Climate change:the new test

The Rudd Labor government will face its toughest test tomorrow.

That’s when Professor Ross Garnaut will present his draft report on climate change.

The government will follow that with a discussion paper, setting out the options.

That is, in bureaucratic talk, a green paper.

Professor Garnaut is to produce his final report in September.

That, in turn, will be followed by a white paper, in which the government will spell out its climate change policies.

Although the debate is still at an early stage, Professor Garnaut has already made central points clear.

The most basic is that while tackling climate change seriously now will be expensive, it will still be much cheaper than taking the apparently easier path, and doing little or nothing.

Rudd built, cleverly, on the early euphoria, with which accompanied his government’s early days.

His apology to Australia’s Aborigines, for their treatment at the hands of white Australians – and the 2020 Summit – were both brilliant moves.

Policies that tackle climate change, though, will -necessarily – involve all the expense and the discomfort, that can come with adopting new, tighter ways of living.

Rudd will have just one chance to make those changes.

That will be this year.

A combination of soaring fuel prices, higher food bills, steep falls in share prices and high interest rates will, certainly, erode public confidence, after that. This is happening already.

A strong , efficient carbon trading scheme will be central to the Rudd government’s climate change policies.

And they must include private cars, if those policies are to have a serious chance of success.

Brendan Nelson has already signalled, though, that the opposition will be looking for all the votes it can get, as all this proceeds.

He has already said that it is “not yet certain” that the opposition will support the government, in this area.

That would be a tragedy, of the first order, for future generations.