On a per capita basis and including our fossil fuel exports, Australia is the developed country with the highest greenhouse gas pollution. Thus 2004 data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reveal that “annual per capita fossil fuel-derived CO2 pollution” in tonnes CO2/person is 19.2 (for Australia; 40 if you include Australia’s coal exports), 19.7 (the US), 18.4 (Canada), 9.9 (Japan), 4.2 (the World), 3.6 (China), 1.0 ( India) and 0.25 (for Bangladesh).

The Rudd Labor commitment to “20% renewables by 2020″, “60% reduction on 2000 greenhouse gas pollution by 2050″ and no constraint on fossil fuel extraction for export ACTUALLY means (based on EIA data, assuming current constant coal, gas and CO2 pollution growth rates, constant population and including Australia’s fossil fuel EXPORTS) “annual per capita fossil fuel-derived CO2 emission in tonnes per person per year” of 43 (2007), 56 (2020) and 65 (2050).

If Australia continues to refuse to act on both domestic and exported greenhouse gas pollution it will very likely face international action through Sanctions, Boycotts, Green Tariffs and Reparations Demands. The Rudd “Garnaut Report” excuse for inaction at Bali is contradicted by Professor Garnaut’s own recent clear declaration that “Australia will be pulling its full weight” which surely means massive reduction of CO2 pollution to per capita parity with countries such as India and China (for detailed, documented analysis see “Rudd Australia Report Card #2. Climate criminal Australia and climate genocide“).

Yours sincerely,
Dr Gideon Polya
Melbourne, Australia

PS. Dr Gideon Polya published some 130 works in a 4 decade scientific career, most recently a huge pharmacological reference text “Biochemical Targets of Plant Bioactive Compounds” (CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, New York & London, 2003). He has just published “Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950” (G.M. Polya, Melbourne, 2007: http://mwcnews.net/content/view/1375/247/ and http://globalbodycount.blogspot.com ); see also “Lies, Deep Fries & Statistics” (edited by Robyn Williams, ABC Books, Sydney, 2007).

PPS. The above LETTER was sent to Australian Mainstream media today BEFORE the authoritative, prestigious Science journal research paper finding was reported by Australian ABC News that at 450 ppm CO2 AUSTRALIA’S GREAT BARRIER REEF DIES (the World probably won’t keep CO2 to this, especially thanks to the Rudd Labor Government’s cowardly irresponsibility at Bali – atmospheric CO2 is 380 ppm now and climbing by 2 ppm per year, with Australia the worst per capita developed country contributor) (see: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/…/ ). In my judgment as a biological scientist, the only thing that will save the Great Barrier Reef now will be URGENT World Sanctions, Boycotts, Green Tariffs and Reparations Demands applied against climate criminal, neo-Bush-ite Rudd Australia, Bush America, Bush-ite Canada and their terracidal, climate criminal Bali-wrecker confreres.