Oz Minister Denies Threat To Pacific Island Nations From Rising Seas

[hatrack]

Senator Campbell's comment that there was no imminent danger of Pacific island nations being swamped by rising sea levels has led the Greens to label him as a Canute, an ancient Danish king of Britain who is remembered for the legend of how he commanded the waves to recede.

Senator Campbell said yesterday that rising sea levels were not yet regarded as inevitable. “I've spoken to the head of the Australian Greenhouse Office this morning and he said ... in terms of sea level rise and its impacts on Tuvalu, in particular, but the Pacific in general ... the jury is really out,” Senator Campbell said yesterday

Opposition environment spokesman Anthony Albanese said this showed Senator Campbell had his fingers crossed on climate change. "(Senator) Campbell has revealed his government's approach to climate change – `let's hope it never happens'," Mr Albanese said.

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Greens leader Bob Brown said Senator Campbell was ignoring the evidence about rising sea levels as a result of human induced global warming. “The minister's claim that there is no evidence to suggest that Pacific island populations are in any imminent danger of being displaced by rising sea levels is absurd,” he said. “The threat is real and imminent."

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http://www.pacificislands.cc/pina/pinadefault2.php?urlpinaid=19367

[phantom power]

1. What do you say to these people?

Stop navel-gazing and look out a damned window.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Permit me to say a word or two in defense of King Canute.

In commanding the tides not to come in, Canute was actually trying to make a point about the limitations of royal power.