US Climate Czar turns the thumb-screws on Australia coal

And some people wondered why I paid any attention to the US election. Apart from being the biggest political story in my life, there is that effect that US leaders have even on the other side of the world.

It’s only been five weeks since the inauguration and our largest military ally is already leaning on Australia to get out of coal fired power. To put some perspective on the size of this favour — Coal is our largest single export commodity about half the time, and most years Australia is the largest single exporter of coal in the world. We export more than 400 million tons of coal per annum. We also keep some and use coal to generate more than half our electricity. Even burning through the blackstuff like that, we still have another 300 years of supply underground. It could be very profitable stuff for another twelve generations of Australians. Or not.

So our largest trading partner is launching a trade war and acting hostile, while our largest military ally is saying they want a big favour. How much room is there for Australia to manouver?

Meanwhile last year China built three times more coal power than the rest of the world. The super-factory of the world can’t be too disappointed if the patsy competition vows to try building silicon chips with solar power.

US and Australian voters may not want this, but President Xi applauds John Kerry. Who does he work for?

US Climate Envoy, John Kerry, calls for a faster exit from coal power

The Guardian

Joe Biden’s climate envoy, John Kerry, has publicly acknowledged “differences” between the United States and Australia in tackling the climate crisis while calling for a faster exit from coal-fired power.

Kerry’s comments highlighted the increased pressure on Australia to commit to do more before this year’s Glasgow climate conference even though the Morrison government maintains it is “playing its part”.

Kerry would say he is doing it for “the climate” but we all know, if that were true, he’d be leaning on China instead of helping it to gain more factories. It’s never about the actual emissions.

There might be a pattern here:

Just days after Joe Biden nominally won* the electoral college, the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison had officially given up the battle to use the spare carbon credits that Australia earned long ago. The nation had met and exceeding the Kyoto agreement, but now the extra credits would be tossed away. Australia didn’t need them to reach the target, he said. But we could have used them, and scaled back on the headlong rush.

Within two weeks of Joe Biden being inaugurated as President* before any public leverage, the Australian PM Scott Morrison was already talking of his “hope to achieve net zero emissions by 2050”.

Sometimes US elections influence Australian policies more than Australian elections do.

Meanwhile, in an odd footnote, even as China has spurned Australian coal of late, John Kerry’s home nation was selling 500% more coal to China to fill the trading hole that was left. Though the US was not a big exporter of coal to start with, only sending  200,000 tons each quarter before the rush up to 1,000,000 tons in late 2020. (What is startling is how small the exports are from the US. They ramped up to 1Mt. We export 400MT each year.).

In the end, as Eric Worrall says, more coal will be burnt than ever under Joe Biden’s time as President*:

John Kerry disappointed Australia wants to keep exporting coal.  WUWT 

Far from cutting coal use, I strongly suspect the Biden administration will preside over the greatest surge in coal demand the world has ever seen.

China and Japan, for all their faults, are doing what the West refused to do – building thousands of new coal plants, helping Africa, Asia and South America to rapidly industrialise, helping them to raise their standards of living to Western levels. In a decade, the smoke of Australian, South African and South American coal will rise over new industrial heartlands in what today are some of the poorest places in the world.

Elections matter.

h/t GWPF

 

9.6 out of 10 based on 67 ratings

123 comments to US Climate Czar turns the thumb-screws on Australia coal

  • #

    It is quite extraordinary how china has a free pass . From its dubious trading techniques, it’s contempt for the WTO, it’s human rights record, its military build up, its threats, covid, building coal fired power stations you name it and china is on the wrong side of the argument.

    Yet it is their victims who are vilified whilst china carries on regardless trashing the world.

    Why is Biden harassing Australia, who with due respect are pretty irrelevant in the global scheme of things yet china can do what it wants.

    581

    • #
      William Astley

      China does not have a ‘free pass’ in the world media. China has de facto control of the world media.

      Why does not world media not warn us concerning the immanent currency war? Countries are spending as if they were at war and covid has damage every country economically, except for China. China won that battle. We lost.

      China used state money, force, and a plan to take over the media. Joe Biden is a Zombie who is controlled by China. Trump was the only politician who spoke outside of the scam. Congress is stinky corrupt, ridiculously ineffective, and controlled by the Chinese.

      China used state money to plant, nurture, and weaponize ideology in our universities. And the Democrats and the Left wing parties joined the evil plan. There is no science or logic to justify what we are doing. Losing to the Chinese and bankrupting our countries.

      CAGW is a not so sneaky Chinese plot to get our politicians to spend our countries to death and to kill our industry.

