Category: Carbon Pricing

Categories
Australia Carbon Pricing

October 28, 1994 – Give us some green, say greens

Thirty two years ago, on this day, October 28th, 1994,

The federal Environment Minister, John Faulkner, promised yesterday to consider proposals from Australia’s peak environment groups to double green spending and expand conservation programs, but said he must remain “realistic”.

The Peak Conservation Organisation called on the Federal Government yesterday to introduce resource taxes, such as a carbon levy, to fund a doubled commitment to the country’s environment.

In a 60-page submission to Senator Faulkner, the green groups also have sought the removal of tax and subsidy measures, such as the diesel fuel rebate and land clearing subsidies, which they say promote exploitation of the environment.

Anon, 1994. Greens seek more funds. The Canberra Times, 29 October, p.8.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118294681

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 359ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that green groups had expanded in the late 1980s but had been unable to sustain membership and donations, and were facing near bankruptcy, very tough times.

Inevitably you want to get some money from somewhere, and you get it from the state, but then that comes with both reputational risks, but also you get hooked on it, and before you know it, you’re a handmaiden, um those are the dangers. 

What I think we can learn from this – social change, even maintaining an NGO, is really hard.

What happened next – ACF and the other outfits continued, but have been tamed, inevitably. Marxists would tell you this is inevitable.

xxx

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

Xx

References

xx

You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

If you want to get involved, let me know.

If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).

Also on this day: 

October 28, 1906 – the birth of the Press Release

October 28, 1956 – New York Times reports “Warmer Climate on the Earth May Be Due To More Carbon Dioxide in the Air”

October 28, 1968 – Los Angeles Times report on the possibility of an environment conference

October 28, 1994 – UK agriculture and climate change workshop

Categories
Australia Carbon Pricing

October 10, 1994 – Faulkner says “give me a little more time”

Thirty two years ago, on this day, October 10th, 1994,

The Federal Government has appealed for more time to meet its greenhouse gas emission commitments amid increasing international pressure for a tougher world response at a Climate Change meeting in Berlin next March.

The appeal from the Federal Minister for the Environment, Senator Faulkner, follows his recent admission that Australia’s own efforts at reducing greenhouse gas emissions have been less than successful.

Senator Faulkner told an environmental conference in New Zealand yesterday that Australia would not be in a position to sign an agreement on greenhouse gas emissions at the March 1994 [sic] meeting in Berlin…. But Senator Faulkner’s delayed admission that Australia will not meet its targets for greenhouse gas emissions has been criticised by the Australian Mining Industry Council’s new executive director, Mr David Buckingham.

“Too often in the recent past, Australia has been caught short in its appreciation of both the potential and likely impacts of new treaty instruments,” Mr Buckingham told an AMIC workshop yesterday.

“This is only likely to change if a far closer process of community and industry involvement with the development of Australia’s negotiating position is achieved,” he said. “Damage limitation assessment after the event is not a responsible, or effective, way in which to proceed.”

Dwyer, M. 1994. Canberra wants more time to meet greenhouse gas pledges. The Australian Financial Review, October 11.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 359ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that the Australian political elites had by this time been well informed and gotten sick and tired of the greenhouse gas build up issue, and they had said no to a carbon tax once before in the period 1991-92 and here we see a second bite at that cherry.

The specific context was that John Faulkner had thought it was a good idea to bring in a carbon tax, because this would raise some revenue, and it would also be something to show at the first conference of the parties to be held in March-April of 1995. Otherwise, Australia would be basically empty-handed. But there were difficulties, of course, because the carbon tax was hated by the people who would have to pay it. Also, the very principle! Accepting a carbon tax is then admitting that greenhouse gases are a problem, and it has knock-on reputational effects.

What I think we can learn from this is that it’s now pushing 40 years of policy failure on climate change and that’s not going to change. We have fundamentally and totally missed the opportunity to do anything meaningful. Even with enormous efforts, it was still going to be really fucking difficult. We made no significant efforts, and it’s going to be hell on earth, and on the oceans, and in the skies, and everywhere. 

What happened next Australia got a carbon price, very briefly, between 2012 and 2014.

xxx

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

Xx

References

xx

You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

If you want to get involved, let me know.

If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).

Also on this day: 

October 10, 1957 – Windscale fire

October 10, 1977 – famous scientist Solly Zuckerman writes to top UK Civil Servant, warning about climate change – All Our Yesterdays

October 10, 1997 – Australian businesses say ‘yes’ to a decent Kyoto deal – All Our Yesterdays

Categories
Australia Carbon Pricing

September 27, 2010 – Gillard creates the MPCCC

Sixteen years ago, on this day, September 27th, 2010,

J Gillard (Prime Minister), Prime Minister establishes Climate Change Committee [and] Terms of Reference, media release, 27 September 2010.

