Jennifer Marohasy

ABARE released today, Thursday 4 December 2008, Australian Commodity Statistics 2008.

This report is an invaluable reference book with Australia’s agricultural and resources industries. It is a comprehensive publication, containing overview and macroeconomic information as well as key statistics on the supply of and demand for more than forty commodities.

It covers current and historical data on price, production and export information, with some historical series extending over forty years.

Download your free electronic copy or purchase a hardcopy from www.abare.gov.au

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I am writing to you as the Chair of the Australian Environment Foundation (AEF).  Over the last year a key issue for us has been the protection of River Red Gum forests in the Central Murray Valley of south eastern Australia.   At our recent conference and AGM in Canberra, members decided that the best thing we could do as an organisation for the environment over the next year would be to oppose the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). 

You might well ask why an environment group would oppose such a scheme.  Well, for three reasons:
1. An ETS  will not change the global temperature;
2. It will force many clean and green Australian industries overseas; and
3. It will make Australians poor, but it is richer, not poorer nations, that are generally better able to protect their natural environment. 

Last week  the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Penny Wong, said that the Australian government would take the global economic slowdown into account with its plans for carbon trading, but said there was no reason to push back start dates.  

I wish she would also take some of the science into consideration! 

Indeed the proposed trading scheme represents a major intervention in to the Australian economy with absolutely no chance of changing global temperatures let alone preventing the feared ‘climate crisis’. 

It is bad economics, it is bad science and the associated policies are bad for the environment.  

On July 14 this year, just before Minister Wong released The Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Green Paper, she stood with the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on the banks of the Hume Dam and suggested that by embracing Emissions Trading, Australians could somehow make it rain in the Murray Darling Basin.  http://www.pm.gov.au/media/interview/2008/interview_0360.cfm

Ridiculous statements continue to be made by politicians and lobbyists in the media and attempts to correct them are mostly just ignored.  For example, on Monday, Dr Dennis Jensen MP was denied the opportunity to table information in federal parliament showing that many of the current problems facing the Murray Darling Basin are the result of low runoff as a consequence of changed land management practices (including more plantations in the top of catchments), catchment-wide drainage management plans (place in the 1980s and 1990s to lower water tables) and more efficient water use (resulting in less leakage).   He explained that it was wrong to blame climate change because there had been no long term decline in rainfall in the Basin, yet the data which shows this was not permitted to be provided to our elected representatives. 

Also on Monday, but in the Senate, Ron Boswell spoke against a proposed tax deduction for establishing carbon sinks.  The Senator asked the question “If we put 40 million hectares of land into new forestry, where on earth do we put those millions of kangaroos that we’re supposed to farm according to [Professor Ross] Garnaut?”  More seriously, if 40 million hectares goes under plantation forestry as proposed by the federal government to fight climate change and offset emissions, there will be even less water for our rivers and streams.  

There are a lot of politicians and journalists, as well as ordinary Australians who know that much of what is currently being proposed in the name of stopping climate change is absurd, but there is no organised campaign putting the alternative perspective.

An AEF member, Professor Bob Carter, recently commented to me, “One of the things that I find most troublesome is the degree to which the public airwaves and print channels are filled by people propagating ritualistic, often irrational, emotional views. To what degree this is caused by systematic activity by Green groups or their acolytes, I can’t judge, but the result is the same regardless of what the balance of genuine: zealot contributors might be. It is that public opinion still appears to be utterly captivated by AGW dogma.  This, of course, is the same perception that all MPs still have, for the Greens make very sure that every communication channel that they can command delivers the alarmist message to MPs.”

The internet is increasingly recognised as an important medium for networking and campaigning.  It is a medium for getting an alternative message to a large audience.  A dedicated and custom built campaigning website can make it easy for an online community to quickly find their local media and local member and send them a message – as well as encouraging their friends, colleagues and family to send a message.  

The AEF needs A$30,000 to build and run a dedicated campaigning website that will initially be used to campaign against the ETS.    

If you can make a financial contribution, please go to our website and donate through the paypal facility using your credit card. http://www.aefweb.info/ 

Alternatively send a cheque to the Australian Environment Foundation, PO Box 274, Deakin West, ACT 2600, Australia. 