      China has de facto control of the world media, masters of the universe, and at least one political party in every country.

      321

      • #
        Sceptical Sam

        the immanent currency war

        Any currency war will advantage the West at the expense of the CCP.

        The USA is already in the process of depreciating its currency. That action alone will enable it to far more effectively compete in the international markets.

        China, on the other hand, has significant financial and economic issues of its own which are creating hazards for the CCP and China’s international competitiveness. It is a major importer of raw materials and foodstuffs. If it devalues the Renminbi, the cost of those raw materials increases and impacts on international competitiveness.

        China has growing labour shortages and increasing labour costs. Whereas the USA has plentiful cheap labour coming in from South America and elsewhere.

        Currency war? Bring it on. The USA will knock the CCP for six.

        40

        • #
          TdeF

          Yes, the cost of labour in China has gone up at least x4 to x5 in the last 20 years. That would be hard to imagine in the economies of US, Europe or even Australia.

          And young people do not want the dirty jobs any more, but desktop jobs in clean city environments far from the factories and mines and coalfields and steelworks. And better climates than frozen cities like Harbin with their annual ice festival. A common complaint is that poor but highly educated Eastern Europe is ripping into Chinese jobs. And high labour cost countries like Europe are keeping closer to home with manufacturing. The boom may be over and now China is as dependent on the US and Europe as the US and Europe are dependent on China. That was Kissinger’s entire point in opening the doors under Nixon.

          90

        • #
          el gordo

          ‘Currency war? Bring it on. The USA will knock the CCP for six.’

          Not so sure about that.

          00

        • #
          William Astley

          Australia has been forced to issue bonds to protect the Aussie dollar. Why? How is it possible that a US economic/spending problem is going create an economic crisis for Canada/Australia/UK/Spain/Italy/Turkey/and so on…… ?

          The Fake news and our governments have hid a problem from us. What is going to happen has happened before. The problem is young people have not lived through what happens when countries and in particular the US, over spends year after year after year. Economic wars happen because governments are forced to balance budgets, cut spending, and raise interest rates. ….

          Bitcoin value has gone from US $10,000/bit to US $50,000/bit

          We are going to have an economic/currency war… Inflation is starting in the US. Interest rates all over the world are starting to climb. And then comes the stock market crash. Money will move from risky stocks to high yield government bonds. Higher interest rates (forced) cause economic down turns. That increases government yearly deficits which increase interest rates. Get the picture.

          Stock price were super high because interest rates were super low. The problem with super high stock prices and most companies not even paying dividends…. Is the price of stocks disconnects from how much the stocks are really worth.

          As long as people keep buying stocks or anything for that matter (Think of Tesla stocks for an example.) the pyramid works/continues. The end of the scam comes when US interest rates start to rise…. which will pull money out of stocks which causes the crash…. which cannot be stopped.

          https://www.reuters.com/article/markets-global-idUSL1N2KW2LP

          Stocks try to recover from bond whiplash, dollar gains

          The dollar rose against most major currencies as U.S. government bond yields held near one-year highs and riskier currencies such as the Aussie dollar weakened.

          The dollar index rose 0.539%, with the euro down 0.73% to $1.2087. The Japanese yen weakened 0.31% versus the greenback at 106.56 per dollar.

          Gold fell more than 2% to an eight-month low, as the stronger dollar and rising Treasury yields hammered bullion and helped it post its worst month since November 2016.

          U.S. gold futures settled 2.6% lower at $1,728.80 an ounce.

          Benchmark German government bond yields fell for the first time in three sessions but were still headed for their biggest monthly jump in three years after rising inflation expectations triggered a sell-off.
          Slideshow ( 3 images )
          The 10-year German bund note fell 1.2 basis points to -0.271%.

          European Central Bank executive board member Isabel Schnabel reiterated on Friday that changes in nominal interest rates had to be monitored closely.

          Copper recoiled after touching successive multi-year peaks in six consecutive sessions, falling more than 3% as risk-off sentiment hit wider financial markets after a spike in bond yields.

          Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) slumped to $9,112 a tonne.

          MSCI’s Emerging Markets equity index suffered its biggest daily drop since the markets swooned in March. MSCI’s emerging markets index fell 3.24%.

          The surge in Treasury yields caused ructions in emerging markets, which feared the better returns on offer in the United States might attract funds away.