Transcript 17390 | PM Transcripts

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 390ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that Australian political elites had been well aware of carbon dioxide build up as a problem stretching back to the early 1970s They had, of course, ignored the problem for as long as possible, because there are no easy solutions, and it would interfere with the power, privilege, and profit of the donor class. 

Also it’s just not easy to fix. It’s really not, or not easy to fix within the parameters set.

After successfully tamping down concern by elites in the early 1990s and then again through the 2000s in 2006 the issue had exploded onto the public agenda, Labor had used it as a stick to beat the Liberal National Government. However, Labor in power had then monumentally fucked it up, Kevin Rudd, Penny Wong, etc.

The specific context was Julia Gillard was forced to try to clean up the mess because there was no way of having a government without carbon pricing. Therefore, she set up the multiparty climate change committee, the MPCCC. She extended invites to everyone; the Independents and the Greens took her up, and the Liberals and Nationals, of course, did not.

What I think we can learn from this is that politics is the slow boring of hard boards, as per old Maxie [Weber] and but meanwhile some solutions, some problems rather just keep growing if you ignore them or a half-assed and solution solving them, i.e. wicked problems, and of course super wicked problems.

What happened next The MPC beavered away, produced its reports and recommendations, and this became the legislation for the clean energy package, which passed in September 2011 and the emissions trading portion of that began on first of July 2012 and may have helped reduce emissions for a bit. Then it was of course abolished by Tony Abbott.

xxx

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

Xx

References

xx

You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

If you want to get involved, let me know.

If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).

Also on this day: 

September 27, 1962 – “Silent Spring” published as a book

September 27, 1988 – UNEP should become world eco-regime

September 27, 1988 – Margaret Thatcher comes out as a lentil-eating greenie…

September 27, 1995 – Greenhouse progress in Australia? None. Zip. Zero. 

September 27, 2007 – Kyoto Inaction Protest

Categories
Australia Carbon Pricing

September 15, 2010 – BHP says carbon tax is essential

Sixteen years ago, on this day, September 15th, 2010, 

THE world’s biggest mining company, BHP Billiton, is urging the Gillard government to impose a tax on carbon before any international agreement.

This is in order to protect Australia’s long-term economic interests. BHP Billiton chief executive Marius Kloppers has also warned the government not to try to change the terms of the pre-election mining tax deal negotiated with the big three miners.

In a major address yesterday, Mr Kloppers made it clear the mining industry did not intend to be passive in the face of the political uncertainty created by minority government.

BP bod Marius Kloppers speech to Australian Business Chamber of Commerce http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2010/9/16/cleantech/their-words-marius-kloppers

Hewett, J. 2010. BHP boss Marius Kloppers: It’s time for carbon tax. The Australian, September 16

SEE FOR POLITICAL ANALYSIS OF THIS – (Effendi and Courvisanos, 2012: 251)

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 390ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that BP had been looking at the greenhouse effect in the late 1980s as a way of flogging more uranium. It had also been mildly perturbed by the resources tax proposal of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and here we see them stirring the pot, talking about a carbon tax, global carbon tax, which is one of those delay techniques, because you know it will never happen. 

The specific context was that Julia Gillard had become Prime Minister. There was an election campaign happening. 

What I think we can learn from this is that incumbents like BHP, who’d also been involved in the so-called Greenhouse Challenge bullshit, are pretty astute when they want to be and can claim brownie points for advocating things that they know aren’t going to happen.

What happened next Gillard did not win the next election, but she was able to form a minority government, the price of which, though, was that she introduced carbon pricing, leading to real hilarity (ymmv).

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

Xx

References

xx

You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

If you want to get involved, let me know.

If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).

Also on this day: 

September 15, 1830 – Manchester-Liverpool railway opened

September 15, 1948 – Biologist Evelyn Hutchinson mentions carbon dioxide build-up at an AAAS symposium.

September 15, 1980 – Australian scientists hold “Carbon Dioxide and Climate” symposium in Canberra

September 15, 1982/1990 – “Environmental Justice” is born. And so is Captain Planet…

September 15,1990 – Captain Planet launches

September 15, 1996 – A CCS posterchild is born: Sleipner Field comes online.

September 15, 2005 – “A Citizen’s Guide to Climate Refugees launched by FOE Australia”

September 15, 2008- business splits over what to extort from Rudd…

Categories
Australia Carbon Pricing

September 14, 1994/1999 – Carbon tax shenanigans

Thirty two years ago, on this day, September 14th, 1994,

A carbon tax, which could have a significant impact on Australia’s resources sector, will be examined as part of the Federal Government’s business tax reforms.

