Blog comments

• We tend to underestimate the flow-on effects of climate change. As temperatures rise, we will lose more food production areas in Victoria & other states, on top of decreasing water supplies & higher incidence of blue/green algae. People seem to think that just because North Queensland had significantly more water (flooding), that we would be able to increase areas of food production. It's not that simple, a lot of that land up North is totally unsuitable for farming. We had HUGE rainfall up North which severely reduced grazing land. People expected that water to last, but it rapidly evaporated. It not only destroyed existing grazing land, but it also destroyed the base seed stock, which means those same grazing lands will NOT recover~! Stock are now starving in those same once flooded areas. Millions of people world wide are struggling to even get basic nutrition. We also have a country like Turkey, which is unable to get further international funding to increase dam production, purely because as water becomes more scarce, there is the risk of those same dam structures being bombed to increase water flow down stream. World wide - it's decreasing food production areas, deserts increasing, reduction in fish stocks, housing encroaching into farm land & farmers moving into cities. Stupid statements like Climate Change is purely cyclic & should be ignored will not reduce the incidence of extreme weather, not put food on the table. One example - we export 65% of our crops. The rest of the world can just as easily say stuff you Australia & slap a 50% tariff on our produce. We don't live in isolation and we rely on international markets. The siege mentality will not work and we will lose BIG TIME~!

  Lenny Tuesday 1 December, 2009 - 8:44 AM

• Pete - we have to do something. I must admit, I'm NOT exactly happy with the current ETS scheme, I just see it as a SCAM, whereby large companies trade off their responsibility, by spending money on or trading on relatively insignificant 'green' practices here & overseas in developing countries. How many light bulbs can you replace? It does nothing to reduce carbon emissions - the same amount of coal & oil is still being burnt. If anything, it is rapidly increasing~! China is taking steps to reduce carbon emissions, but is STILL building more & more coal fired power stations~! To me the current ETS scheme is just glorified 'window dressing'. We are still clearing massive areas of forest. The only companies who are really benefiting are the oil companies who have invested heavily into Green/alternative energy technology, and they stand to make massive profits, regardless of what happens~!

  Lenny Monday 30 November, 2009 - 11:44 AM

• Pete, that's one thing you can NEVER accuse me of, being tied to any single political persuasion or party. I will attack both Liberal and Labor policies. I agree, the ETS scheme is gonna be expensive & a VERY painful exercise, but what is the alternative? Totally ignoring Climate Change? What, just burn copious quantities of oil & coal, make the Energy Groups richer in the process, and forget about the environment? It's a simple problem - we either attempt to address Climate Change NOW, or we bankrupt the country LATER by having to repair the damage it causes. Australia cannot live in isolation... If you detonated every single nuclear weapon on the planet, it wouldn't do ONE TENTH of the damage that Climate Change is capable of doing~! Perhaps you intend relocating to another planet? Perhaps you could also explain by what means you intend to use to get there??? We alone stuffed the planet, it's time to pay for our sins~! :)

  Lenny Monday 30 November, 2009 - 10:54 AM

• This latest debate is being fueled by Bolt & his pro-energy supporters group. Explain to the world where you obtained your PHD in environmental science? This current debate has nothing to do with science or climate change, it's purely about DOLLARS~! Energy companies couldn't give a stuff about the environment, as long as they are allowed to burn as much coal & oil as they can, regardless of whether they screw the world's environment in the process~!!! It always amuses me how Pro-Energy groups and Anti-ETS groups are generally illiterate morons, who have enough difficulty spelling anything, let alone arguing rational scientific debate~! The classic example would be the influence of the NRA in the US on climate change. This group is PRO guns, and ANTI anything that relates to the Democratic Party~! Their supporter base are made up of a considerable number of illiterate 'hillbillies' from downtown Hicksville USA, where they generally have the highest rates of unemployment, illiteracy & gun ownership~! NO different to here in Australia. Amazing how many of Bolt's supporters are illiterate morons, with the same scientific expertise & credibility as their illustrious leader BOLT~!

  Lenny Monday 30 November, 2009 - 10:30 AM

• Wow, Lenny! Clairvoyant and a weather expert to boot. What a man! Your genius is wasted on us plebs. I have no objection to you, stricken by conscience, reducing your "footprint" but when you try and force me to, well mate, we have a problem.

  Pete Monday 30 November, 2009 - 12:54 AM

• Lenny your one of the scammer supporters ,your lies have come home to roost no one believes anything you lot say anymore and by the way get educated will you rthe climate has been changing for billions of yrs and no one was even here then you silly scam pusher ,the game is up and you lot will haveto pay for the fraud one day.Science is a fraud and you lot made it that way all for greed they cannot be trusted anymore.

  Terry Saturday 28 November, 2009 - 8:12 AM