After almost eleven years of stubborn denial and laggardly response to climate change, the former Howard Government has left Australia in a position where the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics December 2007 report can state that this country's wheat, beef, dairy and sugar commodities "could decline by an estimated 9-10 per cent by 2030 and 13-19 per cent by 2050" due to the effects of climate change.
With our export of key agricultural commodities likely to "decline by 11-63 per cent by 2030 and 15-79 per cent by 2050".
Australia is predicted to be one of the worst hit countries in terms of reductions in agricultural production and export, and because such a lot of our wool, wheat, sugar, beef, veal and lamb goes for export our balance of trade is going to resemble a third world country's economic outlook.
It seems almost inevitable that John Howard's personal attitude to climate change will result in Australia ceasing to be the lucky country within a generation.
It is by no means certain that the new Rudd Government will have the luxury of time to turn this situation around or to make a significant impact on this gloomy scenario.
The NSW North Coast sugar industry would be unable to survive if the percentage decline in production was uniformly distributed, as there would not be a reliable harvest to keep the Broadwater and Harwood mills viable.
It is likely that North Coast residents will see John Howard as the same type of folklore bogeyman as the English Guy Fawkes - stupid and destructive.
His likeness will deserve to burn in effigy whenever a local bonfire is lit.
ABARE December 2007 report - climate change section:
The Australian article on ABARE report:
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