While it is not one of the Ralph report recommendations, a paper has been prepared by Treasury that is expected to be used by the Government when it begins negotiations with the Australian Democrats on the business tax reform package.

In negotiations to secure approval for the Government’s landmark business tax reforms, the Democrats are expected to push for a more systematic approach to Australia’s commitment to reduce greenhouse emissions under the Kyoto targets. This might involve a tax on emissions or other measures, such as greenhouse credits for tree plantations.

Dodson, L. and Lewis, S. 1999. Government puts carbon tax on agenda. The Australian Financial Review, 14 September, p.1.

AND

Industry has reacted with horror to the prospect of a carbon tax being floated simultaneously with the release of the Federal Government’s business tax reform package.

WMC executive officer Mr Ray Evans described the Government’s decision to float a carbon tax proposal as “a unilateral act of self-mutilation”.

1999 Hordern, N. 1999. Industry greets plan for carbon tax with horror. The Australian Financial Review, 15 September, p.3.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 359/368ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was … well, look,one of the obvious things you do when bad things are happening is you disincentivize them. You either make them illegal or you raise the economic /social price.

The idea of putting a price on carbon dioxide had been pushed by Barry Jones, the Science Minister, or at least mentioned by him in 1988/9 but the basic idea had gone back to 1965, if you look at the President’s Scientific Advisory Council report, Restoring the Quality of Our Natural Environment.

And the proposal for a carbon tax had been there in the Ecologically Sustainable Development policy papers, and it had been kiboshed, and it was now on the table in 1994 again as part of the budget discussions, and so that the Environment Minister John Faulkner would have something in his hand to go to the first COP in the way that Ros Kelly, the Environment Minister in 1990 needed something in her hand for the Second World Climate Conference. 

Five years later, the idea of an emissions carbon tax was dead. Long live an emissions trading scheme. 

What I think we can learn from this is that putting a price on carbon was a small but useful part of the policy solutions, it was not liked by the incumbents, and therefore it was attacked with ferocity and finesse. 

What happened next. An emissions trading scheme proposal was defeated in 2000 thanks to South Australian Senator Nick Minchin, and again in 2003 thanks to John Howard acting on his own. It was not until 2006/7 that an emissions trading scheme became “inevitable.” Kevin Rudd still managed to fuck it up as Prime Minister, and it was left to Julia Gillard to clean up the mess, but her scheme only lasted a couple of years before it was then abolished by Tony Abbott. 

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

Xx

References

xx

You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

If you want to get involved, let me know.

If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).

Also on this day: 

September 14, 1991 – the Green Wave has receded….

September 14, 1993 – scientists suffer backlash (not outa thin air though)

September 14, 1994 – Business told to brace for climate regulation/tax (which it then handily defeats)

September 14, 2004 – Blair “shocked” by scientists warnings – “time is running out for tackling climate change”

Categories
Australia Carbon Pricing

August 31, 2010 – Rann says ETS delay a national failure

Sixteen years ago, on this day, August 31st, 2010,

AUSTRALIA is failing to meet its international responsibilities by delaying the introduction of an emissions trading scheme, Mike Rann said yesterday.

After staying clear of ETS issues in the federal election campaign, the South Australian Premier told an Adelaide business lunch an ETS was urgently needed to spur international action on climate change.

“Only an emissions trading system allows the country to commit to a specific emissions performance and be assured of achieving it,” he said.

Akerman, P. 2010. ETS delay a national failure: Rann. The Australian, 1 September.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/ets-delay-a-national-failure-rann/news-story/db709200b06792098c68b94e479eea30

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 390ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that, as per a couple of days ago, the first attempts to get a price on carbon were for a tax. After these were defeated, especially in 1995, attention had turned to an emissions trading scheme. In August 2003 the second attempt to get a trading scheme going under the Howard government was defeated.

The specific context was that Howard’s entire cabinet was united in the need for one. Howard blocked it for a month and came back, and then said “no”, and the spineless cretins all went along with it. Here we see South Australian Premier Mike Rann, who by this time had been taking a keen interest in renewables and the potential for South Australia to generate a lot of electricity from wind entering the fray; Rann had become premier of South Australia shortly before this. 

What I think we can learn from this is that the opportunities, the technologies, the policies were all there, and if they had been implemented, they would not have stopped climate change. They would have slowed down the staggering increase in our emissions. They would have slowly, perhaps, bent the concentration curve down a bit, which might have bought us more time. These catastrophes that we’re facing might have been delayed by as much as I don’t know a decade?

