Vancouver Secrets

Hope From Australia

Jolting the climate debate

SYDNEY — A leading climate-change sceptic seized control of Australia’s opposition on Tuesday, vowing to kill carbon trading legislation ahead of key UN talks.

Right-wing maverick Tony Abbott ousted Liberal Party leader Malcolm Turnbull by just one vote, 42-41, in a result that should doom marathon attempts to pass emissions laws.

A second defeat of the government bill — aiming to cut carbon pollution by between five and 25 percent of 2000 levels by 2020 — would give the government powers to call a snap election.

“We will oppose the legislation in the Senate — that is the right thing to do,” Abbott told reporters, adding that he was “not frightened of an election on this issue”.

And the UN concedes defeat in Copenhagen:

The United Nations’ chief negotiator says the international climate change summit in Copenhagen will not be a “failure”. Instead, he’s still confident the conference will deliver an agreement, with ambitious targets from rich nations, and commitments to cut emissions growth by the developing world. But he says a legally binding treaty is unlikely to be delivered until June 2010.

Let’s hope Harper has his hands in his pockets at Copenhagen… why anyone would impoverish their county under false pretense escapes me.

Here’s a recap of Climategate set to music: