As it is doing in Indonesia, warmer ocean, record floods
http://climatesignals.org/2011/01/unusual-philippine-flooding-driven-by-changing-weather-patterns/

And also in Brazil, floods corelated with warmer ocean temperatures
http://climatesignals.org/2011/01/record-sea-temps-fueled-heavy-rains-and-flooding-in-brazil/

Then again it’s drought, it’s flood, it’s heat, it’s cold… it’s everything to everyone.

– a $550m cut in funding for Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) initiatives & the Solar Flagships scheme over the five years to – formally abandoning the cash-for-clunkers election promise (saving $429m);
– saving $55m through cuts and deferred funding for Kevin Rudd’s Global Carbon Capture & Storage Institute;
– abolishing the Green Car Innovation Fund ($234m);
– capping funding for solar hot water and heat pump rebates (saving $160m this financial year and next);
– not proceeding with the ‘Green Start’ household environmental assessment program saving $129m over this year and next);
– capping annual grants for LPG conversions (saving $96m over 2011-12 to 2013-14); and
– limiting expenditure on remaining solar PV rebates under the Solar Homes and Communities Plan (saving $85m this financial year).

The only concerning part of that list are the funding cuts and deferrals to the solar flagship program. Nonetheless it makes the suggestion that the flood tax is being raised as a response to climate change seem, well, wrong.

Perhaps the massive Australian coal exporters cold chip in to cover some of the damage? On that front, last year the government attempted to implement a 40% super mining profits tax on the biggest mining companies. The companies launched a massive public advertising campaign against the new tax, saying it would hurt jobs and the economy. It worked, and even contributed to the last prime minister being ousted. Such is the power of the coal companies in Australia.

Meanwhile, Australia doesn’t have much of a cleantech industry to speak of, compared to other countries who are on a wiser path. That’s despite have incredible renewable resources waiting to be tapped.

http://www.hacaustralia.com/carbonsignal/?p=1571

Stripping money out of clean energy programs to pay for the damage is perverse. Did the US cut back on defence spending to rebuild Pearl Harbor?

http://climateprogress.org/2011/01/14/abc-news-australia-floods-extreme-weather-global-warming-climate-change/

No western country has felt the heat, yet, as intensely as Australia. You’d think this would lead to a concerted effort to extricate the country from its highest-emitter-per-capita status. Instead, Tony Abbott denies the problem even exists, Julia Gillard throws money destined for clean energy at the damage, and there’s a relentless tide of antiscience writing from Murdoch’s media.

Australia has a small population proportionate to its size, it has a lot of sun, a lot of desert, a lot of wind. What’s stopping it from becoming a model low carbon economy? Politics. And a disingenuous insistence that ‘climate change has always happened.’ Yes, it has: but never at this speed and amplitude.