AUSTRALIANS are becoming less concerned about the threat of global warming, pushing environmental issues down the list of threats.
Climate change is no longer rated the top foreign policy issue for the Federal Government, a Lowy Institute poll will reveal today.It was top of the list in 2007 but now is ranked seventh out of 10 policy priorities. Out of 12 possible threats, Australians rated global warming the fourth most critical, the survey found.However a significant majority of Australians, 76 per cent, still saw climate change as a problem.
The poll follows comments from Professor Ross Garnaut, author of the federal Government's climate change review, who claims the rancorous debate on an emissions trading scheme (ETS) is one of Australia's worst cases of policy making on a major issue.
``I think this whole process of policy making over the ETS has been one of the worst examples of policy making we have seen on major issues in Australia,'' he told ABC television.
``It is a very difficult issue so I suppose it was never going to be easy. But the way it has broken down is extraordinary.''
Professor Garnaut recommended the Labor legislation be passed.
``If we could find it within ourselves to pass the ETS - and everyone knows that I don't think it is perfect - and then lay the base for implementing earlier rather than later, that would remove one bit of uncertainty in what is a very difficult and uncertain international climate for discussing these issues,'' he said.
The Government knows how difficult it would be to get its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme legislation, which would set up an Emissions Trading Scheme, through the Senate.
Preliminary negotiations underlined that the Government will need Opposition support if it is to get a moderate version of the Bill approved.
The Greens produced amendments - almost certain to be rejected by the Government - which called for harsher treatment of fossil fuel users, and Family First's Steve Fielding accused the Greens of wanting to send Australia back to the Stone Age.
"If we did what the Greens propose, Australia would no longer exist because there'd be no industries left to drive our economy," he said.
Their amendments yesterday called for limited compensation to emission-intensive industries.
Climate change is no longer rated the top foreign policy issue for the Federal Government, a Lowy Institute poll will reveal today.It was top of the list in 2007 but now is ranked seventh out of 10 policy priorities. Out of 12 possible threats, Australians rated global warming the fourth most critical, the survey found.However a significant majority of Australians, 76 per cent, still saw climate change as a problem.
The poll follows comments from Professor Ross Garnaut, author of the federal Government's climate change review, who claims the rancorous debate on an emissions trading scheme (ETS) is one of Australia's worst cases of policy making on a major issue.
``I think this whole process of policy making over the ETS has been one of the worst examples of policy making we have seen on major issues in Australia,'' he told ABC television.
``It is a very difficult issue so I suppose it was never going to be easy. But the way it has broken down is extraordinary.''
Professor Garnaut recommended the Labor legislation be passed.
``If we could find it within ourselves to pass the ETS - and everyone knows that I don't think it is perfect - and then lay the base for implementing earlier rather than later, that would remove one bit of uncertainty in what is a very difficult and uncertain international climate for discussing these issues,'' he said.
The Government knows how difficult it would be to get its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme legislation, which would set up an Emissions Trading Scheme, through the Senate.
Preliminary negotiations underlined that the Government will need Opposition support if it is to get a moderate version of the Bill approved.
The Greens produced amendments - almost certain to be rejected by the Government - which called for harsher treatment of fossil fuel users, and Family First's Steve Fielding accused the Greens of wanting to send Australia back to the Stone Age.
"If we did what the Greens propose, Australia would no longer exist because there'd be no industries left to drive our economy," he said.
Their amendments yesterday called for limited compensation to emission-intensive industries.
Summary:
This news article mentions that nowadays Australians are less concerned about global warming. Global warming, which was the top issue in 2007, is now rated fourth most critical from a survey found. Government comes out with Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to reduce the carbon pollution. However, Professor Ross Garnaut, author of the federal Government’s climate change review, thinks that ETS is one of the worst examples of policy making. According to him, it is hard to follow the Greens propose as it will send Australia back to Stone Age and there would be no industries left to drive the economy.
Critique:
It is really difficult for government to plan everything. The purpose of government to come out with ETS is to help global warming by reducing the emission of carbon monoxide. However, it affects certain industries as their machines will emit harmful smokes. If government would really follow the rules strictly, those industries will find it very hard to continue their production and this will hit the country’s economy. Nothing is perfect though. We won’t be able to make everything to go on the way we like. Thus, to reduce global warming while not affecting the economy, the least we can do is to use public transport and if possible cycling.
It is really difficult for government to plan everything. The purpose of government to come out with ETS is to help global warming by reducing the emission of carbon monoxide. However, it affects certain industries as their machines will emit harmful smokes. If government would really follow the rules strictly, those industries will find it very hard to continue their production and this will hit the country’s economy. Nothing is perfect though. We won’t be able to make everything to go on the way we like. Thus, to reduce global warming while not affecting the economy, the least we can do is to use public transport and if possible cycling.
