JULIA Gillard's introduction of a carbon tax has been praised at the latest economic summit for showing the way on climate change but Australia is being isolated within the G20 on carbon pricing as members retreat due to changing priorities and economic pressure.I should bloody coco. Even making the generous assumption that the warble gloaming catastrophists are actually right the whole idea that other nations will follow Australia's lead, which was the only possible answer its supporters could offer when asked how it could possibly change anything given Australia's meagre emissions, was part of the efforts to sell the carbon tax to us. If the response from the rest of the industrialised world is words to the effect of "Good on Australia for doing this, but don't think for a moment that we're going to do it too" then you have to wonder if the case for it was really that solid. If it was wouldn't they be falling over themselves to join in?
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While Australia is pursuing the most comprehensive carbon tax in the world to combat the effects of climate change, other G20 members are retreating from emissions trading schemes to cut greenhouse gas emissions, such as Canada, while others are giving greater emphasis to dealing with the immediate effects of climate change.
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Senior fellow at the Canadian-based G20 watchdog, the Centre for International Governance Innovation, Daniel Schwanen, told The Weekend Australian the praise for carbon tax "would not play well at home".
Which should really have Jules wondering now whether it's such a good idea after all. I don't really think she's daft and I'm sure she's been wondering that for a while now, but being left by other countries to go it alone speaks far louder than the praise she's had for doing it.