Maqqa wrote on Dec 31
st, 2012 at 12:48pm:
(1) Australia contributes 1.3% to the human carbon emissions
(2) A carbon tax to cut 5% of the 1.3% is doing SFA other than burden current and future Australians
(3) We don't even know how much carbon dioxide humans are emitting relative to everything else
(4) We don't even know if the extra 50ppm CO2 increase is caused by humans
(5) We don't know if the extra 50ppm CO2 plugs will cause warming - remember this is an extra 50 plugs out of 1,000,000 holes for heat to escape
You're probably the sort of bloke who doesn't follow water restrictions because you con yourself into believing your individual actions mean SFA.
All individuals and all countries have a moral responsibility to contribute to the solution. If all small to middling countries and provinces were swayed by your faulty logic there is no possible solution.
You are right in the sense that we need a global agreement, something that you and your buddies have sabotaged in the past. How can Australia play an active role in pursuing this global agreement if we assume a hypocritical position.
Further, the world is set on a path towards a global agreement and most companies are factoring in carbon pricing because they see it is inevitable. Most sane people realise the alternative is simply unpalatable. To slow the transition of our country to a low carbon economy at this point would be nothing short of economic suicide.
And finally, since we have been given a clear choice between a market solution and direct intervention, who in the right mind would want all the inefficiencies that come with the government meddling in the affairs of industry. Put a price on it and let the ingenuity of the market sort it out.