          Currencies favoured for leveraged carry trades all suffered, including the Brazil real and Turkish lira, which slid for a fifth straight day, erasing all the year’s gains.

          https://www.thebalance.com/us-deficit-by-year-3306306

          Bush
          2004 $413 $596 3.4% Iraq War
          2005 $318 $554 2.4% Katrina, Bankruptcy Act
          2006 $248 $574 1.8% Bernanke chairs Fed

          2007 $161 $501 1.1% Bank crisis
          2008 $459 $1,017 3.1% Bank bailout, QE

          Obama
          2009 $1,413 $1,885 9.8% Stimulus Act. Bank bailout cost $250B, ARRA added $253B
          2010 $1,294 $1,652 8.6% Obama tax cuts, ACA, Simpson-Bowles
          2011 $1,300 $1,228 8.3% Debt crisis, recession and tax cuts reduced revenue
          2012 $1,087 $1,276 6.7% Fiscal cliff
          2013 $680 $672 4.1% Sequester
          2014 $485 $1,086 2.8% Debt ceiling crisis
          2015 $438 $327 2.4% TPP, Iran deal
          2016 $585 $1,422 3.1% Presidential race

          Trump
          2017 $665 $672 3.4% Trump Tax Act
          2018 $779 $1,271 3.8% Deficit spending
          2019 $984 $1,203 4.6% Government shutdown
          2020 $1,083 $1,181 4.8% Budget before COVID-19
          2020C $3,700 $4,226 17.9% With COVID-19 impact
          2021 $966 $1,276 4.1% Budget before COVID-19
          2021C $2,100 N.A. 9.8% With COVID-19 impact

          20

    • #
      Sceptical Sam

      …building coal fired power stations…

      On the contrary, that’s a good thing.

      It puts China on the right side of the CO2 argument, at least.

      There’s nothing wrong with coal.

      Man-made CO2 is not the primary driver of GW. Surely we don’t need to go through the evidence here to demonstrate yet again the erroneous and scammy “science” perpetrated by the green-left on that score. The CCP knows only too well that the green climate “science” is corrupted science.

      180

    • #
      STJOHNOFGRAFTON

      It’s not Biden doing the harassing it’s Obama:

      https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2020/11/biden_supposedly_won_but_its_obama_whos_everywhere.html.

      The strategy is: Coal’s bad for climate. As a favour, we’ll take your embarrassing coal problem off your hands for a low price. Don’t be worried, though, when we use your cheap coal to build our economy so that we can rule the world.

      Climate dill, John Kerry is China’s shill.

      210

    • #
      Dennis

      China is a UN designated developing nation, they must be allowed to build their economy and handicap already developed nations, after all the long developed nations have enjoyed prosperity already.

      sarc.

      61

    • #
      Matthew

      Idiot Kerry harasses Australia about its coal exports while the US ramps up exports to China to fill our shortfall. just marvellous.

      40

    • #
      mwhite

      This is the gwpf link.

      https://www.thegwpf.com/chinas-us-coal-imports-jump-748-amid-australian-trade-dispute/

      “China emerged as one of the top importers of U.S. coal in the fourth quarter of 2020 as the country banned Australian coal from entering its territories amid diplomatic tensions.”

      30

    • #
      Deano

      As William Astley points out, China is well under way to controlling the media which is why China ‘appears’ to be immune from criticism. One big problem the CCP have is that they’re used to dealing with their own terrified population. Keeping those poor buggers quiet is far easier than shutting us up. And most of us only take notice of MSM for sports or repeats of classic shows now.

      But I guess China needs all that coal to charge up all their new electric ’emission-free’ cars!

      10

  • #
    Jojodogfacedboy

    I think this lockdowns worldwide is more to do with high US debt and wanting the US Reserve Currency Status changed as countries are creating their own money and Credit systems including China and Russia.
    Australia is far closer and cheaper to export to China.

    Also, the US is no longer a military might that the world was afraid to upset.
    Moving away from trading in US Currency only makes sense.

    21

  • #
    William

    I have said it elsewhere Jo, until anyone who tells us what we can or should do to fight an imaginary scare makes a single change to their lifestyles of the many they are demanding of us, I will treat their words with the derision they deserve.

    It disgusts me that so many people accept these idiots as oracles.

    501

  • #
    Mal

    John kerry is the definition of an elitist vacuos dxxcxhead

    510

  • #
    graham dunton

    It’s all about vacillation and political brain farts, gross hypocrisy included, the US has helped china’s, enforced shortage of Australian coal, by supplying them with coal?
    It would be stupid to blame US coal companies for filling this void, there are still elements of democracy left.
    There lies the lying- the greatest con on earth to-day, charging society for an odorless gas, essential for life?
    Visit,
    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/02/25/nasa-vegetation-index-globe-continues-rapid-greening-trend-sahara-alone-shrinks-700000-sq-km/

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  • #
    el gordo

    China is Australia’s biggest trading partner and they have banned our coal imports, I blame Kerry.

