Australia And Canada Form Climate Realist Alliance
Mark Kennedy
The political leaders of Canada and Australia declared on Monday they won’t take any action to battle climate change that harms their national economies and threatens jobs.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Australian counterpart, Tony Abbott, made the statements following a meeting on Parliament Hill.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper both say there is no need for carbon pricing to combat climate change. Photo: Andrew Meares
Abbott, whose Liberal party came to power last fall on a conservative platform, publicly praised Harper for being an “exemplar” of “centre-right leadership” in the world.
Abbott’s government has come under criticism for its plan to cancel Australia’s carbon tax, while Harper has been criticized for failing to introduce regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Canada’s oil and gas sector.
Later this week, Abbott meets with U.S. President Barack Obama, who has vowed to make global warming a political priority and whose administration is proposing a 30-per-cent reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by 2030.
At a Monday news conference, Harper and Abbott both said they welcomed Obama’s plan. Abbott said he plans to take similar action, and Harper boasted that Canada is already ahead of the U.S. in imposing controls on the “electricity sector.”
But both leaders stressed that they won’t be pushed into taking steps on climate change they deem unwise.
“It’s not that we don’t seek to deal with climate change,” said Harper. “But we seek to deal with it in a way that will protect and enhance our ability to create jobs and growth. Not destroy jobs and growth in our countries.”
Harper said that no country is going to undertake actions on climate change — “no matter what they say” — that will “deliberately destroy jobs and growth in their country.
“We are just a little more frank about that.”
Abbott said climate change is a “significant problem” but he said it is not the “most important problem the world faces.
“We should do what we reasonably can to limit emissions and avoid climate change, man-made climate change,” said Abbott.
“But we shouldn’t clobber the economy. That’s why I’ve always been against a carbon tax or emissions trading scheme — because it harms our economy without necessarily helping the environment.”
Abbott’s two-day trip to Ottawa was his first since becoming prime minister and it quickly became evident he is on the same political page as Harper. They are both conservative politicians who espouse the need to balance the budget, cut taxes, and focus on international trade.
Just as Harper once turned to former Australian prime John Howard for political guidance, Abbott is now turning to his Canadian counterpart as a model.
Australia, Canada To ‘Forge Alliance’ To Counter Obama’s Green Agenda
International Business Times, 10 June 2014
Reissa Su
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is seeking an alliance among “like-minded” nations to thwart efforts to introduce carbon pricing and American President Barack Obama’s move to push climate change through global forums like G20.
Abbott, who is visiting Canada for talks with the country’s prime minister and his close friend Stephen Harper, said efforts are underway to form a new “center-right” alliance under the leadership of Canada, UK, Australia, India and New Zealand.
According to reports, the five Commonwealth nations have “center-right” leaning governments but the closeness between Harper and Abbott is being regarded as the most significant alliance. The combination will attempt to move the pace of climate change action via policies like emissions trading or carbon tax.
Reports said the alliance is a “calculated attempt” to push back on what both Mr Abbott and Mr Harper sees as a “left-liberal agenda” to raise taxes and “unwise” plans to address the issue of global warming.
But Abbott said in a media conference that he thought climate change is a significant problem. But it’s not the “only problem” the world faces. He said the problem remains significant and countries should act based on what they think is best to reduce carbon emissions.
The prime minister said he was “encouraged” that Obama is looking at what he regards as a direct action measure to curb emissions and found it similar to what he proposes in Australia.
He said policies to address climate change should not hurt the economy. Harper agreed with the statement and said they want to deal with climate change “in a way that enhances our ability to create jobs and growth.”
Both leaders may not yield to pressure from the U.S. should Mr Obama revive the issue of climate change ahead of the annual climate summit.
In the previous week, Obama had flagged regulatory changes to influence U.S. states to address global warming by adopting “aggressive market interventions.” as decided to take climate change off G20 agenda. In December, Australia became the chair of G20, which is a group composed of 20 countries having the biggest economies in the world.
Britain Should Join Commonwealth Alliance Against ‘Unhealthy’ Climate Policy, Says Australian PM
The Daily Telegraph, 10 June 2014
Jonathan Pearlman
Tony Abbott pushes for “conservative alliance” between Britain, Australia, Canada and India to limit “unwise” climate change action and resist carbon pricing
Mr Abbott called for limited action on climate change that would not ‘clobber the economy’
“Like-minded” countries such as Britain, Canada and India should form a conservative alliance with Australia to limit action on climate change and to prevent the introduction of carbon pricing, the country’s prime minister Tony Abbott has said.
Seeking to counter Barack Obama’s efforts for international action to reduce carbon emissions, Mr Abbott has reportedly sought to create a “combined front” with fellow Commonwealth nations that have conservative governments.
During a visit to Canada, Mr Abbott called for limited action on climate change that would not “clobber the economy”.
Like Canada’s prime minister Stephen Harper, who withdrew his nation from the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, Mr Abbott has dismantled his predecessor’s policies and moved to repeal Australia’s carbon tax. He is regarded as a climate change sceptic and once referred to global warming science as “absolute crap”, a comment which he later retracted.
