A parched, Scorched Story in the Australian

From an article in today's (18/2/09) Australian by CLIVE MCALPINE AND JUSTIN RYAN

1. If the Australian Government's climate policy remains unchanged, the devastating bushfires which swept Victoria on Saturday, February 7, will become more frequent.

As responsible journalists, on what do you base this statement?

2. Without urgent action to reduce global greenhouse emissions, the landscapes of south-eastern Australia will become drier and hotter and more prone to catastrophic fires.

As responsible journalists, on what do you base this statement? Co2 emissions promote plant growth! Won't plant growth promote more rain and therefore wetter rather than drier?

3. The Government's current policy response to climate change needs to do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Why?

Native forests and woodlands moderate climate fluctuations by recycling moisture back into the atmosphere as well as cooling the land surface. The net effect is a cooler and more moist landscape.

Right! See response to #2 above.

Land and Water Australia recently funded joint research by the University of Queensland and the Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence to model the impact of historical land-cover change on Australia's climate. Their findings suggested it was too simplistic to attribute climate change solely to greenhouse gases.

Ah, some research quoted.

Like the IPCC Assessment Reports (as opposed to the backing details) all sorts of "could," "possibly," "might".....

and still no link to CO2 causing Global Warming