    60

    • #
      Ian

      Do you also blame Kerry for China’s bans on copper, barley, wine, timber, sugar, lobster? These bans have everything to do with Morrison’s public attacks on China re coronavirus and nothing to do with John Kerry. These attacks were encouraged by Trump and sharply criticised by China, which accused Scott Morrison’s government of taking instructions from the United States.

      015

      • #
        TedM

        So China punishes countries for telling the truth?

        180

      • #
        Wet Mountains

        Are these “attacks “ true?

        40

      • #
        el gordo

        Beijing is a commercial bully and knew Biden would win, and saw coal as a useful tool to split the Alliance, but we will not bend even if they cut off our iron ore.

        They have a roadmap and Australia is just a satrap with a quarry.

        111

        • #
          Sceptical Sam

          Any timeframe that the CCP has for boycotting its Australian iron ore imports has a very long lead time.

          South America’s Vale iron ore mines are a long way away from getting back into anything that looks like full production. And, it suffers significant transportation cost disadvantages cf Australia – even with the yet to be seem mega bulk ore vessels that China is supposedly building (out of Australian iron ore, no less).

          Africa is very difficult as the Chinese are finding out. Corruption is rife and while the CCP thought it had the monopoly on corruption, it’s getting aa advanced course in its finer arts from the Africans. Greed knows no racial bounds. In addition, African rebel groups and insurgencies are also teaching the CCP a thing or two about the risks of doing business in Africa.

          40

          • #
            el gordo

            South Africa is a BRICS nation and exports two billion metric tonnes of raw iron ore every year, so Beijing can turn the tap off if Australia makes them lose face.

            01

            • #
              Sceptical Sam

              …so Beijing can turn the tap off if Australia makes them lose face….

              Rubbish.

              The top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of iron ore during 2019:

              Australia: US$65.8 billion (53.8% of total iron ore exports)
              Brazil: $22.2 billion (18.1%)
              South Africa: $5.7 billion (4.7%)
              Canada: $4.9 billion (4%)
              Ukraine: $4 billion (3.3%)
              Sweden: $2.6 billion (2.1%)
              India: $2.2 billion (1.8%)
              Netherlands: $2.1 billion (1.7%)
              Russia: $2.1 billion (1.7%)
              China: $1.5 billion (1.2%)
              Iran: $1.3 billion (1%)
              Mauritania: $1.1 billion (0.9%)
              United States: $988.9 million (0.8%)
              Malaysia: $978.5 million (0.8%)
              Peru: $955.9 million (0.8%)

              By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 96.8% of globally exported iron ore in 2019.

              30

              • #
                el gordo

                Even though the price is exorbitant they continue to buy, building up stockpiles in case push comes to shove.

                Thanks for that info, I’m now better informed.

                00

      • #
        Annie

        What attacks? There were perfectly reasonable requests to find out what the truth is behind the China virus’s origin and ways of escaping to the rest of the world. A mature and decent government in China would have cooperated with this request in order to cope better with such a virus in the future.

        100

  • #
    PeterS

    OK, if we are to get out of coal for our power generation needs then where are the plans for building a number of nuclear power stations? If anyone thinks we can rely solely on renewables must either be insane or an economic terrorist. In wither case they ought to be told in no uncertain terms where to go and what to do. I dare PM Morrison to pull out a chunk of coal like he did some time ago and Barnaby Joyce did recently. Of course I doubt he would because he now likes the idea of 0% emissions. Go ahead PM Morrison, achieve 0% but do it with nuclear as it’s the only viable way. Otherwise, you are just exposing yourself as the fake and coward I’ve come to believe you are over the past year or so.

    290

    • #
      el gordo

      Our centre right government will not cave in to threats from Biden or Xi and your desire for nuclear power is akin to raising a white flag.

      111

      • #
        William

        Centre Right? What are you drinking? Our government is in bed with the Greens when it comes to climate change and renewables *cough*.

        310

        • #

          Yes William, the libs will be big loser in WA and the coalition could lose at the next Federal election if Morrison does not change his stance on zero emmission. The coalition needs to listen to the majority of voters not a small section that likes the ABC. Governments lose elections except when the opposition has nothing different to offer. That happened in Qld, Deb (whats her name) offered nothing but green policy on emmission anf coal exports

          80

      • #
        Epicurious

        Centre-right, really? YGTBK

        110

      • #
        Ian

        What threats has Biden made? This was reported by The Guardian earlier this month.

