Climate Change and the ETS
I don’t normally venture into the realm of politics on InFocus. And I’ll do my best not to get too far into that realm today. But this proposed ETS legislation deserves comment.
I won’t comment on Rudd.
I won’t comment on Labor or the Liberals.
I won’t comment on Turnbull or Hockey or Abbott.
I won’t even comment on the ETS for the most part.
But it’s time Australia addressed the simple question of climate change.
My understanding is that scientists pretty much agree that the world has not been warming in the last decade. But many still hold to the theory of global warming. That’s their right. But here’s the key. It’s a theory. A theory!
Theories need to be tested and put up for broad scrutiny both within and without the scientific community. Theories need to be tested and studied.
Theories should never be assumed. This is not rocket science.
When you come up with a new theory, you don’t rush into irreversible legislation which will cost the average Australian household $624 per year. You don’t ridicule anyone who isn’t sure about the theory. You don’t marginalise scientists who differ with your theory. To do so betrays dishonesty and an anti-science attitude.
And then there’s the theory that this theorised global warming is caused by man. Again, it’s a theory. There is evidence for and against. It needs to be scrutinised. And that will take time.
The bottom line
The bottom line is that any politician who tries to force this ETS through now, while the science is well within the realm of speculative, isn’t in it for the science. I think the Australian people would appreciate openness and honesty from Canberra on this issue.
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This is especially interesting considering the latest news about emails that were exposed after a hacker gained access to them.
in view of your picture in the blog I am going to invest in a top floor apartment just in case things are warming up
lol
Climate Change is NOT a theory. About 98% of all scientists believe climate change is real and that human activity has greatly contributed above and beyond natural cycles to the current warming of the planet and changes in climate (more intense rainfall in places, droughts… see short You Tube video of Sir David Attenborough’s explanation of proof that climate change experience over the past 50 years can not be caused entirely by natural factors.
Dr. Mayer,
While I appreciate your comment and the obvious education that backs it, I think the point is that we’re kind of sick of taking people’s word for it when those same people have proven to be downright dishonest when it comes to defending their theories.
1) These climate change models cannot possibly be detailed enough to give an accurate conclusion. This is a case of scientific arrogance.
2) Where’d the 98% come from? I don’t believe it for a minute.
3) The graph in the YouTube video… is that the same data that was manipulated to give the intended outcome?
4) Everyone wants to talk about the ups and downs and long term trends, but we have just over 100 years of data. That’s it. We can’t begin to get an idea of the real long term trends with 100 years of data.
I’m not saying that there is no climate change. I don’t know. I’m not saying man is not impacting the climate. I don’t know. But I am saying that it is a theory and the more people need to be bullied into believing it, the less believable it will be.