Carbon tax and the 'effect' on global temperature 

With the increasing public debate about Julia Gillard's proposed carbon tax, many people are asking "What will it cost?" and "Will it actually decrease the global temperature?". 
[PS: If you don't want a carbon dioxide tax, you need to write to your federal MP, Senators, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott and the Independents - see ACTION section below!]

First, does the language used by our politicians accurately depict the real situation?

On this aspect of 'language', scientist Bob Carter recently wrote an article in Quadrant:
Global warming: 10 little facts  - March 14, 2011
Control the language, and you control the outcome of any debate
Ten dishonest slogans about global warming, and ten little facts
To read it - click here.

Now to the other important questions...
What will the carbon tax cost and what effect will it have on global temperatures?

We need to remember that Australia emits just 1.5% of all carbon dioxide emissions around the world.  

Tim Flannery, the man employed by the federal government to promote the 'climate change' scenario in Australia (at a cost of $720,000 over four years), was recently interviewed by Andrew Bolt. [See Andrew Bolt's column - click here.]  
Andrew asked 'How much will it cost to cut our emissions by the Government's target of 5 per cent by 2020 and how much will world temperatures fall by as a consequence?  
Flannery was vague in his answer, saying it was complex because Australia wasn't alone...
"In terms of how much it will cut temperatures, that really very much depends upon how Australia's position is seen overseas."  Andrew asked again... "On our own, by cutting our emissions, because it's a heavy price to pay, by 5 per cent by 2020, what will the world's temperatures fall by as a consequence?"
Flannery's response: "Look, it will be a very, very small increment."

He then said, that even if the whole world cuts emissions...
"If the world as a whole cut all emissions tomorrow the average temperature of the planet is not going to drop in several hundred years, perhaps as much as a thousand years because the system is overburdened with CO2 that has to be absorbed and that only happens slowly.

Flannery added:  "I just need to clarify in terms of the climate context for you. If we cut emissions today, global temperatures are not likely to drop for about a thousand years.  ....

 

Flannery then told The Australian (by letter read it here) that he really said... 
"The Australian reported correctly that I responded by saying that if humanity ceased emitting greenhouse gases tomorrow, it would take centuries for their concentration in the atmosphere to return to pre-industrial (1800 AD) levels."

As Andrew points out, that is NOT what he really said - the audio of the interview is posted online so you can listen to it yourself - click here.

Back to the question... that Flannery didn't answer
So how much would the temperature REALLY drop if Australia was to act alone in reducing CO2 emissions?
Tim Flannery couldn't give an answer.

So Andrew Bolt has now posted an answer provided by Lord Monckton 

The answer?  0.00005 degrees Celsius
0.00005 Celsius, or around one-twenty-thousandth of a Celsius degree.
Lord Monckton uses peer reviewed statistics and IPPC figures to get the figure!  

Bill Muehlenberg's response
Bill Muehlenberg has an insightful commentary article on this development - and also on 'Earth Hour'
Read his article - click here.  

And finally, putting it into perspective. . . 
Tim Blair writes... (at the Daily Telegraph)

"An oldtimer filmed at a recent rally in favour of a carbon tax made the standard appeal to emotion. "I'm concerned," she said, "about the kind of world we're going to leave my grandchildren." 
Another rally granny at the Melbourne event - organised "spontaneously" by the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Beyond Zero Emissions, the Climate Action Network Australia, the Climate Emergency Network, Environment Victoria, GetUp, Greenpeace, Locals Into Victoria's Environment, the Moreland Energy Foundation, Oxfam, the World Wildlife Fund and 350.org - offered a similar view: "I've got a new grandchild, two weeks old, and I think it's really important that the world is made safe for him."

Well, tough luck, ladies.
Last week Tim Flannery, Australia's new Chief Climate Commissioner, told the Daily Telegraph's Andrew Bolt in a radio interview: "If we cut emissions today, global temperatures are not likely to drop for about a thousand years."
A thousand years.
And Flannery wasn't just talking about Australia's miniscule proposed emissions cuts. He was referring to cuts made across the globe. If Flannery keeps coming up with lines like this, he's worth every cent of the $720,000 we're paying him over the next four years to tell us why we'll be better off with a carbon tax.

Forget saving your grandchildren, eco-biddies. According to Flannery, the world won't be safer until your grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren are on the scene... "

ACTION
If we don't want a tax on carbon dioxide, we MUST contact our MP in the House of Representatives, our 12 Senators, as well as the MPs listed below.
All names and details are on our Federal MPs/Parliament page - click here.

Or use these direct links:
MP in House of Representatives - click here for names/details.
Click here to find your electorate/MP.
Senators - click here for names/details. [12 in states, 2 in ACT and NT]  
Then contact  ...
Prime Minister Julia Gillard - click here to send message online.
Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Independents:
Bob Katter - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tony Windsor - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Rob Oakeshott - contact form - http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/memfeedback.asp?id=IYS
Independent Senator
Sen Nick Xenophon (SA) - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it