        “After speaking with Joe Biden on Thursday for the first time since the president took office, Scott Morrison told reporters the new occupant of the White House did not press him to adopt more ambitious commitments on climate action.

        A separate readout from the White House does not contradict that point. It states the two leaders “discussed how we can work together to address global and regional challenges, including dealing with China, beating the Covid-19 pandemic, and combating climate change”.

        Maybe check facts first?

        26

        • #
          el gordo

          Gentlemen the aim of the game is Zero Emissions by 2050 and nuclear power is a godsend, apparently. The Alliance leader does not make threats openly, but we can be sure they want us to close down our coal fired power stations.

          04

          • #
            William

            Haven’t seen any sign of the US Government hastening to immediately shut down its coal mines – which they surely must be as CO2 is such a threat – so why should we even give Karbon Kerry the courtesy of listening to his hypocritical rubbish.

            110

            • #
              el gordo

              Australia will go its own way, but we should behave diplomatically and listen to the Alliance leader. Then behind closed doors we’ll laugh out loud.

              03

  • #
    graham dunton

    The Spirit of Texas – The Spirit of America
    James & JoAnne Moriarty posted this link, to Crossroads with Joshua Philipp

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mFL0vQxDdk&feature=emb_logo

    10

  • #
    el gordo

    Geo political movement, something to do with BRICS.

    ‘Last September, Mongolia replaced Australia as the top coking coal supplier to China.

    ‘The rise of imports from Mongolia is being facilitated by increased shipping capacity thanks to the launch of the China-Mongolia “green channel” in August, which aims to boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    ‘With the joint project between Fujian Guohang Ocean Shipping (Group) Co and Elga Coal, Russia’s coal supplies to China are also seeing a stronger trend.’ (Infobrics.org)

    12

    • #
      el gordo

      ‘BRIC is an acronym for the economic bloc of countries consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. In 2010, South Africa joined the BRIC group. Economists believe these four nations will become dominant suppliers of manufactured goods, services, and raw material by 2050 due to low labor and production costs.’ (investopedia)

      20

      • #
        William

        And low electricity prices, whereas here in Australia, we will have occasional power when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining, and for a few brief moments before the batteries run out.

        120

    • #
      Murray Shaw

      El G, think that Australia is a supplier of thermal coal to China, as used in Power Stations.

      20

  • #
    Old Goat

    I hope that someone puts a lump of coal in John Kerry’s christmas stocking next christmas , but looking at USA politics I think it will be a barrel of pork….

    170

  • #
    robert rosicka

    Looks like Australians are headed back for a hunter gatherer existence , no coal no electricity no mining nothing that offends the CAGW czars so nothing that makes or is made from CO2 can be allowed .
    Say what you like about Trump but he brought America out of energy poverty , the economy was booming and the price of fuel was half the price it is now .
    Under Biden and Kerry American exports of coal soar while they mandate others get on their knees on the Whitehouse lawn and repent their CO2 sins, oh the hypocrisy of the radical left!

    330

    • #
      Fuel Filter

      “ Say what you like about Trump but he brought America out of energy poverty…”

      Not only that, but we became a net **exporter** of energy, mostly LMP.

      As far as gas prices, here in Arizona, as soon as the fix was irretrievably done and “won”, 89 octane jumped from ~$2.15/gallon to $2.45 per.

      And just a week ago, another jump to $2.75 per. (And I have to use premium, which is a whole lot more expensive. Like $.50 more…grrrrrrrr). I feel like I’m back in KommieFornia.

      American oil companies may be a lot of things, but they are NOT stupid.

      40

  • #
    Philip

    Of course China wants us on solar and wind. They want us as weak as possible and buying the stuff off them. Then when we weaken exports, the only hope for the economy is to import millions of Chineese and others for the construction industry to fake an economy. It’s a win win.

    America and the west have brain cancer, created via decades of leftist control of academia, finally producing results.

    Its all over folks, enjoy the rest of your days.

    230

  • #
    Yonniestone

    Good on you Jo for pointing out the reasons for following the whole USA election/Trump dramas, if people still can’t correlate politics with climate scams then they should be watching the MSM and believe what they’re told.

    170

  • #
  • #
    RossP

    Mean while the US coal industry is doing OK out of exports to China.

    https://www.climatedepot.com/2021/02/25/chinas-us-coal-imports-jump-748-amid-australian-trade-dispute/

    But the Australian industry is doing OK by selling more to Japan & India. I think I read recently the price has increased significantly.

    90

  • #
    Kim

    If Australia, and the Western World are to stand up to China they need fossil fuels. They need energy security and they need economic security. These are the top priorities by far. China would just love Australia to go all wokie and greeie – all weak. It would love to be able to roll in without any opposition physical or political. We would just be their mines and farms. The politicians need to get that into their thick heads and to start acting with responsibility.

