Post in response to Andrew Bolt encouraging Brendan Nelson to go ANTI AGW

Andrew Bolt is a columnist for the Sun Herald, and a regular 'conservative' on the couch rotation with Barry Cassidy and the 'Insiders' on the ABC on Sunday mornings. He devotes a lot of his blog to presenting the case against man-made climate change. Although I would consider Andrew Bolt to be far closer to the centre than most give him credit, make no mistake this is a Capital 'L' Liberal blog hang out. The content is generally about the 'science' and I believe the forum generally misconstrues the debate in relation to an ETS as a 'socialist' versus 'capitalist' 'left versus 'right' 'greenie' versus 'conservative' one.

This week he is presenting (and some might say leading) Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson with a case for a position where he would oppose both 'climate change' and an ''Emission Trading Scheme.' - Articles include: 'Nelson’s Trafalgar' & 'Nelson Changes Tack - for the Better'

I posted on the topic, 'Nelson's Trafalgar' as follows:

"Whilst I don’t agree with the introduction of an ETS, I think we should consider the economic advantages for Australia with a ‘mild’ reduction framework of greenhouse gases.
China is our biggest growth export market for energy. There is an abundance of brown coal in China. Black coal, a big earner for Australia, is a far more scare commodity. Its also slightly better in greenhouse terms, potential a comparative advantage in a ‘mild’ carbon reduction framework. If carbon capture and sequestration can be made to work, then this would further enhance the comparative advantage whilst sidelining nuclear, gas and other options. The ETS is effectively going to be a massive public fund to develop that technology.

Whilst I think the ‘science’ is absolutely worth debating, I don’t think we should lose sight of the economic reasons and vested interests that are involved and be assuming that the ETS is a ‘greenie’ thing.

Its important to understand your enemy and I don’t think Rudd is a ‘greenie’ in any sense of the word but I think the ETS gives him green credibility while delivering comparative advantage to the black coal industry and a boon for the financial sector. I think its very dangerous territory for Nelson to move to opposition to an ETS, when big business, despite their pan handling, are supportive of it."