Asking a few non-Australians how they view our position on a few green issues.

We will not build nuclear power stations because citizens (and powerful Green and Labor lobby groups) are afraid of nuclear power. We are happy to export uranium to other countries. (Does that make us good global citizens by our own standards? The Labor party and Greens are in power here by the way.

We believe we should be a global leader on climate change and are in the process of decommissioning our brown coal fired power stations (which give us cheap energy) because of carbon emissions. We are increasing our exports of Brown Coal to China who have 65 times more people than us and a lot of brown coal fired power stations. Is there a consistent argument here or a rationale someone can spot?

Go for your life.






Posted: 07/12/2011 11:50:46

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Asking a few non-Australians how they view our position on a few green issues.

We will not build nuclear power stations because citizens (and powerful Green and Labor lobby groups) are afraid of nuclear power. We are happy to export uranium to other countries. (Does that make us good global citizens by our own standards? The Labor party and Greens are in power here by the way.

We believe we should be a global leader on climate change and are in the process of decommissioning our brown coal fired power stations (which give us cheap energy) because of carbon emissions. We are increasing our exports of Brown Coal to China who have 65 times more people than us and a lot of brown coal fired power stations. Is there a consistent argument here or a rationale someone can spot?

Go for your life.

Maybe they think they're moving all the dangerous stuff out of harm's way. As if they can't trust themselves to not use it.

More likely, if it's found that they have those resources and there is a sudden shortage by powerful countries who will want it by any means, fair or foul - rather like crude oil - they might end up as target practice.

Even more likely, it prevents trade in non-green assets illegally. Mineral crime lords would make a killing otherwise.

Posted: 07/12/2011 11:59:48
Last Edit: 07/12/2011 12:02:04 by Lisa Scullard

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Maybe they think they're moving all the dangerous stuff out of harm's way. As if they can't trust themselves to not use it.

More likely, if it's found that they have those resources and there is a sudden shortage by powerful countries who will want it by any means, fair or foul - rather like crude oil - they might end up as target practice.

Even more likely, it prevents trade in non-green assets illegally. Mineral crime lords would make a killing otherwise.

So presumably, if you are fatalistic and presume bigger powers will invade you if you don't sell it and they are spewing out all these carbon emissions from your brown coal and they are 65 times bigger like China, and 15 times bigger like the US, and 60 times bigger like India, why would you decommission your pathetically small number of coal fired stations and make yourself less competitive just to make a point and then ban any new Hydro electric power and insist on buying solar panels from China manufactured using the brown coal you sent them?

Posted: 07/12/2011 12:17:15

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So presumably, if you are fatalistic and presume bigger powers will invade you if you don't sell it and they are spewing out all these carbon emissions from your brown coal and they are 65 times bigger like China, and 15 times bigger like the US, and 60 times bigger like India, why would you decommission your pathetically small number of coal fired stations and make yourself less competitive just to make a point and then ban any new Hydro electric power and insist on buying solar panels from China manufactured using the brown coal you sent them?

They probably get a discount on those

Posted: 07/12/2011 12:19:05

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