    Don’t any of them question why western men are being feminised and Chinese men masculinised? Why the west is being divided along racial lines – like in 30’s Germany? Why western society is being turned on itself? Why racially hostile environments are being created? Why totalitarianism is being slowly imposed?

    150

    • #
      el gordo

      The problem is democracy, totalitarian states can afford to play the waiting game. Its my melancholy duty to inform you that Oz is only a quarry and tourist destination.

      10

    • #
      Matthew

      Does the ccp mad buyup of as much iron ore as they can get their hands on remind anyone of the period just prior to WW2 with Japan, steel is needed for shipbuilding, guns and rifles, etc.
      Cut off their iron ore for a few months and see how they go.

      60

      • #
        el gordo

        They will try to beggar us commercially, like they cut off coal and all those shipments are still sitting in a Chinese port. When they get enough iron ore they will give Australia the finger and get it from somewhere else.

        All of this because we asked for an inquiry into the pandemic, Beijing lost face.

        21

  • #
    Ross

    So, if we tell John Kerry to go” get stuffed”, in a rather direct Aussie manner what are the US going to do about it? Apart from some defence co-operation where possibly the US need Australia just as much as we need them, what does the US do for us? Anytime we have problems with our exports one of the first countries to “white ant” us is usually the US. The latest coking coal export from US to China being a prime example. As soon as the Federal govt stopped subsidising the local car manufacturing industry in the early 2010’s Ford and GM couldn’t leave fast enough. The only manufacturers who thought they could remain were Toyota – who were our enemy during WW11. So much for the US/ Australia alliance. We literally have hundreds of years of coal (both coking and brown coal), so why would we give that advantage away.? It would be like asking China to introduce wage parity into all their manufacturing. Aint going to happen. I’m hoping all this is window dressing where Angus Taylor went on the front foot to maybe control the messaging. All of this is ridiculous anyway – Australia is a net sink for CO2. Alway was and always will be. Our biosphere uses up 15x our total man made CO2 emissions and like most countries in the SH we are a sink. But we know none of that rather basic biology is ever considered in the Paris agreements etc.

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    • #
      Matthew

      Kerry, the horsefaced idiot, how did get back in govt, oh that’s right
      Tell the clown to go jump.

      100

    • #
      Dave in the States

      Yes, you really should tell Kerry to go pound sand. Climate Czar? what the heck’s that? Is that something that should be given any honor? He’s part of an illegitimate government to boot, so how should he expect to be taken seriously by anybody?

      110

      • #
        Gary Simpson

        Love how the left likes to invent those rather grandiose titles to try to emphasise their supposed importance – ‘Climate Czar’ reminds me of our labo(u)r parties ‘Elders’.

        60

  • #

    So?
    Take lessons from our progressive comrades.
    Stop calling them “Coal Power Stations”.
    They are now “Thermal Electric Producers”and the problem is solved.

    For this is how the parasitic overload “solve” every real problem that they create.
    Then deny that they burn “Coal” proclaiming it be be “Fossilized Biomass”.Or “Organically Stored Pixie Dust”

    Never concede any point,deny, obstruct and devolve to violence any time you lose the argument,cause it is the Progressive Way.

    Or your government could hire Lurch as a consulting expert and accidentally lose him in your outback.
    Bury that kind of vegetable deep enough and it just might become future coal.

    90

  • #

    Jo, I hope you send in some ballots from Australia next election. SCOTUS says cheating is OK as long as you don’t get caught fast enough. We need all the help we can get. Thank you, -Z

    170

  • #
    David Maddison

    Like all Leftist Elites, John Kerry’s preferred means of transportation is by private jet.

    He also owns multiple houses, cars and yachts.

    One of his most recent house acquisitions was a Marther’s Vineyard, where Obama also.lives, and just a few feet above sea level.

    https://www.vineyardgazette.com/news/2017/03/09/john-kerry-buys-historic-marthas-vineyard-property

    Why do climate change catastrophists always live close to sea level? E.g “our” Turnbull and Flannery and “their” Gates, Kerry, Obama and Gore.

    100

    • #
      Sceptical Sam

      Why?

      Because they retain primitive characteristics found more generally within the suborder Ceratodontoidei.

      30

  • #
    David Maddison

    Has any warmist or other Leftist Elite ever been to China?

    Their cities are as modern or more modern than those in the West.

    They are hardly a Third World country and should not be given exemptions from CO2 emissions, not that such emissions are harmful in any way. But either the West abandons emissions restriction or they be imposed on China. Same rules for all!