What happened next In 2006 Howard had to do a U-turn in the face of public and political pressure. It did not save him. Labor’s Kevin Rudd then managed to fuck up the emissions trading scheme legislation and was replaced by Julia Gillard, about whom you can say many things, but she was at least competent within her framework. You cannot say that of Rudd.

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

Xx

References

xx

You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

If you want to get involved, let me know.

If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).

Also on this day: 

August 31, 1998 – Green dollar growing on trees?

August 31, 1992 – “Community Energy Audit” in Canberra

August 31, 2005 – “Stop Climate Chaos” launched

August 31, 2006 – activists try to “Reclaim Power”

August 31, 2011 – anti-carbon tax protesters call Anthony Albanese a “maggot”

Categories
Australia Carbon Pricing

August 28, 2006 – “National Emissions Trading Taskforce” report released

Twenty years ago, on this day, August 28th, 2006,

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 382ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that after two failed efforts to get a carbon tax up in the early 90s, advocates of economics-based action on emissions reductions had turned their attention to an emissions trading scheme. Two proposals had been defeated in John Howard’s cabinet in 2000 and 2003 and thereafter attention had turned to state-based schemes in Australia’s different states, with the possibility of trading between them. 

The specific context was that John Howard was the Prime Minister, was continuing to deride and, wherever possible, block such an effort, especially because it undercut his so-called authority.

What I think we can learn from this is that a policy that is popular, which is not to say would have been particularly effective, will persist, and its advocates will do their best to find other plausible venues, i.e. going through the states rather than the federal government.

What happened next A state-based scheme was supplanted, because in late 2006 it became obvious that Howard was going to have to do a U-turn on the question of an emissions trading scheme if he wanted to stay prime minister. And if he was in fact defeated at the upcoming election (spoiler, he was) then Labor was promising a federal scheme. That federal scheme finally happened from 2012 was then abolished by the next government of Liberal Tony Abbott, and the whole idea of explicit, explicit emissions trading schemes was then defeated.

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

Xx

References

xx

You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

If you want to get involved, let me know.

If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).

Also on this day: 

August 28, 1971 – snarky opinion piece in New York Times. Stephen Schneider rebuts days later

August 28, 1977 – First Australian“Greenpeace” action, against whaling 

August 28, 2000 – Victorian power generators refuse to sign up to reduction plan, because it is sticks as well as carrots.

August 28, 2003 – EPA says Carbon Dioxide is not a pollutant

Categories
Australia Carbon Pricing

August 17, 2006 – Howard attacks State government plans to introduce a carbon trading scheme.

Twenty years ago, on this day, August 17th, 2006,

Prime Minister John Howard has attacked state government plans to introduce a carbon trading scheme, claiming it will cripple the resource industry and cause massive price increases for petrol, gas and electricity. He told Parliament yesterday that according to a recent Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics report, a 50 per cent cut in Australian emissions by 2050 ”would lead to a 10 per cent fall in in GDP, a 20 per cent fall in real wages, a carbon price equivalent to doubling of petrol prices and a staggering 600 per cent rise in electricity and gas prices.” [Pearse 2007 is SCATHING on this]

 Beeby, R. 2006. Howard attacks carbon trading scheme. Canberra Times, 17 August, p.3.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 382ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that there had been various efforts to get a federal carbon tax, and then an emissions trading scheme in Australia. Two emissions trading scheme proposals had gone before John Howard’s cabinet. In 2000 Nick Minchin had killed it off. In 2003 John Howard had killed it off. Insert links

The specific context was that from early 2006 onwards, and especially late 2006 the pressure for climate action became unavoidable, and here we see just before the issue breaks through in September, John Howard trying to attack state governments for being proactive on an issue that he wants to stay dead and buried.

What I think we can learn from this is that 10 years is a long time to be Prime Minister, and Howard had become more isolated and doctrinaire and had lost his feel for issues and simply couldn’t change his ways. And when he tried in 2007 it convinced absolutely nobody.

What happened next The idea of an emissions trading scheme didn’t lie down and die, and in fact, Kevin Rudd, as leader of the opposition, appointed Ross Garnaut to look into an emissions trading scheme, and this then morphed into a federal scheme. Garnaut was then sidelined because he was unwilling to sign off on enormous giveaways to big business, which Rudd felt was wise, and the rest is history. 

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

Xx

References

xx

You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

If you want to get involved, let me know.

If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).

