Inconvenient Truths...the NZ perspective...

...I have commented before that pragmatic southern hemisphere policies on climate change are likely to lead the world. I wouldn't have made that prediction 6 or 7 months ago, when Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's ETS was the only political option on the table for Australia. However, a lot has happened since then; most of those happenings ending in 'gate'. Exceptions to that terminology though are Copenhagen and Tony Abbott. Both have exploded into the debate and changed it forever.

Here in NZ, conscious of our size we like to think that internationally we "punch above our weight". And certainly with a look at the statistics of sport and child abuse we do a lot of punching. With regard to saving the planet though, our ex-PM Helen Clarke, now pulling levers at the UN, was a dutiful and obedient party liner, eager to destroy our economy if she could . Her successor, John Key has played a more cautious pragmatic line, leaving comment largely up to his Environment Minister Nick Smith. And Smith's most recent pronouncement was "I've had calls...to abandon or defer the ETS. That's not what the Government's going to do. It's a very important first step."Smith is also quoted as saying NZ would do its fair share (to cut emissions) but that "it would not be a world leader".The two sentiments seem very difficult to reconcile. In Australia, Kevin Rudd is now seen as "being alone and exposed" over his failure to maintain support for the ETS. If an Australian election dumps Rudd in favour of Tony Abbott, and the USA so-called 'cap and trade' bill fails, as seems likely, NZ and Europe will be the world's only champions of an ETS. Where I wonder would that leave Nick Smith ? Is he reading this, do you think ? Is anyone even asking ?

...The Business Council of Australia no longer considers the introduction of an ETS as providing business certainty and has put a caveat on support for an Australian scheme that cannot be met.
Given the fiasco of Copenhagen, the BCA has urged the government to change its scheme "in line with other international responses". Further, it has demanded the unconditional target of cutting greenhouse gases by 5 per cent by 2020, the same target as the Coalition's, not be lifted "before we have clear and credible commitments, and actions, from both developed and developing countries that are verifiable and monitored".
That's impossible for nations such as China and India to meet: the BCA may as well have urged an ETS be set up on the moon before Australia lifts its target...more here...