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    Dennis

    Ignore this nonsense and get on with life, only nine years to go so why even bother to plan for Olympic Games in Japan, let alone net zero emissions by 2050?

    sarc

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    Zigmaster

    Telling Ozzies to stop exporting coal doesn’t help to stop the use of coal as other nations will step up to fill the void using far less quality coal than supplied by Australia. He should tell China and India and Japan and Indonesia to stop using coal. It’s the users of coal that create emissions not the extractors.

    20

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    another ian

    Helpers here

    “ABC News reports the Energy Gospel according to Green Energy Markets analyst Tristan Edis”

    https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2021/02/abc-news-reports-the-energy-gospel-according-to-green-energy-markets-analyst-tristan-edis.html

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    • #
      Maptram

      “Green Energy Markets analyst Tristan Edis said, in addition to falling power prices, the need for maintenance and the age of the power stations would drive decisions about how long to keep coal plants running.”

      The Green Energy Markets analyst prediction of falling power prices seems to be based on the increasing installation of solar panels and therefore increasing “free” electricity from solar panels. However, as often discussed on this site, no matter how many solar panels are installed, when the sun don’t shine there is no electricity.

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      • #
        RickWill

        Victoria will be getting a its own BIG battery soon. It is so BIG it has its very own web site:
        https://victorianbigbattery.com.au

        Supposed to be up and running by end of 2021 with Federal Government funding.
        https://victorianbigbattery.com.au
        AUD160M of Federal money to install 300MW/450MWh VBB.

        Lunchtime charging in spring and autumn will help production from rooftops. Just need the distribution upgrades to reduce situations of overvoltage.

        00

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    another ian

    Well after all the lies to get into power you didn’t expect their diplomatic actions to be any different did you?

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    Simon

    Has no-one here heard of the Paris Agreement and the pledges our respective countries have made to try and limit global warming below 2°C?

    012

    • #
      el gordo

      Australia has honoured the Paris Agreement, but apparently the world now demands a lot more. Simon, its only a theory that CO2 doesn’t causes global warming and its been falsified.

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      • #
        Penguinite

        “the world” as defined by ???? Seems to me most of the world, by population, couldn’t give a stuff.

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    • #
      David Maddison

      What global warming, Simon?

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    • #
      farmerbraun

      All those pledges were just non-binding , virtue – signalling platitudes to make people like you feel better Simon.
      It seems that you’re not happy about that. Perhaps you didn’t get the memo.

      90

  • #
    el gordo

    ‘Joe Biden’s new jetsetting climate czar has taken a swipe at Australia, saying it shares the blame for the failure of 2019’s UN Climate Conference in Madrid.’ (Daily Terror)

    30

  • #
    Penguinite

    John Kerry looks like a ghost. He should stick to haunting rather than hurting Australia!

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    • #
      Frank from NoVA

      “John Kerry looks like a ghost” Close enough – on this side of the pond, a lot of folks note his resemblance to Lurch, one of the main characters in The Addams Family TV series.

      20

  • #
    TdeF

    Opposition Treasury ALP spokesman Jim Chalmers “For as long as this Prime Minister continues to play party room politics over cleaner and cheaper energy”

    Why are windmills and solar panels ‘cleaner’? Why is carbon dioxide dirty? It is the opposite of poison. It is the essential gas used to build all living things. Now it is dirty?

    Cheaper? Where? Where are unreliables, wind and solar cheaper, let alone adequate?

    And of course they are not commandable. So if you need more energy for any reason, forget it.

    And while carbon dioxide is pitched as some sort of dirty, even poisonous industrial pollution, nuclear energy is now held to have no ’emissions’.

    Odd. I thought nuclear worked solely on very dangerous emissions.

    John Kerry is part of this fake universe where China can do what it likes and is not accountable and even receives carbon cash while the adults in the room are into flagellation. Underneath Kerry’s hair there is just more hair.

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    ExWarmist

    The ultimate defence of national sovereignty is nuclear weapons.

    10

  • #
    Treeman

    From S&P Global.

    China’s US coal imports jump 748% in Q4’20 amid Australian trade dispute

    China had the highest gain in coal imports from the U.S. among the top destinations in the fourth quarter of 2020. The Asian country imported 1.0 Mt of coal from the U.S. during the period, a 251.8% increase year over year and a 748.2% jump quarter over quarter.

    With the unofficial ban on Australian coal in place, Chinese buyers turned to other major producers to maintain operations.

