While Canberra burns, John Howard stokes the Giant Bush Fire of the Future

 

The recent bush fires that devastated parts of Canberra were made worse by climate change which will increase the likelihood of even bigger bush fires in the future. The bush fires were associated with an exceptional drought that in turn owes its severity to the effects of global warming (for more on a study that reached this conclusion click here).

 

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has refused to ratify the Kyoto treaty and is alone amongst world leaders in supporting Georgw W Bush's opposition to it. By contrast, Canada and New Zealand have recently ratified it.

 

By clinging to the coat tails of the Toxic Texan in this way, Howard is ensuring that nothing is done to prevent more devestating bush fires in the future..and indeed ever-worsening weather-related disaters all round the world, many in countries mush less able to bear the cost than Australia. Just as George Bush stops at nothing to protect the short term interests of American oil - and other fossil fuel - interests so Howard is putting the interests of the big Australian coal industry before those of future generations of Australians and the world community as a whole.