If you need more information contact Max Rheese (info at aefweb.info) or myself (jennifermarohasy at jennifermarohasy.com ) and we can provide you with a copy of the proposal.

Make a Donation, Save the Environment, Stop the Emissions Trading Scheme proposed for Australia!

Kind regards,
Jennifer Marohasy
Chair, Australian Environment Foundation

Hi Jennifer,

I have recently taken over Carl Smith’s blog at http://landscheidt.auditblogs.com/

The site was originally set up to discuss Dr. Landscheidt’s work and is a good source of his documents. I am currently expanding the format to include any scientific work related to planetary influence on the Sun.

Ian  Wilson has just contacted me and gave permission to air his recent paper on the topic and I thought it and other articles may have been of interest to you and your readers.

Geoff Sharp.

INVESTIGATIVE journalist Ross Coulthart and guru producer Nick Farrow have won the Gold Walkley for this year for exposing a doctor’s alleged malpractice in the New South Wales town of Bega.

The award is the most prestigious in Australian journalism.

They undertook the investigation while working for the Sunday Program, a program recently axed by Channel 9.

You may remember, back in June, Nick Farrow working with Adam Shand, made the only feature so far on Australian TV questioning whether we really have a climate crisis.  This cover story for  Sunday was entitled ‘Questioning Science’ and screened on June 29, 2008.

In 2006 Ross Coulthart with Nick Farrow critically examined many of the popular claims about the Murray River and found them wanting.  That cover story which confirmed many of my findings was screened on May 26, 2006 and entitled ‘Australia’s Salinity Crisis: What Crisis’. 

Margaret Simons writing in yesterday’s Crikey.com.au commented:

“There is something profoundly sad and disturbing about an industry forced to give its highest awards to things that no longer exist, or are in decline. That’s what happened last Thursday night at the annual Walkley Awards …
The highest award for the evening, the Gold Walkley, went to Channel Nine’s Sunday program, for a piece by Ross Coulthart and Nick Farrow about the “Butcher of Bega” — a doctor accused of abusing and mutilating the women in his care. The same piece won both the award for Television Current Affairs Reporting, and the award for Investigative Reporting. Yet the program — a frequent winner of Walkley Awards — no longer exists.”

There is some good news though.  Ross Coulthart and Nick Farrow are now at Channel Seven and working on a new public affairs program ‘Sunday Night’ to be unveiled late in January 2009.

Congratulations to both Ross and Nick on the award, and also the new jobs.

You might like to add this http://www.tasmaniathemovie.com/trailers/ to your blog

It is obviously a counter to the Richard Flanagan partly scripted new movie ‘Australia’, and does show that the last tree has yet to be chopped down in Tassie.

Cheers, Cinders

Michael Crichton died earlier this month aged justed 66 years.   Like me, Art Raiche is a fan of the author and climate sceptic and sent me this note:

“As most of you know, Robyn Williams who runs the science show on the ABC [in Australia] is a committed warmer.  So, I was surprising to hear him do a show on Michael Crichton, albeit a funny and insightful talk on science and the media.  He did admit that Crichton was a sceptic, quite a revelation for those of you who know Williams.  The url below will give you access to a funny and thought-provoking talk. 

I had not previously heard Crichton speak.  The humorous and sceptical intelligence of the man is just terrific.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/inconversation/default.htm

These are parts 1-3 of Crichton on global warming, 
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=noec6Xkx73k&feature=related
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=VJJsDtSHjdE&feature=related
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=MagSO9L2Ns0&feature=related

I have saved the best for last:  States of Fear – complexity.  These are vintage Crichton, really worth the investment of an afternoon
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=9qtgQXtrl4Q&feature=related
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=uKIGQSkkm1w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_nLgrGL_Pg&NR=1
http://tinyurl.com/58amjr
http://tinyurl.com/5ajq8n

Finally, here is a site with points to a cornucopia of heresy
http://tinyurl.com/6d9shz ”

Art Raiche, Sydney, Australia

On Saturday I climbed to the very top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Hi Jen,

All things considered, I thought the debate went very well. The show of hands at the end indicated 50-50. I have had complimentary calls today. The following is a summary that Des Moore has sent around.

