ABC TV Difference of Opinion on climate change

I was in the studio audience of the ABC Difference of Opinion TV program on climate change on Thursday 8 November.

I was lucky enough to be able to make the statement that Australia really should ratify the Kyoto protocol and participate in good faith with international efforts to tackle climate change, then ask Guy Pearce whether we should have shorter term emission reduction targets for 2020. Guy's emphatic answer was "yes, these are essential" You can read the transcript and watch the program on the Internet here

AUDIENCE MEMBER (me): On the issue of Australia's leadership position, I have a question for Guy. If Malcolm Turnbull can lead the world on light globes by saying, let's move to the compact fluorescent light globes and the rest of the world follows California and Europe, surely we can do the same thing, by developing our clean energy and getting it 25% renewable target. And short-term energy targets in place.

GUY PEARSE: I couldn't agree more. APPLAUSE I think what we've seen is a very deliberate attempt to steer clear of the fact that really counts, and that is, that Australia' emissions are on track to rise 70% by mid century. That's the trajectory we're currently on. But, instead we're snowed with a series of press releases about how we're banning the bulb, we need 800 steps of that scale in order to cut our emissions by 60% by mid century. We hear all about our $3.5 billion climate change budget. But, you know, on day one of this election campaign, John Howard gave away 10 times as much in one tax cut, the sixth tax cut in a row. APPLAUSE What really matters is whether we're pursuing those deep cuts in emissions. Right now we're headed in exactly the opposition direction.

Links

• Should Australia ratify the Kyoto protocol and push for binding global emissions?