PM sceptical on global warming


PRIME Minister John Howard says he is sceptical of the more gloomy predictions about human-induced climate change, sparking claims he is not taking the issue seriously enough.
Mr Howard told ABC TV's Four Corners program, to be screened tonight, that he accepts that climate change is a challenge.
"I accept the broad theory about global warming. I am sceptical about a lot of the more gloomy predictions," he said.
"I also accept that a country like Australia has got to balance a concern for greenhouse gas emissions with a concern for the enormous burden to be carried by consumers through much higher electricity prices, higher petrol prices, falls in GDP of too dramatic an imposition of what you might call greenhouse policy.
"It's a question of balance."
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said Mr Howard was in possession of a report from Allen's Consulting which said that in 20 years' time, Kakadu wetlands and beachside suburbs would disappear and there would be no sustaining rainfall in south-west and south-east Australia.
"(If) I was prime minister of this nation fronted with a report like that, I wouldn't be sweeping it under the carpet and telling everybody out there it was a gloom merchant who said that this was serious.
"You'd be working out how to deal with it because it's a wonderful opportunity.
"We can put ourselves at the forefront of technologies to deal with the problems."
Opposition environment spokesman Anthony Albanese said Mr Howard's decision to rule out significant cuts in Australia's soaring greenhouse pollution showed how out of touch he was with the Australian community and Australian businesses.
"Australian businesses understand the need for urgent action to cut Australia's soaring greenhouse pollution," he said.
"Business needs the investment certainty that comes from a long-term target to reduce emissions."
Greenpeace campaigns manager Danny Kennedy said Mr Howard's predilection for coal would mean catastrophic climate change.
"Mr Howard's inaction on climate change is nothing less than criminal," he said.
"He is ignoring science in the face of easy profits by failing to take the steps necessary to prevent the profound impacts that climate change will have on all Australians.
"We challenge Mr Howard to put aside the interests of the coal and aluminium sectors and instead join the exciting and rapidly growing clean energy revolution, which China, Germany and California are leading."