Also on this day: 

August 17, 1982 – Crispin Tickell sounds the alarm bell

August 17, 1988 – “The Greening of Congress

August 17, 1989 – Space shields to save the earth…

August 17, 1997 – Paper etc industries want “greenhouse minister”

August 17, 1998 – Emissions Trading considered (again)

August 17, 2002 – Pacific states urge Australia to sign Kyoto Protocol

Categories
Australia Carbon Pricing

August 1, 1992 – ACF reviews carbon tax studies

Thirty four years ago, on this day, August 1st, 1992,

 (NB approximate date – sometime in August 1992, almost certainly not 1st August.)

1992 Peter Kinrade “Review of Recent Carbon Tax Studies” for Australian Conservation Foundation

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 355ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that Australia had been “woken up” to climate change from the late 1980s onwards, and there had been proposals for a carbon tax. These were met with a flurry of so-called “independent” and “scientific” reports based on economic modelling that a carbon tax would destroy the Australian economy. These reports – as if by magic – found their way to the front pages of newspapers and then into the mouths of politicians and columnists. Gramsci would laugh.

The specific context was that a carbon tax had been defeated as a policy proposal during the Ecologically Sustainable Development policy process. The Rio Earth Summit had happened, Australia had signed, and would inevitably ratify. Here we see the Australian Conservation Foundation, which had pushed for a carbon tax, analysing the recent studies and showing that they were basically bullshit. 

What I think we can learn from this is that the economic modelling by so-called independent think tanks and tame academics against progressive policy proposals are indeed usually bullshit. That’s not the point. They are a sophisticated form of propaganda and policing of possibilities, and you can analyse them after you’ve lost the battle, and that’s maybe good if it helps you understand the next battle. 

What happened next In 1994 the Australian Conservation Foundation succeeded in getting a proposal for a carbon tax back on the policy agenda, and when then defeated again, partly by economic modelling and partly by tactical innovations on the part of the opponents of carbon pricing. 

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

Xx

References

xx

You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

If you want to get involved, let me know.

If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).

Also on this day: 

August 1, 1964 – Popular Mechanics says the air around us is changing 

August 1, 1976 – Oak Ridge report on “The Global Carbon Dioxide Problem” released 

August 1, 1980 – Wall Street Journal does excellent #climate reporting 

August 1, 2015 – World Coal Association tries to say coal is lifting people out of poverty. 

August 1, 2016 – Anti-wind idiots step on their own rake

Categories
Australia Carbon Pricing Uncategorized

 July 22, 2011 – David Cameron’s letter about Labor’s carbon tax plans…

Fifteen years ago, on this day, July 22nd, 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron writes a letter about carbon pricing in Australia.

Mr Cameron’s letter, dated July 22 [2011], is the second high-profile endorsement for Labor’s carbon tax plans in less than a week, after former British Labour prime minister Tony Blair, in Australia for a series of corporate speaking events, said reducing carbon-fuel dependence was an “intelligent” move being adopted around the world, during a joint press conference with Ms Gillard.

http://www.thegwpf.com/cameron-thatcher-lawson-a-the-watermelon-theory-of-climate-politics/

I was delighted to hear of the ambitious package of climate change policy measures you announced on 10 July and wanted to congratulate you on taking this bold step …

He said it ‘will add momentum to those, in both the developed and developing world, who are serious about dealing with this urgent threat’.

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 392ppm. As of 2026, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that Cameron had used ‘green-ness’ as a way of de-toxifying the Conservative brand. He had formed a coalition government with the Lib Dems in 2010.  Meanwhile, Gillard had become Prime Minister in 2010, after Kevin Rudd’s comms director dissed her to a journo.  She’d been on course to win the following election, but lots of mysterious leaks were happening….  So, she ended up having to form a minority government. One price for support was a carbon price.

The specific context was that for months (Feb to July) there was daily madness around a carbon price.  The Murdoch media went into over-drive. It was a truly bizarre time.

What I think we can learn from this – not much. It’s just an historical curiosity.

What happened next

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-31/cameron-praises-gillard-carbon-tax/2817716

On this topic, you might like these other posts on All Our Yesterdays

Xx

References

xx

You can see the chronological list of All Our Yesterdays “on this day” posts here.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

If you want to get involved, let me know.

If you want to invite me on your podcast, that would boost my ego and probably improve the currently pitiful hit-rate on this site (the two are not-unrelated).

Also on this day: 

July 22, 1966 – “The Conservation Society” holds launch event 

July 22, 1968 – Andrei Sakharov’s manifesto mentions carbon dioxide build up as one to watch… 

July 22, 1968 – Gordon Macdonald tries to warn about carbon dioxide build-up… 

July 22, 1991 – two #climate idiots on the Science Show 

July 22, 1996 – “Gremlins in the Greenhouse”? No

.

July 22, 2010 – Obama’s climate bill dies