C John Trade

Well, well, well. John Howard appears to be getting all friendly with climate policy all of a sudden. His Task Group on Emissions Trading released it's assessment of potential carbon trading in Australia this morning, and it was chock full of stuff that Howard has for years been either ignoring or denying. Things like:

"Climate change is a global challenge that requires a long-term global solution in order to avoid environmental, social and economic dislocation."

or

"On balance, there would be benefits in the Australian Government now setting a post-2012 constraint on emissions."

or

"The overriding goal of Australia’s efforts should be to lower emissions at least cost."

or

"For Australia to commit to emissions trading now would place us in advance of most of the world community."

So almost overnight, it's as though a national cap-and-trade system is a feasible option. But then, it is an election year, Howard's getting killed in the polls, and the opposition are almost certain to advance the issue, so what choice does he have. If he can somehow rescue himself politically, he can always back out on any deal that's made. After all, that's what Bush did in 2000. But wait, strange things are also afoot in the White House. What the hell is going on?