Oz Opposition Leader Claims Global Warming Trend Over, Despite Reality - The Age

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OPPOSITION Leader Tony Abbott has reiterated his scepticism about climate science, suggesting the world has stopped warming despite a new report by Australia's leading scientists showing statistical evidence that temperatures have been rising for decades. This came as Prime Minister Julia Gillard drew criticism for all but ignoring climate change during her campaign launch.

Interviewed on ABC's Four Corners, Mr Abbott agreed he disputed the role humans played in climate change, but said his view was ''not really relevant'' as the opposition supported cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 5 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020. Last night, on the ABC's Q&A, he said there was ''no doubt'' that human activity played a part in climate change. ''How big a part? Well let the scientists argue about that,'' he said.

But in the Four Corners interview, Mr Abbott maintained his previous position that warming may have stopped, based on the views of geologist and climate sceptic Ian Plimer. And he expressed doubt about the work of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. ''I certainly think there is a credible scientific counterpoint. But in the end, I'm not going to win an argument over the science - I'll leave that to the scientists,'' he said. ''I have pointed out in the past that there was that high year a few years ago and the warming, if you believe various measuring organisations, hasn't increased … the point is not the science, the point is how should government respond, and we have a credible response.''

Climate sceptics have claimed global warming peaked in 1998, an el Nino year when the average global temperature jumped dramatically. But an Australian Academy of Science report launched yesterday dismissed claims there had been a global cooling trend over the past 12 years. It said statistical analyses showed the overall warming trend had continued over the past decade. The US National Climatic Data Centre reported on Friday that 2010 was on track to be the hottest year on record. The Academy of Science summary report found the evidence suggested climate change was ''very likely'' to be caused by humans' accelerating emissions. It found the average surface temperature across the continent has risen 0.7 degrees since 1960.

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http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/abbotts-climate-doubts-20100816-126xm.html