) are yet to respond. With the current parliament they or all the Greens and two independents are required to pass legislation.
The government look like they will delay attempting to pass any legislation regarding such a scheme until after Copenhagen. After that they will they have to get support for the legislation in the Senate as described earlier.
Whatever the justifications Mr Rudd uses his decision has to be good news. Maybe in 2011 a further delay may be put in place because of significant current global cooling. Here in NZ our new government has gone one step further by completely canning (with lid firmly on) any ETS until further notice.
Looks like our Canadian Federal Liberal party is still thinking of introducing a Carbon Tax if they are elected. It didn’t work in the last election and it won’t work in the next.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2009/05/02/9327116-cp.html
As for our other minority party, the NDP, here are some quotables from their official web site: http://www.ndp.ca/press/ndp-brings-back-first-climate-change-accountability-act
“Our legislation sets tough but achievable targets that will ensure Canada does its share to avoid the dangerous two-degree increase in average global temperature that scientists warn us about,”
Time works for us. Only for us.
Although on the face of it it seems like a win for common sense, the issue is a two-edged sword. Sure the delay gives them an “out” of the ets especially if the Climate continues its downhill spiral. But these are out of touch pollies. Rudd is pandering to business. The delay may well mean higher ets targets as a trade-off. A lot hangs on what will happen at Copenhagen later in the year.
Don’t count ya chickens. Rudd is no smarter than Obama when it comes to AGW.
“Time works for us. Only for us.”
Having told a warmist he’s a fool for taking the BS and chips as read and not using his eyes, I then really wind them up by refusing to continue the conversation saying, ‘Let’s discuss this in five years and see how many admit to having believed in AGW’.
And all this in the context where 2009 arctic sea ice extent is galloping ahead of the rest of the pack at REF: http://www.ijis.iarc.uaf.edu/seaice/extent/AMSRE_Sea_Ice_Extent.png
I’m shocked by the Australian Greens – cowards – willing to compromise their ideals – what are they thinking, that saving GAIA from the depradations of callous humanity can wait for another year?
Now, if only the local Conservative Oppostion (Liberal Party) would grow a spine, and a brain, and come out of the AGW Realist closet.
The latest date for the next Australian federal election is end of 2010. By then Kevin Rudd and his socialist government will be just a memory for those of us Aussies who wish to remember. I listened to his talk this morning and it was punctuated with in-numerable utterances about ‘climate change. His degree is in economics after all so he has only received information from his ‘advisors’ to muse over. A chief advisor is his Minister for the Environment named Peter Garrett. Some of you might have heard of him in bygone days . He was a rock and roll singer in a band called ‘Midnight Oil’ (I kid you not!).
HEADLINES: Aussies postpone trip to eco-looney bin.
Canadian NDP prepares to pour the Flavor-Aid:
“New Democrats are looking forward to a sustainable future where Canada’s economy is buoyed by environmental initiatives.”
Eco-initiatives have all the economic buoyancy of an osmium blimp. But get a load of the NDP website. We get to gaze right up Jack Layton’s nostrils as he “looks forward” to that blimp taking off. But where is his Kennedy hairdo? Quick, get my sunglasses.
Finally after 17 months of Rudd government I hear some common sense and can agree with something they’ve done. I can’t bring myself to cheer though as I’m sure Peter Garrett and Penny wong (environment and climate change ministers) are wringing their hands in despair and plotting a more powerful ETS for 2011.
One thing that does cheer me is a radio interview I heard with a sceptic who has met Kevin Rudd. I wish I caught his name at the time. He felt that Kevin Rudd was now a sceptic but alas, didn’t know how to publicly declare his thoughts on the issue. I would think such a turn around from K Rudd is almost impossible as he lives for public acclaim and adoration.
Nevertheless this gives me time to gather more information and take it to my local member of parliament. C’mon Aussies, let’s bombard our MPs with information and let them know that the Australian public won’t be fooled. Let the rebellion begin! Demand a proper public debate about AGW. 🙂
F Rasmin, I didn’t realize that!
So, obviously Garret’s personal interest is in stopping the emissions from all those burning beds???
Ahhh, 12 months of wriggle room!
It will give the greens time to compromise from “it aint going to happen 40%” to “it aint going to happen 25%” to “it aint going to happen…%”
Why isn’t an Australian in charge of the world?
Regards
Michael
F Rasmin (22:58:34) :
A chief advisor is his Minister for the Environment named Peter Garrett. Some of you might have heard of him in bygone days . He was a rock and roll singer in a band called ‘Midnight Oil’ (I kid you not!).
More amusingly, ol’ Peter Garrett was waxing lyrical last week over the imminent collapse of the wilkinson ice shelf. When it was pointed out that the picture (and news story) were several years old at that point, the scuffling sound you heard wsa him backpeddling. The other clippity-clop sound was the Minister for Climate Change, Penny Wong, putting as much distance between her Garrett and the ice shelf as possible…
Good on em!
How, exactly, does an initial tax of $10 per tonne of plant food constitute “victory”. Should Australians celebrate the fact that the the Robber Barron’s are only taking SOME of their money? It’s a tax, any way you look at it, on every man, woman and child in the country. Break out the champagne!
For any WUWT readers in Melbourne on Sunday 24th May, I am presenting at a suymposium at Monash University on Natural Climate Change. The symposium is being run by Professor Lance Endersbee. I am on a 3.15 pm – 44 slides in 25 minutes.
He’s not so silly after all! Kevin Rudd is hedging his bets. The political climate here is going against this folly.
For a pithy, entertaining live discussion between the abovementioned environment minister Peter Garret, Australian Green Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, and bull-terrier tenacious Independent Senator and champion of common sense Barnaby Joyce you should watch Episode 12 of the Australian ABC ‘s live political forum Q and A (Joyce on the far right of panel):
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/vodcast.htm
Regards,
LK
Being from the USA, this is very sad. Waxman, Markey, Pelosi, Chu, and others in the US government make Mr. Rudd sound reasonable and statesman-like.
While in Canada the NDP wants to “…reduce Canadian greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.”
The details of that plan must include some science and engineering I’ve yet to hear about. Unless their plan is to turn everything off and move everyone but the natives and the polar bears to Zimbabwe. They will have to walk and swim to get there. Only Gore and the Prince are allowed to use hydrocarbons under these rules.
Michael (23:09:43) : Oh dear God, don’t wish that upon the world! Mr Rudd at the Bali summit just after his election made a comment about uniting the world against climate change. That was the moment I decided his ambition was to be Secretary General of the UN and be king of the world. Ever since, I’ve called him Kevin-Kevin Rudd. Nothing I’ve seen since has changed my mind about his ambitions. :-S
“F Rasmin (22:58:34) :
A chief advisor is his Minister for the Environment named Peter Garrett. Some of you might have heard of him in bygone days . He was a rock and roll singer in a band called ‘Midnight Oil’ (I kid you not!).”
And he was famous for not voting too. Strange now he want’s people to vote for him. Voting is compulsory in Australia.
Not totally O/T I hope but this is how the alarmists plan to finally stifle dissent..
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/03/internet-carbon-footprint