From the Australian:
A leading businessman has warned that the Gillard government’s carbon policy could “bugger the country”, joining a chorus against the tax, as consumer sentiment sinks.
University of Queensland chancellor and former Suncorp chairman John Story said yesterday the government’s carbon package relied on a “huge leap of faith”, because the technology to manage a cost-effective transition to a low-carbon economy did not yet exist.
His warning followed this week’s criticism of the carbon tax by media and mining mogul Kerry Stokes and fellow West Australians, resource heavyweights Andrew Forrest and Gina Rinehart.
Mr Stokes warned this week that Australia was at risk of imposing too many extra costs on industry and pricing foreign investors out of the market.
Mr Story said the carbon tax also presented a huge challenge for research institutions to develop clean energy technology.
Indeed.
We can see from today’s lead story, that the development of so-called “clean energy technology” really involves a massive transfer of wealth.
From so-called “rich” (ie, debt-deluged) nations, to “poor” (less debt-deluged) nations.
The UN itself has indicated that the cost to achieve the level of “clean energy technology” propounded, approaches $76 Trillion by their own (unbelievable) estimates:
UN reveals its master plan for destruction of global economy
Right now, indeed, it’s likely that the United Nations poses a far greater threat to Western Civilisation and the world’s economic future than Al Qaeda does. Have a glance at its latest report World Economic And Social Survey 2011 – and you’ll see what I mean.
The report argues that over the next 40 years our governments must spend an annual minimum of $1.9 trillion – that’s an eyewatering $76 trillion – steering the global economy onto the path of “green growth.”
But “Green growth” – as the report more or less acknowledges – is an oxymoron. That’s why, even though it was supervised by an alleged economist, Dutchman Rob Vos, the report is not at all ashamed to advocate limiting economic growth through rationing, punitive taxation and other forms of government intervention. Why? To combat “Climate Change”, of course.
Here’s the kicker:
“Hence, if, for instance, emission reduction targets cannot be met through accelerated technological progress in energy efficiency and renewable energy generation, it may be necessary to impose caps on energy consumption itself in order to meet climate change mitigation in a timely manner. Proposals to put limits on economic growth can be viewed in this context.” (P.19)
And if shaving off $1.9 trillion from the world economy each year (that’s 3 per cent of the world gross product in 2010) results in further economic stagnation and a lower standard of living for our children and grandchildren, well what the hell. As the report primly tells us, none of us actually needs to earn more than $10,000 a year. Anything more is greedy:
“For example, taking life expectancy as an objective measure of the quality of life, it can be seen that life expectancy does not increase much beyond a per capita income of about $10,000. Similarly…cross-country evidence suggests that there are no significant additional gains in human development (as measured by the human development index) beyond the energy-use level of about 110 gigajoules (GJ) (or two tons of oil equivalent (toe) per capita.”
Are they seriously suggesting that developed economies should ration their people’s energy use? They surely are:
“The Survey estimates that the emissions cap would be equivalent to primary energy consumer consumption of 70 gigajoules per capita per year, which means that the average European would have to cut his or her energy consumption by about half and the average resident of the US by about three quarters.”
So, instead of being able to enjoy a hot shower every day all you Americans, you’ll now confine your warm ablutions to weekends only. Same goes for air-con in summer. And heating in winter. Welcome to the New Green World Order.
Barnaby Is Right 
Jesus…. in that I think we might actually need him to return from the dead.