Bush's only big ally on warming shifts stand (PM John Howard)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15715199/

Australia’s leader said Tuesday he wants to consider an international carbon trading system to fight global warming, signaling a shift toward a part of the Kyoto agreement that he has steadfastly refused to ratify.

Prime Minister John Howard, who has recently made global warming part of the mainstream debate in Australia after years of playing down the issue, said he would be willing to consider the trading system to limit greenhouse gas emissions — if it does not harm key resource-dependent industries.

“It’s in Australia’s national interest to play a part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions but in a way that doesn’t damage our vital industries, such as the coal industry,” said Howard, a U.S. ally whose objections to the Kyoto agreement previously echoed those of President Bush.

Howard said he would raise the issue with leaders he meets in Hanoi, Vietnam, later this week at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, including Bush.

[Kagemusha]

1. Why does this whole idea remind me of "indulgences"?

I think that's the word? Buying exceptions to Hell from the Catholic Church, big money-raising enterprise that was widely abused and therefore a big issue for the Reformation (and later, Counter-Reformation)?

It's odd.

[damntexdem]

4. Well, for one thing, we know that carbon dioxide actually exists.

And for another, marketplace decisions are assumed by economists to be made rationally -- a rather doubtful assumption, at best.

[Kagemusha]

5. Yeah, that's one of economists' worst assumptions

and one that's largely necessary to justify using mathematics to understand economics, so it's made incessantly.

I treat such assumptions like polls: mostly true, but with margin of error.

[rodeodance]

2. assie land is experiencing lots of droubts.

[AlGore-08.com]

3. Howard is bowing to pressure brought about by and piggybacking on Gore's movie

The pols in Australia who want to get Australia fighting climate change have not let up since the film opened, and bring up Gore and the film at every opportunity. Howard began the fight claiming he'd never watch the movie, that global warming was junk science, all the usual conservative b.s.

This is Howard caving big time. He's trying to water down any proposals but if the opposition stands fast, he'll probably cave even farther.