Climate Debate - Hawthorn Town Hall - 19 Nov

I attended last night a debate between Professor David Karoly, who is an adviser to Professor Garnaut and Victorian Premier John Brumby, and William Kininmonth at the Hawthorn Town Hall on “We should be concerned with human-caused climate change”.

I estimate that about 220 people attended and there was an “active” question time after the speakers completed their presentations. A show-of-hands vote taken at the conclusion suggested a slight majority in favour of WK.

I will not atttempt here to analyse the issues raised by either side other than to mention the heavy reliance on modelling by DK to “prove” his points. However, it is worth noting  the marked contrast in style of presentation, with DK adopting an aggressive approach (that provoked an initial adverse reaction from the audience) and WK adopting a calm relaxed one.

There is little doubt that DK’s approach lost him “votes” and, more importantly, left an impression that his expertise was not necessarily something on which much reliance should be placed. Indeed, it served to (again) confirm doubts about the basis of the science used by the IPCC, for which DK was a lead author…

My guess is that DK was a bit taken aback by the audience response, including a number of sensible questions…

Des Moore

The local Community TV Channel 31 filmed the event to show later and they said they would send a copy to me.

Regards,
Bill

BrisScience: Friend or Foe? The Ocean¹s Response to Climate Change presented
by Dr Ben McNeil
Time: 6:30pm to 7:30pm (Doors open at 6pm)
Monday 8 December, 2008
Venue: Ithaca Auditorium, Brisbane City Hall
Refreshments: There will be complimentary drinks and nibblies following the
talk, and Ben will be available to answer any questions.

*********

Friend or Foe? The Ocean’s Response to Climate Change
Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is the principle driver of future
climate change. Atmospheric CO2 concentrations have increased 30% beyond
pre-industrial levels through human combustion of fossil-fuel carbon and
will continue to increase rapidly into the future. The ocean covers 70% of
the earths surface, is the largest active reservoir of carbon on earth and
is the most important natural sink for reducing anthropogenic atmospheric
CO2. The ocean controls atmospheric CO2through both biological cycling
(phytoplankton production) and solubility cycling (thermodynamics). Here I
will discuss the latest scientific understanding governing climate change
impacts on the ocean : including implications for global circulation and
heat transport, oceanic CO2 uptake, pH acidification and changes in oceanic
biological production. I can then synthesize the likely future implications
in order to answer whether the oceans will be working for us or against us
in slowing climate change.

Ben McNeil is an Australian academic who is an expert in a range of areas
relating to climate change science, policy and energy.
Completing his PhD in 2001 he worked as a research fellow at Princeton
University, USA and returned to Australia in 2004, where he is now a senior
research fellow at the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of
New South Wales. In 2007, he was chosen as an expert reviewer for the United
Nations Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change 4th assessment report and
was invited to present his research to the Prime Minister and cabinet at
Parliament House in Canberra. He was also recently elected to represent
young scientists in the Federation of Australian Science and Technological
Societies.

His writing on climate change and energy policy has been widely published in
Australia¹s newspapers including the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The
Australian and The Canberra Times. He has also made numerous radio and
television appearances including ABC Radio National, CNN, BBC and Sky News
Australia.

************

Dear Jennifer,
I enjoy your work, here’s a new climate change book for your Christmas reading:
We’re not scared anymore Mr Gore.
A climate change parody by geologist Marc Hendrickx.
Synopsis:
Ms Green is surprised when Mr Gore comes to teach the class about the dangers of climate change.
Mr Gore looks at the evidence and the outcomes of man made global warming. It’s scary stuff.
He gets a lot of help on the way from Ms Green but in the end It’s Mr Gore who learns a thing or two about the climate. How fast can you run Mr Gore?
For more information see:
http://littleskepticpress.blogspot.com/2008/11/were-not-scared-anymore-mr-gore.html
Cheers
Marc Hendrickx