Tony Abbott’s advocacy for Australia to
walk back on the Paris agreement is simply demonstrating the truth of
the John Maynard Keynes observation that:
’When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?’
It is
to their eternal shame and disgrace that Turnbull, Freydenberg, Bishop
et al, driven and blinded by their soaring ego’s and being aware of the
futility of continuing on their current course given our 1.3% of global
emissions, can’t do like wise and climb down.
The
facts which warrant a retreat in the national interest on the climate
change chessboard are that America has simply walked away and the other
two major emitters China and India are continuing on with business as
usual.
In other words the rules of the game Australia signed up to in Paris have changed.
If
ever there was a case of pride and moral posturing and preening
overriding reality like some latter day General Custer prepared to
continue to fight a losing battle when the facts on the ground have
changed, this is it.