Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I certainly do not recall having had any discussion with Mr Steffen about which meetings he attended or did not attend today. I will see if I can take advice on this issue.

I would again remind us all what the science has told us. The fourth assessment report has demonstrated that since the 1950s the warming rate has accelerated to nearly twice that which has occurred over the past 100 years. There have been increases in ocean temperatures, there have been rising average sea levels and there has been extensive melting of snow and ice. Globally, 13 of the 14 warmest years on record occurred between 1995 and 2008.

That is why the G8—the world’s leading economies—have called for action on climate change and have endorsed cap-and-trade schemes. This is the way the world is moving and we think Australia should be moving accordingly because it is in our economic interest to do so.