Full story
h/t to Dr. Benny Peiser at The GWPF
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What we’ll need to wait for is the Australian and Canadian governments to win their next elections on the back of their new “Climate Change” policies. Once that happens the politicians in other countries might start running scared…
“Abbott, who is visiting Canada for talks with the country’s prime minister and his close friend Stephen Harper, said efforts are underway to form a new “center-right” alliance under the leadership of Canada, UK, Australia, India and New Zealand.”
Sadly, there is no way the UK belongs in that group. Our governments for the last 18 years (ironically near enough coinciding with the ‘pause’ in global warming) have most emphatically not been centre-right. With regard to CAGW, the last one tied us legally into the most draconian emissions reduction policy in the world* and the present one – CINO with a few honourable exceptions – seems hell-bent on continuing to drive our economy through the floor.
In any case, the UK is no longer an independent country. Our sovereignty has been almost entirely ceded to the EU, and there’s very little left that can be changed. We can do more – ‘gold-plating’ EU regulations adopted into UK law (which we have no choice about doing) – but we can’t do less. And the EU is a fully paid up member of the Church of CAGW.
* 80% reduction from the 1990 level by 2050. The full horror can be seen at https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reducing-the-uk-s-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-80-by-2050
Harper said that no country is going to undertake actions on climate change — “no matter what they say” — that will “deliberately destroy jobs and growth in their country.”
At a Monday news conference, Harper and Abbott both said they welcomed Obama’s plan.
============
Several thoughts:
First, President Obama would (and already has) willingly hamstring the economy for the sake of the greens, although I suspect a great deal of his agenda has more to do with funneling tax dollars to some of his most fervent green supporters, than it does with his opinion on global warming.
Second, if we drop “global warming” and start saying “climate change” then we’ve allowed ourselves to let the greens determine the language. This is, and always has been, about the fears of global warming, not climate change per se, as we will most certainly learn if the warming trend resumes. “Climate change” is just a refuge to buy them some time.
Third, current Canadian and Australian leaders are trying to have their cake and eat it too. They know where they stand and their policies indicate that stance (global warming is a crock that taken seriously will hurt their economies), but they “talk” out of the other side of their mouths, as the articles indicated in several places. President Bush II was the first prominent conservative leader who fell into line in that regard, acknowledging that global warming was a concern, and none have yet fallen back to the line that global warming is a crock.
Fourth, leadership does matter, but we are still awaiting the rise of a national leader in the West who is willing to declare that the Emperor (global warming) has no clothes. If one doesn’t appear soon, the future will be bleak.
P.S. I willingly acknowledge that CO2 is a greenhouse gas, that the physics is sound (based on the analysis of those I trust in the matter), that the seas have risen over thousands of years, that the temperatures are warmer today than a few decades ago, and that the Arctic sea ice has diminished over the past few decades. But the models aren’t working, the earth isn’t currently warming, and it’s foolish to claim that human actions today are dooming the planet based on current knowledge, completely and utterly foolish, though if greens have their way mankind will almost certainly suffer even as the planet does just fine.
It is a shame that Harper and Abbott must tip toe around the AGW issue because of the risk of alienating Obama. It arises from being a flea, on the back of the US elephant.
If we could only say what we mean and mean what we say… This would be a much BETTER world. Still kudos for having the courage to go against the flow of political correctness. Maybe others will find the balls required to be true leaders. GK
It is something of a problem for Prime Minister Harper that British Columbia introduced a carbon tax five years ago (a revenue neutral one) and it did not destroy jobs and the economy in British Columbia. It remains difficult for the Conservatives to reconcile that reality with their rhetoric.
Pamela Gray says:
June 10, 2014 at 7:29 am
Put your hopes on Scott Walker for President. Scuttled the Wisconsin Climate Change BS, faced down the public unions, cut taxes, reduced the bureaucracy and generated a budget surplus while defeating two recall attempts, all in a left wing state. And no one is talking about him.
More like pseudo realism. Realism is a politician not afraid to say “he/she is skeptic of the science behind CAGW.” Instead, these politicians are tap dancing. Granted it’s better than nothing, but still the political climate has more to move.
The real story with respect to Abbott (and I suspect Harper) is that both (and most of their governing parties) are climate sceptics. Abbott’s actions since gaining government last September, have involved wholesale dismantling of pretend science and “climate authorities”, left and right – with a lot more to come. (The cuts to the CSIRO are of this variety). You should look for an article about him at the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) or Age – and read the asinine and truly hate-filled comments to gauge how the left-green alliance behaves. The hate expressed by the left at conservative politicians (who are much more centre than many Republicans) is orders of magnitude greater than the reverse behaviour over the previous 7 years of leftist administration. I find the acceptance and strident propagation of Climate catastrophism is very close to the popular take up of Nazism in Germany and communism in Russia. It really hurts me that otherwise intelligent people won’t open their eyes, to enquire, to read, but instead hide in the acceptance of higher authority and are even willing to persecute non-believers if urged to by Hansenian commisars or Greenpeace henchpersons.
