Climate Change Part 5 - Australia's Droughts Nothing to Do With Climate Change

So far we've briefly had a look at the core arguments put forward by the Alarmists - whose who support the theory of man-made global warming - and the Realists - those who, at the moment, don't. However in Australia much of the support for the Alarmists' point of view is based on distorted information, untruths and naked lies.

Australia at the mercy of Mother Nature

Of all the countries in the western world, Australia is the one that suffers most from the vagaries of the weather. Somewhere, at some time, part of the country is experiencing drought. Never, though, is the whole of country so affected at any one time. At the moment large parts of inland Australia on the Pacific side of the country are experiencing this problem whilst other areas are enjoying more favorable conditions.

Some people believe the present drought is the worst ever - it may be the worst in living memory, but it's not the worst since European civilization started in 1788. The drought of 1895 to 1903 is considered to be the one that caused the most damage to the economy and life in general.

The Australian farming community accept drought as a fact of life. Since the 1860s when accurate statistics were first started to be used there has been 9 periods of major drought, excluding the current situation. In addition there has been 6 droughts of lesser intensity during this period.

During the periods of pre-European settlement, that is pre-1788, droughts were just as common. Examination of rings on trees and coral support this view. In fact evidence from coral taken off the Barrier Reef in north Queensland indicate a 20 year drought in that area from 1660 to 1680.

Drought is a constant part of Australian life

However, in spite of the overwhelming evidence that droughts are a regular feature of Australian life, the media still insists that the present drought is caused by global warming. Even the saner and more responsible parts of the press push the issue that Australia's current predicament is being exacerbated by the government's late signing of the Kyoto agreement.

Again more unsubstantiated nonsense from the people who are happiest when they're dispelling doom and gloom.

Droughts in Australia are caused by the activity of the El Nino Southern Oscillation - ELSO - a complex weather pattern that influences climatic conditions throughout the Pacific region. This phenomenon only became apparent in the late 70s and although much more work needs to be done to understand its complexity, weather scientist are now able to determine the coming of droughts to Australia fairly accurately.

The average person is being duped

However, the average man in the street attributes changes in climatic conditions in Australia to the theory of global warming, rather than the more likely affect of the ELSO. Aided by the media who attribute every unusual circumstance to world-wide global warming, from the increase in bush-fires to the desalination problems of the River Murray to the decline in coral growth on the Great Barrier Reef, the public blindly follow what they've been told.

So successful are the Alarmists in Australia that 2 out of 3 people writing letters to the press and web sites support the concept of man-made global warming. In actual fact, Australia's last Federal election, in November 2007, was won by the party most vigorous in supporting this theory. A gullible public were frightened into voting for a party that claimed to be able to play God.

As an indication of the untruths and down right lies coming from the Australian Alarmist camp, consider this gem - possibly taken from the Joseph Goebbels propaganda manual 'How to Deceive the Public and get away with it':

...but in 2007 our Prime Minister still finds it hard to accept the possible existence of a human driven climate change. - taken from home.iprimus.com.au/foo7/droughthistory.html

So what this web site is saying is that the drought of 1895 to 1903 was caused by man's industrial activity.

Quite plain and simple, it's a gross lie. Unfortunately many believe it.

This is the fifth part of an attempt to put some balance into the ongoing international controversy that is the theory of man-made climate change.

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