Sarkozy Plans For Carbon Tax

17 Sept 2009

French president Nicholas Sarkozy last week staked his political reputation on controversial plans to introduce a carbon tax, arguing that the unpopular proposals were essential to efforts to tackle climate change and establish France as "the world leader of non-carbon energies".

The new tax, which is to be introduced from next year, will charge individuals and businesses €17 (£15) per tonne of carbon they emit and will be levied on transport fuel and gas supplies. It is estimated to increase the price of gas by five per cent and lead to a four cent increase in the cost of a litre of petrol.

Polls have shown that around two thirds of voters are against the proposals, while business groups and rival political parties have also criticised the move arguing that it will impose additional costs on firms and disproportionately impact poorer people.


http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2249415/sarkozy-faces-carbon-tax

Irish Farmers Oppose Carbon Tax

IFA President Padraig Walshe said he was very concerned that the carbon tax will act as another cost to the productive, export-driven sectors of the economy and will also discriminate against farmers and rural dwellers who do not have the option of public transport.

Another farm group, the ICMSA, said the proposal for a carbon tax would fall disproportionately on the agri-food sector and considerably worsen Ireland's competitive position.


http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0907/economyreax.html

The Sun And A Historic Connection To Cold Weather 

September 3, 2009:

The sun is in the pits of the deepest solar minimum in nearly a century. Weeks and sometimes whole months go by without even a single tiny sunspot. The quiet has dragged out for more than two years.

If sunspots do go away, it wouldn't be the first time. In the 17th century, the sun plunged into a 70-year period of spotlessness known as the Maunder Minimum that still baffles scientists. The sunspot drought began in 1645 and lasted until 1715; during that time, some of the best astronomers in history (e.g., Cassini) monitored the sun and failed to count more than a few dozen sunspots per year, compared to the usual thousands.

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/03sep_sunspots.htm?list1301588 

November 5, 1998:
Shuttle Discovery is carrying two telescopes, SOLCON and SPARTAN, designed to unravel two of the most perplexing mysteries in science. One mystery concerns the temperature of the Earth: Did the Sun cause a "Little Ice Age" two hundred years ago?


In the late 17th century there was a 70 year period called the Maunder Minimum when no sunspots were observed on the Sun. The normal 11-yr sunspot cycle essentially stopped, and solar activity was abnormally low. At the same time Northern Europe experienced the "Little Ice Age", a series of bitter winters lasting 50 years. There was another decrease in sunspot activity between 1800 and 1830. It wasn't as severe as the Maunder Minimum, but temperatures in Europe and America took another dip. The year 1816 is sometimes referred to as "The Year without a Summer" because of unusually cold weather. Many of the novels of Charles Dickens, which depict harsh winters in London, were set in this period.  

http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/ast05nov98_1.htm 








The Solar Cycle Close-up of a sunspot and solar granulation.  Our Sun has spots! These spots appear dark in photographs like the one above, but in fact sunspots are quite bright - they are just dark compared to the rest of the Sun. Although sunspots are cooler than the rest of the sun, the sun is generally hotter when there are many sunspots. The Solar Maximum Mission found that solar radiance increased by 0.1% at the maximum of the sunspot cycle. Scientists are predicting that the next solar maximum will occur in the year 2000.  

Australian Senate Rejects Carbon Trade Laws

By Online parliamentary correspondent Emma Rodgers

Posted Thu Aug 13, 2009 11:20am AEST
Updated Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:22pm AEST

 

'This is not the end': Climate Change Minister Penny Wong (AAP: Alan Porritt, file photo)

The Government's contentious emissions trading laws have been voted down as expected in the Senate.

Amid loud interjections in the chamber, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong lashed out at Coalition senators for opposing the laws and vowed to re-introduce it.
"This bill may be going down today, but this is not the end."
All non-Government senators voted against the bill.
The vote provides the Government with a potential double dissolution trigger, depending on when it decides to make a second attempt at passing the laws.
Senator Wong said it would be brought back into the Parliament before the end of the year, although she did not specify when.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/13/2654631.htm

 All Gore Hides From Senators Questions

"After a series of phone calls I was met with a stonewall of resistance. I offered to meet Mr Gore at any place at any time but had no luck. Here we had the former Vice President of the United States, a self proclaimed climate change preacher running away from me over a few simple questions. I could hardly believe it." 

Australian Senator Steve Fielding


http://www.stevefielding.com.au/blog/comments/the_real_reason_ill_fight_in_the_senate_on_climate_change/ 

Australia is really yet to have the debate about what is driving climate change. 

Senator Steve Fielding 
2009 
 

For years I believed, like most of us,  that man made carbon dioxide emissions were the main cause of global warming.

However, over the last few months after speaking to a number of scientists both here and overseas I have discovered the science on both sides of the debate isn’t conclusive.
The government needs to explain to the Australian people why global temperatures have remained steady over the last 10-15 years despite skyrocketing man made carbon emissions.
Given this question remains unanswered, I believe Australia should wait until the climate change conference in Copenhagen at the end of the year, before we pass any emissions trading legislation so we can see what the big economies and polluters around the globe plan to do to tackle climate change.
I believe this is the best course forward for the country as moving before the Copenhagen conference will put unnecessary pressure on our economy with massive job losses and sky rocketing electricity prices.
In June of this year after my return from a self funded trip to Washington, I put three questions to the Climate Change Minister Penny Wong and Australia’s Chief Scientist asking them to explain the Rudd government’s belief that man made carbon dioxide emissions are the main drivers of climate change. 





http://www.stevefielding.com.au/climate_change/

Scientist Accuses American Chemical Society Editor of 'censoring of articles and letters' that reject man-made global warming claims!  

'Many of the members have not only expressed their disgust, they are contemplating leaving the group'

By Marc Morano  –  Climate Depot

Climate Depot Exclusive

[Climate Depot Editor's Note: Longtime American Chemical Society (ACS) member and Environmental Chemist Steven J. Welcenbach, the President of the Wisconsin based Alchemical Ventures, Inc., has released a portion of his private email exchange with American Chemical Society's editor in chief Rudy Baum. Baum, now under pressure to be removed from his post, created a scientific firestorm with his June 22, 2009 editorial in Chemical and Engineering News (C&E News) claiming that the global warming debate was settled. (See Climate Depot's Exclusive Report: Climate Revolt: World's Largest Science Group 'Startled' By Outpouring of Scientists Rejecting Man-Made Climate Fears! Clamor for Editor to Be Removed! - July 29, 2009 )]

http://www.climatedepot.com/a/2248/Update-Scientist-Accuses-American-Chemical-Society-Editor-of-censoring-of-articles-and-letters-that-reject-manmade-global-warming-claims