There are a number of issues here:
(a) is there emperical evidence that there is global warming
(many think there is)
(b) If there is measurable global warming , can we do anything about it?
(many think we can)
(c) Is global warming , if any, caused by human activity?
(d) If there is global warming will the all the side effects be negative?
Just imagine central Australia getting as much rain as Cairns.
This would at least quadruple our agricultural output.
So in summary, while the jury is out on the man made impact
on climate change (we have always had climate change) there
is equal opportunity for positive as well as negative impact
on the planet, IMO.
There are many side shows happening in relation to air
pollution and climate change. For example the Socialists
(anti capitalists including the Greens) would want to curtail
capitalist activity in the form of climate change policies while
Communist China wants less air pollution in int major cities.
Our short term economic interests should be to use and promote
coal & gas (we have oodles of it and we need the lollies to pay down debt)
because there is little or no emperical evidence within Australia that
using coal & gas is having a determental effect on our climate, economy
or health. Self interest should come first and not ideologies spruiked
by ideologues.