    “As Chinese domestic coking coal reserves are depleted, they are experiencing a reduction in quality so need to supplement this coking coal with imported coal to maintain the correct coal quality for steelmaking,” Market Intelligence mining analyst Oliver Woolard said. “Although shipments from Australia dropped, Chinese buyers are shifting the balance to other producers of high quality coking coal with the U.S., Canada and Russia benefitting.”

    20

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    Tilba Tilba

    All of this is ridiculous anyway – Australia is a net sink for CO2. Always was and always will be. Our biosphere uses up 15x our total man made CO2 emissions and like most countries in the SH we are a sink. But we know none of that rather basic biology is ever considered in the Paris Agreements etc.

    Can you explain why we are a CO2 sink? I understand we are not. And even if we are locally, the huge amount of coal we export each year contributes to atmospheric CO2, so in a net sense we are certainly not a “sink”. Please explain where you’re heading here.

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    • #
      Kalm Keith

      “I understand we are not”.

      You understand nothing.

      Every Australian owns 269 trees, 0.69 acres of grassed area for a start and that’s just the national parks. Then there’s farming area and general Bush.
      If we really want want to go further each Australian is the minder of 26.69 tonnes of earth bound microbial life which consumes CO2. Don’t mention our massive ocean sink out to our ocean boundary line which loves to soak up.

      We need to ask the United Bloody Nations for a refund.

      Are you Sirius?

      KK

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      • #
        robert rosicka

        Ouch KK !

        20

        • #
          Kalm Keith

          Confession.
          Those numbers are plucked out of the atmosphere he’s worried about.

          Made up but probably underestimates is anything.

          I should feel guilt but when you are countering constant stupidity it’s probably O.K. to reply in context.

          The truth is every Australian is a most certainly gifted with the world’s best sink capacity per head of population.

          Why isn’t that counted.

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          • #
            Kalm Keith

            And the repetitive appearance of the numerals 6 and 9 was just coincidental.

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              robert rosicka

              KK if they can make stuff up why not , you’ve got me intrigued now I’ll have to do some work to see just how close you are to the Mark .

              10

        • #
          robert rosicka

          422 trees per person .
          28 million hectares of National park .
          If those figures are anywhere near accurate we are pretty much on our way to being a net sink when you work out the rest of it .

          20

          • #
            Kalm Keith

            During the warmer weather the lawn needs mowing every two or three weeks. That can be up to 20kg of grass that is mostly sequestered CO2.

            Can I please have my carbon credits.

            10

      • #
        robert rosicka

        Tilba apart from not Knowing much about CO2 why would you want to add what we export ? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again the green madness won’t be happy until we are living a Hunter gatherer existence.

        10

        • #
          Sceptical Sam

          CO2 why would you want to add what we export ?

          He’ll not give you an answer on this unless challenged.

          So, here’s the reason: Because like all the green-left he can’t do the maths. Double counting is their modus operandi.

          10

  • #
    Frost Giant Rebellion

    We are talking about usurpers who all know they [SNIP “are guilty” – J]. So while the CCP has a lot of leverage over Washington SO DO WE. If our guys were smart about it, they could start putting demands on these clowns.

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  • #

    Aloha! It should be illegal to advocate for solar and wind under the beloved “climate warming control etc” agenda while owning stocks like TSLA and FSLR!

    00

  • #
    John Galt

    Would someone please BURY KERRY?
    Under 500 tonnes of soft, dirty Victoria coal would be perfect.

    10

  • #
    James

    It is not hard for Australia to stand up against the US. We have their bases there. We do not have to have their bases here. Threaten them with eviction. Threaten them with closer ties with Russia. Arrange a state visit from Putin or Lavrov, and good will visit from a Russian navy ship, or aircraft. They will soon cave. This is basic bargaining!

    30

  • #
    Phillip Charles Sweeney

    To deny the cheapest and most reliable form of energy to the developing and non-white world is simply RACIST.

    Progress has been painfully slow. Since 2013 the number of Africans without electricity has fallen from 610m to 595m.

    Access to electricity improves sanitation and water quality and dramatically reduces infant mortality.

    About 40% of the people who die each year are infants and young children in the developing world.

    Increasing CO2 levels improve crop yields and has ZERO impact on global temperatures.

    10

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    CHRIS

    John Kerry is, like Al Gore, a failed politician and a liar. WRT Gore; remember that he sold his stake in a US Cable Network to Al Jazeera ie: Qatar, one of the world’s biggest oil producers. As Phil says, the third world is desperate for a quality of life. But also remember…politicians like Kerry and Gore could not care less about the plight of third world nations.

    10

  • #

    Tell him to mind his own bloody business.
    Geof W from WA

    00