Humans not to blame for climate change: MP
The claim that humans are causing climate change is unproven, and
policy based on that assumption is fundamentally flawed, Federal Member
for Tangney Dennis Jensen said Tuesday.
“The simple issue of whether human activity is responsible for climate change remains, in the larger public arena, in dispute,” he said, in a speech opening the conference of the Australian Environmental Foundation.
“It should not be. Climate change is real – the liability of humans in this process is not.
“Then there is the false argument often put by many so-called environmentalists as one of environmentalism versus humanism. Those who disagree are enemies of the environment. This is not a legitimate argument, and when such arguments take hold in environmental policy, it is usually to the detriment of both humanity and the environment.”
Dr Jensen, a strong opponent of Federal Government plans to impose an emissions trading scheme, said there were many options available to improve the environment and counter climate change and called for a rigorous debate of the issues.
“There are many alternatives to reducing harmful emissions – many of which are far more harmful than those addressed by the government’s proposed emissions trading scheme,” he said.
“We need to canvas those options and subject them to rigorous review, the type of scientific review which has not yet been applied to this debate.
“Populism has taken precedence over science, spin has taken over from common sense.”
Dr Jensen said 2000 Australians died every year from particulate emissions – more than the annual road toll – and thousands of others suffered health problems as a result, but that the proposed emissions trading scheme would do nothing to deal with the problem.
“The simple issue of whether human activity is responsible for climate change remains, in the larger public arena, in dispute,” he said, in a speech opening the conference of the Australian Environmental Foundation.
“It should not be. Climate change is real – the liability of humans in this process is not.
“Then there is the false argument often put by many so-called environmentalists as one of environmentalism versus humanism. Those who disagree are enemies of the environment. This is not a legitimate argument, and when such arguments take hold in environmental policy, it is usually to the detriment of both humanity and the environment.”
Dr Jensen, a strong opponent of Federal Government plans to impose an emissions trading scheme, said there were many options available to improve the environment and counter climate change and called for a rigorous debate of the issues.
“There are many alternatives to reducing harmful emissions – many of which are far more harmful than those addressed by the government’s proposed emissions trading scheme,” he said.
“We need to canvas those options and subject them to rigorous review, the type of scientific review which has not yet been applied to this debate.
“Populism has taken precedence over science, spin has taken over from common sense.”
Dr Jensen said 2000 Australians died every year from particulate emissions – more than the annual road toll – and thousands of others suffered health problems as a result, but that the proposed emissions trading scheme would do nothing to deal with the problem.
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