Greens mock Abbott over climate claim

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is making Australia look ridiculous by
continuing to doubt the science on climate change, the Australian Greens say.

Mr Abbott told Macquarie Radio on Tuesday the Earth was no longer warming.
"Notwithstanding the dramatic increases in man-made CO2 emissions over the last
decade, the world's warming has stopped," he said.
His scepticism should shock many Liberals, Greens leader Bob Brown said, adding it
was hampering Australia's ability to effectively tackle climate change.
"He's going to dismay many people in business and Liberal Party support ranks, who
just don't like this far-right scepticism," Senator Brown told reporters.
"It's a get off the hook for action."
Mr Abbott's comments will "not only look ridiculous to scientists, but to people who
are intelligently thinking about climate change around the world", he said.
The new Liberal front bench, announced on Tuesday, was another win for the climate
change deniers, Senator Brown said.
"They are so far to the right, so far out of whack with average Australians," he said.
"We'll be seeing not only a push for nuclear energy, but some pretty zany stuff when
it comes to business and finance with Barnaby (Joyce) there - I can tell you that."
Greg Hunt has retained his position as the opposition's go-to man on climate change.
He has less than two months to come up with the coalition's formal battle plan to
reduce emissions.
Mr Abbott has ruled out a swathe of possible measures, such as an emissions trading
scheme (ETS), a direct tax on carbon and nuclear energy.
Mr Hunt is adamant the coalition's target of reducing emissions between five and 25
per cent by 2020 can be achieved.
"Our approach is very simple," he told AAP on Tuesday.
"There are two clear principles - the first is direct action and incentives.
"The second thing is we'll concentrate on areas of clean energy - solar, wind,
geo-thermal and tidal and also on energy efficiency, and using our trees and soils
as enormous carbon tanks."
Mr Hunt concedes he has some big work ahead of him over the summer break.
But in his first significant decision after having his portfolio re-affirmed, Mr
Hunt has decided not to go to Copenhagen, claiming the last time he went to global
talks he was muzzled by the government.
Instead, he plans to stay at home, meeting with business groups, scientists,
economists and the general public to finetune coalition policy.
The average Australian will be front and centre in the coalition plan to tackle
climate change, Mr Hunt said - and that will come at a cost.
"There are no cost-free options but there are dramatically lower cost options," he
said.
"The government picked the highest cost of all the major mechanisms (with its ETS).
"We want to have direct action which will be far more effective and won't put
Australia at a disadvantage."
Mr Hunt - a one-time supporter of the government's carbon pollution reduction scheme
under former opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull - denied the coalition has been
forced back to the drawing board given Mr Abbott's new policy direction.
But he concedes Mr Abbott has left him no wriggle room to consider an ETS in the
future.
"(But) we're not starting from scratch," he said.
"There's an enormous amount of work that's already been done.
"We've been working in this space for many years - we've got principles and we've
got themes and mechanisms.
"I'm delighted to have the responsibility ... of designing the positive, direct
action which is at the heart of what we'll be doing."
He will have a policy drafted by the time parliament resumes in February.
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says Mr Hunt would be better titled "climate
minister for no action".
"That's the reality ... under Tony Abbott," Senator Wong told reporters prior to
boarding a plane to Copenhagen for the UN summit.
She said the new Liberal leader's extreme position on the issue was at odds with the
rest of the world - and even with other conservative leaders.
Senator Wong echoed the Australia Greens, saying Mr Abbott was making Australia look
ridiculous by continuing to doubt the science on climate change.
"He is out there publicly talking about the world cooling when we have so many world
leaders ... going to Copenhagen because they are concerned about climate change,"
she said.
"So we see Mr Abbott talking about the globe cooling as the rest of the world is
trying to work its way to tackling climate change."
She said Mr Abbott's and Mr Hunt's policy was simply going to ensure Australians
will pay more in the long run.
She said Mr Hunt's title of climate action spokesman didn't reflect the coalition
position.
"In the last iteration of the shadow ministry they had a shadow minister for
emissions trading who turned out to be a shadow minister against emissions trading,"
Senator Wong said.
"Now we have a shadow minister for climate action who under Tony Abbott will
probably be better titled climate minister for no action."