The sun and drought downunder may have led to some sunstroke inspired confusion.

Firstly, Prime Minister Howard, and Environment Minister Campbell are claiming that they intend to meet Australia’s Kyoto Protocol targets. Yet they state that ratifying the Kyoto Protocol would seriously damage Australia’s economy. How are these two things possible at the same time?

Secondly, Prime Minister Howard said Australia would not join international agreements until all other major greenhouse gas polluters were on board, including rapidly developing nations such as China and India. “If everybody is in I’m prepared to lead Australia in,” Mr Howard said last week. “I say no to the old failed Kyoto because it did not include the world’s major emitters.”

Mr Howard will be surprised to discover that China and India ARE in the Kyoto Protocol – and that both countries are participating actively in a number of ways, implementing vigorous energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes. Given this scenario, ECO looks forward to an announcement foreshadowing Australia’s imminent ratification.

And finally, from the “no, we are not joking” file: A government minister has compared climate change to horse dung. Minister De-Anne Kelly noted that at the turn of the century, economists in the United States predicted horse drawn carriages would lead to the country being covered in horse dung.

“This was a topic of great debate. They were going to tax horses; they were going to remove horses from the city and, of course, along came Henry Ford,” Mrs Kelly said. Frankly, comparing climate change to horse dung is a load of bull.