Drew Hutton proposes that leftists who care more about the loss of coal mining jobs than reducing carbon emissions can place themselves alongside the climate change denialists, the right-wing think tanks and the fossil fuel lobby as the enemies of sustainability.

Kenneth Davidson provides some reasons why we need a carbon tax: to make the polluters feel the cost of their polluting; to finance a massive increase in spending on green infrastructure; and fund a massive green “Marshall plan”, funneling aid to developing countries to help them find green ways to support the level of development necessary to reign in their population growth.

Michael Pusey wants climate change to drive a meaningful consensus for new politics, policies and programs. He urges us to ground the narrative in concrete, accessible, and arresting visual images; in real, living memories; in terms that emphasize the interconnections between the problems and also the solutions; and calls for coordinated systemic action.

David Ritter argues that climate change and environmental degradation have no value-neutral solutions, and that each potential policy prescription is necessarily founded in some broader concept of the 'good society'.

Ian Dunlop makes the case for science-based climate policy

Ben Eltham says that while we may have a new defence minister in John Faulkner, our thinking about defence is stuck in a bygone era

CPD fellow Mark Connelly reviews the Rudd Government’s performance on residential energy conservation: Under the recommendations of the Garnaut Climate Change Review, residential electricity prices are projected to rise by 21 to 31 per cent by 2020. The review recommends mitigation strategies for low-income households, but there is little discussion of helping Australians change their energy use behaviour to reduce consumption. If Australians can be assisted and motivated to reduce their household energy consumption, they may be able to mitigate the projected increase in their electricity bill, while contributing to the overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.