this whole global warming (sic) malarkey ranks amongst history's greatest global practical jokes...ranks right up there with L. Ron Hubbard's bet that he could invent a global religion (Scientology). Stern must have bet his mates he could do the equivalent of selling air...and he (and others) came up with emissions trading.
I try and avoid conspiracy theories but geez what else can one come up with on this one???
For those still lambasting peter Costello: try and recall that he was (and remains) a major skeptic on this new religion.