Thanks, Anthony. Good news!
Is this proof there is intelligent political life on Earth?
I like the name “climate realist”, I think I’ll use that instead of skeptic.
“Seeking to counter Barack Obama’s efforts for international action to reduce carbon emissions, Mr Abbott has reportedly sought to create a “combined front” with fellow Commonwealth nations that have conservative governments.
During a visit to Canada, Mr Abbott called for limited action on climate change that would not “clobber the economy”.”
Unfortunately, like others seem to have said, I don’t see this as a total pullback from the CAGW religion. The two leaders still seem to be toeing the party line that CO2 is a meaningful driver of climate and temperature that we need to concern ourselves with. I guess the politics of the day in their countries don’t allow anything else.
But I guess a partial pullback is better than none at all. And for that, they deserve credit.
I am however still waiting patiently for the day when some global leader will totally repudiate this nonsense and present the scientific evidence that says it is so.
The president of the USA said that our country is going to undertake actions on climate change — “no matter what they say” — that will “deliberately destroy jobs and growth in our country.
We should clobber the economy. That’s why he’s always been for a carbon tax or emissions trading scheme — because it harms our economy without necessarily helping the environment.
There, fixed.
The more things change the more they remain the same. CAGW as a problem of scientific importance is bunk but as a problem of political importance it trumps all. And the gravy train rolls on. China must be working very hard to conceal their Cheshire smile as they accept the world is theirs.
We’ll catch on to our failures when China begins off-shoring their dirty work to take advantage of cheap American labor and we’ll be grateful for the jobs no matter how menial.
***
At a Monday news conference, Harper and Abbott both said they welcomed Obama’s plan.
***
Stated with a smirk & hidden chuckle….
“Leo Geiger on June 10, 2014 at 8:06 am
It is something of a problem for Prime Minister Harper that British Columbia introduced a carbon tax five years ago (a revenue neutral one) and it did not destroy jobs and the economy in British Columbia. It remains difficult for the Conservatives to reconcile that reality with their rhetoric.”
Leo, why is it that Alberta roads have so many vehicles with BC plates then. They are resident to BC but work in Alberta cause that’s where the frickin good paying jobs are sheesh. That’s reality.
Of course they welcome Obama’s plan. It will weaken our competitive edge, which can only help their countries. What’s not to like?
In reality, it really doesn’t matter at all what Obama, Harper or Abbott believe regarding ‘climate change’ (or the lack of it). Here are the Mauna Loa CO2 measurements. Can anyone spot the effect of having signed up for the Kyoto Protocol?
I might even argue that, in the case of the UK and Germany, the attempt to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% over X years has actually increased them. We now have our half-wit ‘minister responsible’ claiming that the lights won’t go out because business will voluntarily shut down when we get too close to the wire. Apparently they will fire up their own local diesel generators, at great cost to the typical consumer, and save the economy (but not CO2 or any of the other sh*t these generators will exhaust). (see STOR)
Beyond a joke. Don’t laugh too much … Looks like The US is heading up the same road.
“We should do what we reasonably can to limit emissions and avoid climate change,”
Poor way to state it. It should be “We should do what we reasonably can to limit emissions and avoid contributing to climate change.”
And jealousy is growing in the other places that still toil under the thumb of science fraud networks. A carbon curtain has descended on Europe and the U.S. and no rational words get out from those areas.
“It’s not that we don’t seek to deal with climate change,” said Harper. “But we seek to deal with it in a way that will protect and enhance our ability to create jobs and growth. Not destroy jobs and growth in our countries.”
Harper said that no country is going to undertake actions on climate change — “no matter what they say” — that will “deliberately destroy jobs and growth in their country.
“We are just a little more frank about that.”
Abbott said climate change is a “significant problem” but he said it is not the “most important problem the world faces.
“We should do what we reasonably can to limit emissions and avoid climate change, man-made climate change,” said Abbott.
“But we shouldn’t clobber the economy. That’s why I’ve always been against a carbon tax or emissions trading scheme — because it harms our economy without necessarily helping the environment.”
These words coming from Austarlia and Canada are a breath of fresh air to the citizens of these two countries when compared to the fabricated carbon dioxide pollution nonsense coming from Washington to their public
Now all we need is for our New Zealand government to join OZ and Canada in this sensible move. Of course, they could only do this after the impending national election, if the centrist National party can again be returned rather than the leftist Socialist / water melon Greenies.
Politically, CAGW is on he downward slope – Obama is the only real impediment to increasing the decline.
Well John Key needs to get NZ in line with OzCan asap.
They already withJapCan said nyet on K-2, so the Kiwi should join with our mates of the big island and the Canucks.
It’s time to start a countercurrent to this nonsense.
I see Mikelowe2013 thinks likewise. I should read everything before doing anything.