Australian General Election: Howard concedes victory to Rudd

[OrraLoon]

Is this the first time that any major politician could be said to have won on a ?green
mandate? v. ?business-as-usual??

What do you think might happen / should happen as a result of this?

Any major impact on the way the world is fuelled?

[clv101]

Australia is an interesting one - as one of the world's largest (4th after China, USA and India) producers of coal their climate impact is far more than the behavioural and technology choices of the population. Australia could make a really significant and immediate positive climate impact by reducing coal mining and export. This would be more effective in the short term than local demand side actions.

See: Climate Change ? an alternative approach

[Erik]

Australia is an interesting one - as one of the world's largest (4th after China, USA and India) producers of coal their climate impact is far more than the behavioural and technology choices of the population. Australia could make a really significant and immediate positive climate impact by reducing coal mining and export. This would be more effective in the short term than local demand side actions.

Could make an impact ... but as far as you know, is there a plan for the incoming Labour party to actually do anything like this? I mean, I believe Rudd has promised to sign the Kyoto agreement, but does this necessarily mean reducing coal mining and exports? It seems hardly likely considering how much the price of coal has shot up over the last year, especially with China about to become a net coal consumer.

[clv101]

I'm not suggesting it's at all likely, just that it could be done - with the near immediate impact of reducing CO2 atmospheric concentrations from what they would otherwise be. Demand side actions in Australia such as banning incandescent bulbs and signing Kyoto won't necessarily have such an impact.

[SaturnV]

Is this the first time that any major politician could be said to have won on a ?green
mandate? v. ?business-as-usual??

What do you think might happen / should happen as a result of this?

Any major impact on the way the world is fuelled?

Unfortunately for the future of Australia the policies of both sides, irrespective of who won power, is just increasing the risks regarding rising oil prices, global warming and the inevitable fuel shortages to come with promises of more road building and other initiatives which further encourage greater oil and fossil fuel consumption, Significantly none of the recommendations (all of which were pretty tame) of the 2007 Senate Committee report on Australia?s future oil supply has been acted upon at all. Australia truly is on the road to disaster, but at least it?ll be freshly paved!