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The real cost of climate change

Wednesday May 14th, 2008. 8:42 am by frog

Phew, it seems like everyone money to lose is joining the Prime Minister in her fleet-footed race from facing up to the costs of implementing the Emissions Trading Scheme. (I wonder where Rio Tinto got the impression it could bully the Prime Minister into backtracking on climate change legislation?)

So what is the biggest cost associated with climate change?

Oh, and while we are on the topic of Rio Tinto, you probably should also read No Right Turn’s analysis of the economic benefit of Tiwai Aluminium Smelter.

Hat tip: Climate 411

frog says

Posted in Environment & Resource Management | Video | by frog | Wed, May 14th, 2008 |

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7 Responses to “The real cost of climate change”

  1. StephenR Says:
    May 14th, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    The Stern Report and all that…

  2. andrew Says:
    May 14th, 2008 at 12:40 pm

    hang on, wasn’t it all in the news only a couple of years ago about how the smelter was going to shut down within a few years because of the increasing electricity prices? so as far as i knew the smelter was planning to shut down soon… when did that situation go away?

  3. StephenR Says:
    May 14th, 2008 at 12:50 pm

    Imagine if they *weren’t* massively subsidised…

  4. Ari Says:
    May 14th, 2008 at 4:18 pm

    Andrew- yes, it was. The Standard has a pretty comprehensive post on this, but basically Rio Tinto has apparently had a history of trying to bully the government like this in the past.

  5. treesoftomorrow Says:
    May 14th, 2008 at 9:12 pm

    rio tinto is a bully full stop, we get it easy in NZ, overseas they are far more ruthless.

    the miners hate them in australia.

    rio tinto is scum

  6. Trevor29 Says:
    May 15th, 2008 at 12:02 am

    As oil and gas prices climb, electricity prices follow in most countries including those with their own aluminium smelters, so the price of aluminium climbs also. This makes New Zealand more attractive for a smelter - except for the climbing bunker oil prices for shipping the bauxite and aluminium.

    Trevor.

  7. Kevyn Says:
    May 15th, 2008 at 2:29 am

    “I wonder where Rio Tinto got the impression it could bully the Prime Minister into backtracking on climate change legislation?” Probably thought it was in a democracy where those affected by democratic decisions are entitled to have a say before a select committee. Apparently not, or at least not in frog’s world.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=1050968 1

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