Clean and Green ... Like the HULK!

Well after many days of deliberation, its time for the Grumpy Kid to weigh in to this maelstrom of information, and misinformation, with a few words. 


The Carbon Tax is a good idea because 
 - Introduction of market forces (making polluting expensive) will cause large companies to reduce their output and become cheaper, simply because this will net them more customers and a better bottom line
- Some companies will pass costs on in the short term, but this will be unsustainable as cleaner companies will be able to provide a cheaper product.
- The establishment of 

• a $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation
• invest $10 billion in businesses  seeking funds to get innovative clean energy proposals and technologies off the ground.
• Will also invest in existing manufacturing businesses to re-focus on meeting demand for inputs for these sectors, for example, manufacturing wind turbine blades and solar photo voltaic panels.
• an Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to manage $3.2 billion in funding
• research and development into renewable energy technologies and initiatives to bring them to market.
• a $200 million Clean Technology Innovation Program (CTIP).
• support business investment in renewable energy, low emissions technology and energy efficiency.

- These three entities will interact to boost the renewable energy market, pulling the "dirty" rug out from under unclean (and therefore noncompetitive) competition. The CEFC will administer the funding and investment in new business and pay for ARENA and its non-political/independent funding of research and development. The CTIP will operate as a government program (poor history in this area, i know) to fund existing businesses who are trying to reduce emissions. 

The arguments against Carbon Tax
- Another tax which will raise the cost of living
- It will not achieve any significant reduction in global temperature
- The current government has a poor record of managing "programs".


Firstly, Qantas and Virgin airlines, Australia's biggest, annouced that they would pass on all the cost of the carbon tax to consumers, which would raise the average cost of a domestic flight by around $3 each. Last time i flew, i paid $9 for a sandwich, $4 for a muffin... Debate over.


Second point. The arguments against carbon tax have argued that even if this takes effect the actual change in temperature will be minimal. Australia alone cannot change global temperature. There is modelling which says that even if Australia ceased all CO2 output today, by 2050 the global temperature would only drop by 0.0154 degrees Celsius, however this modelling is based on the assumption that no other country changes its output between now and then. This is simply not true and we should do our part. Secondly to this point, are we all OK with pumping pollution into the atmosphere as long as the entire planet isn't destroyed. It's somehow fine to pollute as long as we dont COMPLETELY destroy the planet? Even the deontologists would agree that the result of a carbon tax is usefull, as well as the act in and of itself having function. 


In final argument to the third point, perhaps Mr Malcolm Turnbull could finally turn his business-bulldog, wealth amassing brain to some useful end? Perhaps running the CEFC?? Who better than Mr Turnbull to ruthlessly whip the renewable energy sector into economic shape. Perhaps it may even serve his own, tastelessly self-important, power hungry means? Prime Minister.. oh sorry, Emperor Turnbull, the guardian of the planet! We would probably vote for him :P haha


In conclusion, please read  - 
http://www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au/
http://www.climatescience.org.au/news/news/2011-06-22_respectthescience.html
http://www.science.org.au/reports/climatechange2010.pdf
http://www.bom.gov.au/announcements/media_releases/ho/20100315a.pdf

Grumpy kid - respecting science
:)