I though Israel had also rejected the Kyoto Treaty?

(Words I thought would never cross my lips...)

I just wish the new PM had a more positive-sounding name...K. Rudd doesn't really encourage optimism about the country's future...

Just a minor point - isn't "supports the Kyoto Protocol" a bit of a woolly phrase? It seems to me there's a wide variation of possible stances on Kyoto - such as signed but pending ratification (is that supporting or not), or passed in some branches of the government but not in all. As I said, just a minor point, but one that often occurs to me when people talk about "supporting".

It's amazing the way the government has completely altered over the course of one election, although it could have been easily predicted looking at the trends in previous years. Does this mean there's no more space for ostriches like Howard? I wonder if something similar can happen in the next US elections...

If I share initials with 'Global Warming', is that a sign?

I suspect my countries Prime Minister will be a chum to the USA in Bali.

He's giving us the standard double talk. We're gonna lead, but we won't sign onto any new binding targets unless everyone else does too. Let's not forget he called Kyoto a socialist scheme to steal from the rich and give to the poor. His Government has proved as much in their action.

Even while the large majority support international agreements, perhaps he will be the second Leader to fall to the green tide. I can only hope so.

Signing the Kyoto agreement is a cheap act for politicians, but does it lead to positive results?  Canada is 32% above its Kyoto greenhouse target, and its CO2 emissions are growing, not shrinking.  Germany is committed to shutting down electrical generating plants that do not emit greenhouse gas and replacing them with plants that do.

Australian greens admit that Australia cannot meet Kyoto targets using renewable energy schemes unless Australians are willing to accept a decreased quality of life, and to move major industries off shore.  The irony is that the industries could still emit large amounts of CO2, just not in Australia.    

Charles Barton

a strange dude but one of the great lead singers in rock and roll history.  midnight oil's first 5 or 6 albums are brilliant.

he's travelling a path previously beaten by joschka fisher--from far leftie to insider.  i wonder how that will end.

On October 10, The Sidney Morning Harold reported on a study commissioned by the Australian Greens and written by Dr Mark Diesendorf found that drastic steps to obtain greater energy efficiency by 2020 would only cut emissions to 13 per cent below 1990 level.  To achieve the 30 per cent cut, more controversial measures such as an end to land clearing, a 20 per cent cut in beef production to reduce the effect of methane from cattle, a 50 per cent cut in business and professional immigration, and the elimination or offset of emissions from aluminium smelting would be needed.

"One possible response for the aluminium industry would be to move offshore," Diesendorf stated.

Charles Barton