Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Wong. Can the minister advise the Senate on the latest climate change science?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks to Senator McEwen for the question. She is a senator representing the state of South Australia, which already is feeling the impact of climate change in the lower inflows into the Murray-Darling, particularly into the Murray River. Leaders and policymakers both here and internationally have had plenty of time to get their heads around the science of climate change and why it is we need to act. We have seen a new report this week from a group of eminent scientists reinforcing that climate change is accelerating beyond expectation and that emission reductions are needed urgently.

I realise that many people opposite might claim that this is just another conspiracy. This particular report, The Copenhagen diagnosis, includes 26 researchers, most of whom are authors of published IPCC reports, and it concludes that several critical elements of climate change are occurring at the high end or, regrettably, even beyond the expectations of a few years ago. Key conclusions include: every year this century has been among the top 10 warmest years since instrumental records began, despite solar irradiance being relatively weak over the past few years; global atmospheric temperatures have maintained a strong warming trend since the 1970s, which is consistent with expectations of greenhouse induced warming; key changes in the climate system, such as sea-level rise and the melting of ice sheets, are happening faster than projected by the IPCC fourth assessment report; and measurements that now demonstrate beyond doubt that both the Greenland and Antarctic icesheets are losing mass at an accelerating rate, with widespread evidence of increasing melting of glaciers and icecaps since the mid 1990s. So, while those opposite debate and delay— (Time expired)

Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given the extreme weather that we have been experiencing in Australia, can the minister advice the Senate of what this new report says about extreme weather?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Increases in hot extremes and decreases in cold extremes have continued and are expected to amplify further. Anthropogenic climate change is expected to lead to further increases in precipitation extremes, both increases in heavy precipitation and in drought. New analyses of observational data confirm that the intensity of tropical cyclones has increased in the past three decades in line with tropical ocean temperatures.

I want to remind the Senate that there are those in this place who claim that the scientists are part of an apparent conspiracy. Along with them, you would have to include—if this were the case—President Obama, Chancellor Merkel, President Sarkozy, President Hu, former Prime Minister Thatcher and former Prime Minister John Howard, all of whom recognise that action on climate change is required.

Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. In light of the warnings from scientists, can the minister advise the Senate of the latest advice from the business community about action on climate change?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The President of the Business Council of Australia, Graham Bradley—and I would sincerely hope that those in this place who claim a conspiracy would not suggest that members of the BCA were part of that conspiracy—has welcomed the agreement between the government and the opposition on action on climate change. He said—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Joyce and Senator Cameron, it is disorderly to shout across the chamber. Senator Wong is entitled to be heard in silence.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Bradley said:

Both the opposition and government should be commended for working together constructively to reach this agreement on an issue as complex and far-reaching as Australia’s response to climate change.

He went on to say that the agreement will enable Australian businesses to plan for and make the required decisions about investments to transition Australia to a low-emissions economy. This is not the Labor government saying this; it is the head of the Business Council of Australia. The fact is, those who oppose climate change in this place have never been in touch with mainstream Australia and they are slipping further to the margins. (Time expired)