Garnaut responds to vocal scientist critics

Age
Thursday 11/9/2008 Page: 2

Ross Garnaut has written to senior Australian scientists and environmental leaders rejecting their claims that his latest report on climate change is weak. The heads of WWF, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Climate Institute Australia, as well as key UN scientific advisers, confirmed Professor Garnaut - the Rudd Government's adviser on climate change - had written to them on Tuesday, arguing that his advice that the world is not ready to sign a climate agreement that will avoid the risk of catastrophic climate change is accurate and realistic.

Professor David Karoly, who worked on the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and savaged the Garnaut report in The Age on Tuesday, received a letter. After reading Professor Garnaut's letter, Professor Karoly was still not convinced by his arguments. "I don't think we misinterpreted him," he said. "He's giving in." Professor Karoly said on Tuesday that the 10% cut in emissions by 2020 recommended by Professor Garnaut was insufficient.

Professor Garnaut's report argued that Australia should support a new global climate agreement in 2009 that aimed to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at the dangerous level of 550 parts per million. He acknowledged that most scientists believed these concentrations would lead to a possible rise in global temperatures of more than 3 degrees and risked catastrophic climate change.

In his letter Professor Garnaut writes: "I note your views that I have been too pessimistic and that an effective agreement around 450 parts per million is possible at Copenhagen at the end of 2009. I hope it is obvious from the various publications of the review that I would be delighted if there were a sound basis for this alternative judgement, but there is not."

The head of WWF, Greg Bourne, said yesterday he also was not convinced by Professor Garnaut's arguments, which would mean Australia accepting a "weak" target to cut its own greenhouse gas emissions only 10% by 2020 on 2000 levels, while European countries have agreed to cut 20% by 2020. John Connor, of the Climate Institute Australia, and Don Henry, of the Australian Conservation Foundation also remain critical.