THE Federal Government's rush to adopt an emissions trading scheme will devastate rural industries, says PETER NIXON
My agricultural science teacher taught me carbon dioxide is nature's fertiliser for pasture, crops, shrubs and trees.
Because of the photosynthesis capacity of pastures and plants, oxygen is released. This process ensures the supply of oxygen we breathe.
Without carbon dioxide, pastures, plants crops and trees would die. What then would we do for oxygen?
Commercial greenhouses often use increased levels of CO2 by three or four times to lift their growth rates.
Inside US submarines, the carbon dioxide level is kept about 8000 parts a million or 20 times the outside atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide is neither a pollutant or a poison. It is nature's greatest fertiliser.
More than 95 per cent of greenhouse warming is due to water vapour. Carbon dioxide, methane and other gases are small contributors.
How is it the CSIRO has not leapt to the defence of carbon dioxide?
The sad fact is that because funding is tied, the once great protector of pure research has prostituted itself.
The latest example is in Queensland, where the CSIRO is given $2 million dollars to help the Federal Government fight global warming.
The CSIRO should be researching the important role that pasture and crops play in taking up carbon dioxide.
Australia produces 1.4 per cent of the world's current emissions of anthropogenic (human-caused) carbon dioxide.
Yet Prime Minister Kevin Rudd claims that "unless we begin reducing the nation's level of carbon pollution, Australia's economy will face more frequent and severe droughts, less water, reduced food production and devastation of areas such as the Great Barrier Reef and Kakadu wetlands".
China and India increase their carbon dioxide emissions each year by more than Australia's annual output.
If we reduced our emissions to zero, it would not make one iota of difference.
Clearly, the prospect of a huge tax collection from carbon dioxide emitters is more important than being intellectually honest.
What are the facts?
With higher levels of CO2 the last 10 years have been cooler.
All the computer models on which the IPCC has relied for its predictions of future climate have failed.
Despite claims to the contrary, the Arctic ice cap was bigger last year than 2007 and the claim by the US National Snow and Ice Data Center of a drop by 500sq km was found to be false.
The polar bear population has increased over the last 20 years.
Of its 2600 members claimed by the IPCC to support its global warming predictions, only 37 have been found to be unqualified supporters.
There are 32,000 reputable scientists from around the world who have signed a statement denouncing the IPCC predictions about anthropogenic emissions of CO2 causing global warming.
Australia is being plain stupid to foist an expensive emissions trading scheme tax that will cost thousands of jobs, and do untold damage to Australia's great rural industries.
All Australians will suffer.
India and China have made it clear they won't even consider reducing their CO2 emissions until their per capita emissions match those of the West.
This has led to European Union nations to threaten to use trade barriers against China and India.
Mr Rudd, with your plans to tax CO2 emissions, you know not what you do. Please do not try and lead the world. The world won't take any notice.
- Peter Nixon served as Federal National Party MP from 1961 to 1983 and was Primary Industries Minister in the Fraser Government.
