If we are going to improve the content or ambition of the Copenhagen agreement, world leaders — including the Prime Minister — will need to step up, begin to break some political deadlocks and inject some momentum into the UN talks, writes Erwin Jackson.
Garnaut Report
Rudd’s 25% carbon target is just a stunt
Why would the Government put forward a 25% target that hasn’t been modelled and is based on conditions that cannot be satisfied, asks Andrew Macintosh.
Clive Hamilton essay: Politics trumps science in Garnaut report
When it comes to negotiating targets on the world stage, perception is everything. But Garnaut’s subtle negotiating strategy has already foundered on its awful optics, writes Clive Hamilton.
Garnaut focuses on stuff that might work
For Garnaut, the case for addressing climate change remains a conservative, economically cautious one, writes Bernard Keane.
Dismal logic: Garnaut at a glance
Ross Garnaut’s final report warns that Australia faces an even grimmer climate change future than previously estimated, writes Bernard Keane.
Big business: emissions trading = catastrophe
There’s remarkable unanimity among Australia’s largest businesses about the impact of the Federal Government’s emissions trading scheme, writes Bernard Keane.
Garnaut, treasury and the high cost of complacency
The Government needs to switch at least some of its attention to the problems of implementing and paying for an adaptation strategy, writes Bernard Keane.
The Garnaut target: no time for a quitters strategy
Australia should not quit protecting future generations from dangerous global climate impacts, writes John Connor.
Garnaut’s recommended 10% emission cut
The fast disappearance of Arctic Sea ice suggest the IPCC’s and Garnaut’s time tables are superseded by the pace of climate change, writes Dr Andrew Glikson.
Garnaut’s scary glimpse into China
Last Friday Garnaut delivered the good news about China’s efforts to suppress its fossil fuel emissions. Problem is, it’s also bad news, writes Simon Grose.
Mungo: Give it a go Garnaut
We are now the worst per capita polluter on the planet, and gold medal winners tend to be noticed, wrties Mungo MacCallum.
Garnaut bows to the insanity of growth fetishism
The Garnaut report demonstrates the insane power of our obsession with economic growth, writes Clive Hamilton.
Flannery: Garnaut has made a good first step
Speaking exclusively to Crikey, Tim Flannery has solid praise for the emissions targets set today by Ross Garnaut, but says the game could change drastically in as little as five years from now.
Hamilton: Garnaut’s report barely conceals his despair
In the end, Garnaut invests his hopes in the public, writes Clive Hamilton.
VIDEO: Ross Garnaut delivers Australia’s emmission target statement
Ross “Mr 10%” Garnaut has delivered Australia’s long awaited emmission target. See the video of his statement here.
Milne: Garnaut stuffs up his own prisoner’s dilemma
Greens Senator Christine Milne says, the ball is now in the Government’s court. Will it take the easy way out that Garnaut has given it? Or will it step up to the plate and deliver the 40% emissions cuts on 1990 levels?
Garnaut’s target so low, the sea level will rise above it in a year
In Garnaut’s view Australia is too late to avoid “substantial impacts” which will, as he said in his dry economist’s tone, require “major adaptation”, writes Bernard Keane.
Here come the rentseekers
If anyone thinking the Green Paper scheme proposed this week is a solid start and can be strengthened later, wait til you see what it looks like after industry lobbyists and trade unions have got through with it, writes Bernard Keane.
Spinning the Green Paper 1: a better sell than the budget
The selling of the Green paper has been a far superior sell job by the government than this year’s May budget, a sign that the government is maturing, writes Adam Kilgour.
Spinning the Green Paper II: the 24-hour approach
The Government’s Green paper pitch was compromised by its fixation on short term objectives, writes Trevor Cook.
Green Paper: ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?
Whatever else the emissions trading scheme announced by Penny Wong yesterday will be, it won’t be very good at cutting our carbon emissions, writes Bernard Keane.
Milne: Still time for PM Rudd to lead
It’s not too late for Rudd and Wong still have a chance to lead from the front, writes Greens senator Christine Milne.
Green Paper reaction: Too big, too small, just right
There’s no show without the columnists. Here’s what some of Crikey’s favourites were saying about the government’s Green Paper.
Pearse: Rudd following Howard’s lead?
Kevin Rudd may not look like he’s following John Howard on climate change, but he may well be, writes Guy Pearse.
Keane: Safe, but is that the biggest risk of all?
Yet again the Government has shown it is unwilling to risk any political damage, even in prosecuting major reforms, writes Bernard Keane.
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