"We're in an emergency: you can see what's on the horizon... with ecosystems, sea level and species extinction" – Dr James Hansen, Director, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies

The world’s best climate science from NASA (Prof James Hansen), the Potsdam Institute (Prof John Schellnhuber- chief climate adviser to the European Community), the Tyndall Climate Research Centre (Prof Kevin Anderson) is now telling us desperately urgent action needs to be taken within 5 years to avert a global catastrophe taking place as early as 2040. If the Federal Government along with other Governments of leading polluting nations don’t act quickly enough, billions of people lives will be put at risk.

Risk and the rising tide By David Spratt on 4 April 2012

Sea-level rise projections are being ignored in a foolish bet by Australian governments that the higher projections won’t occur. Tens of millions of dollars are being wasted on risk assessments and adaptation reports that may soon be superceded.

”Without consultation with environmental and renewable energy organizations the Gillard Government today cancelled a major solar hot water industry scheme. It represents yet another setback for one of Australia's leading clean energy manufacturing sectors.”

”The Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme was due to be phased out in June. While industry and Green groups have been calling for it to be extended, it was cancelled without notice.”

Climate Active Australia spokesperson Geoff Lazarus said in response to statements from PM Gillard and Kevin Rudd on climate change that, “both have shown poor leadership on the greatest challenge of our time, and today, both made silly and disingenuous comments on the Carbon Reduction Scheme.

“Mr Rudd claimed he supported a price on carbon but would be working for the earliest possible transition to an emissions trading scheme and a floating price, and have it reviewed in six months.”

Beyond the carbon price, a Faustian bargain

David Spratt, an author and researcher in climate change, writes:
CARBON TAX, CLIMATE CHANGE, GLOBAL WARMING, GREG COMBET
The carbon tax starts on July 1 this year, so there’s some tidying up to do around the edges -- appointments, financing, regulations -- and then a big tick next to the climate policy box on the cabinet whiteboard. Minister Greg Combet has already taken on the additional portfolios of industry and innovation.

Australian coal’s expansion plans make a mockery of government’s carbon tax claims

David Spratt

The expansion of Australian coal mining will add about 1.75Gt (gigatonnes) of carbon dioxide annually to the atmosphere – about 11 times what the Australian government estimates will be saved by the carbon tax legislation that recently passed Parliament.

That’s Guy Pearse speaking at Woodford on 31 December. He says that even the emissions from smaller players have a staggering impact, for example:

by Ian Dunlop, cross-post from Club of Rome News

2 January 2012

The expansion of Australian coal mining will add about 1.75Gt (gigatonnes) of carbon dioxide annually to the atmosphere – about 11 times what the Australian government estimates will be saved by the carbon tax legislation that recently passed Parliament.

That’s Guy Pearce speaking at Woodford on 31 December. He says that even the emissions from smaller players have a staggering impact, for example:

Combets’ Climate Contradictions
As 2011 draws to a close its worth reflecting on what progress Australia made in closing the gap between the science and politics of climate change and the potential to secure a safe climate future for our children.
On a national political level some progress was made on closing the gap between what the world’s best climate scientists are saying countries such as Australia need to make to play its part and what our Federal politicians are prepared to do to achieve it.