I have commented previously in this column about the
manifestly ridiculous politicising of climate change science that is occurring
across the globe. However, nothing in the past comes close to the absurdity that
was on display at the latest climate change talks in Katowice, Poland.
Much of the opening day was wasted in debate brought on
by fossil fuel producing nations, the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait, when
they objected to the word “welcome” in relation to the latest IPCC report.
Instead they insisted that, rather than welcomed, the report should simply be “noted”!
The evidence supporting climate change science has been
collected, researched, analysed and presented by thousands of the world's best
qualified scientists for more than 30 years, yet is still not being accepted by
the deniers, who have gone to great lengths to give credence to any dissenting
scientific opinion, no matter how questionable.
So the widespread goodwill at the Katowice talks was
undermined by a handful of countries trying to disconnect the science and
urgency from the implementation of the Paris agreement.
Not altogether surprisingly, given recent domestic policy
announcements on coal, Australia remained silent during the heated debate, a
fact that did not go unnoticed, shocking many countries including the island
nation states on Australia's doorstep who are already suffering from the
effects of climate change.
Australia’s environment minister, Melissa Price, whose
connections to the mining industry in Western Australia are no secret, arrived
in Katowice for the second week's negotiations, claiming Australia's priority
outcome for the talks was “to ensure a robust framework of rules to govern
the reporting of Paris agreement targets”, adding: “Australia’s
emissions reporting is of an exceptionally high standard and we are advocating
for rules that bring other countries up to the standard to which we adhere.”
The current high standard of Australia's emissions
reporting is unquestioned. However, having reported that emissions have risen
dramatically by 1.3% over the past quarter, let's hope those reporting
standards are not manipulated to support the Minister's dubious assertion that
Australia will meet its Paris emissions reduction targets.
- John Edwards
This article was originally published in the VOICES FOR THE EARTH column in The Daily Examiner on December 24, 2018.
