Tony Abbott’s 25 consistent, unflinching core beliefs on climate change

Overnight, we were moved to bang the ceremonial gong dedicated to Tony Abbott professing a view on climate change, refreshingly unencumbered by any reference to anything he’s previously said on the subject. Feels like it comes earlier every year.

Updating our list from a few years back, here are all (well, most) of Tony Abbott’s core beliefs when it comes to human-driven climate change.

1. I have never believed in climate change

“So I think it is worth stating that the anthropogenic global warming thesis, at least in its more extreme forms, is both ahistorical and utterly implausible. The climate cult will inevitably be discredited, I just hope we don’t have to endure an energy catastrophe before that happens.” (2023)

2. I have always believed in climate change

“Look, I have always thought that climate change happens.” (2010)

3. Climate change exists

”Yes, we believe climate change is real, yes, we believe humans make a contribution towards climate change.” (2011)

4. Climate change does not exist

“The argument is absolute crap.” (2009)

5. The science isn’t settled

“So far reality has stubbornly refused to conform to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s computer modelling.” (2017)

“And, I am, as you know, hugely unconvinced by the so-called settled science on climate change.” (2009)

“The so-called settled science is not quite as settled as people say and that’s my position” (2019) 

6. Climate change does exist, and it’s a good thing

“In most countries, far more people die in cold snaps than in heat waves, so a gradual lift in global temperatures, especially if it’s accompanied by more prosperity and more capacity to adapt to change, might even be beneficial … at least so far, it’s climate change policy that’s doing harm; climate change itself is probably doing good; or at least, more good than harm.” (2017)

7. Belief in climate change is a cult

“While we still seem to be in the grip of a climate cult, the climate cult is going to produce policy outcomes that will cause people to wake up to themselves.” (2020)

8. Belief in climate change is a pagan ritual

“Environmentalism has managed to combine a post-socialist instinct for big government with a post-Christian nostalgia for making sacrifices in a good cause. Primitive people once killed goats to appease the volcano gods. We’re more sophisticated now but are still sacrificing our industries and our living standards to the climate gods to little more effect.” (2017)

9. The climate is changing and has been changing forever

“The climate has changed over the eons and we know from history, at the time of Julius Caesar and Jesus of Nazareth, the climate was considerably warmer than it is now. And then during what they called the Dark Ages it was colder. Then there was the medieval warm period. Climate change happens all the time and it is not man that drives those climate changes back in history.” (2010)

“And when I was feeling particularly bold [when asked about climate change], I would add things like this, I would say, ‘you know, 10,000 years or so back we had an Ice Age, that was rather dramatic climate change, but presumably that had nothing to do with mankind’s carbon dioxide emissions’.” (2023)

10. The climate was changing, but it’s stopped

“And it seems that notwithstanding the dramatic increases in man-made CO2 emissions over the last decade, the world’s warming has stopped. Now admittedly we are still pretty warm by recent historical standards but there doesn’t appear to have been any appreciable warming since the late 1990s.” (2009)

“I have pointed out in the past that there was that high year a few years ago and the warming, if you believe various measuring organisations, hasn’t increased …” (2010)

11. The climate is changing (getting colder)

“There may even have been a slight decrease in global temperatures (the measurement data differs on this point) over the past decade despite continued large increases in emissions associated with the rapid economic growth of China and India.” (2009)

12. Humans have a small impact

“We can’t conclusively say whether man-made carbon dioxide emissions are contributing to climate change. If they are, we don’t know whether they are exacerbating or counteracting what might otherwise be happening to global climate.” (2009)

13. 15,000 humans can make a big impact

“We will take direct action to reduce carbon emissions inside Australia, not overseas — and also establish a 15,000-strong Green Army to clean up the environment.” (2013)

14. Governments can’t affect the climate

“At least in Australia, the centre-right has succeeded because it has known what it can and can’t change. We can’t do much to change climate and we shouldn’t do much to buck markets but what’s the point of government if we can’t secure borders and control immigration?” (2016)

15. Governments should be ‘prudent’ on climate change

“We should try to make as little difference as possible to the natural world. As well, prudent people take reasonable precautions against foreseeable contingencies. It’s the insurance principle.” (2009)

16. CO2 has no weight

“This is a draconian new police force chasing an invisible, odourless, weightless, tasteless substance.” (2011)

17. CO2 has enough weight to feed plants

“Then there’s the evidence that higher concentrations of carbon dioxide (which is a plant food after all) are actually greening the planet and helping to lift agricultural yields.” (2017)

18. We need an emissions trading scheme

“There is much to be said for an emissions trading scheme. It was, after all, the mechanism for emission reduction ultimately chosen by the Howard government.” (2009)

“On the insurance principle you are prepared to take reasonable precautions against significant potential risks, and that’s I think why it makes sense to have an ETS.” (2009)

19. We don’t need an ETS, we need a carbon tax

“If Australia is greatly to reduce its carbon emissions, the price of carbon-intensive products should rise. The Coalition has always been instinctively cautious about new or increased taxes. That’s one of the reasons why the former government opted for an emissions trading scheme over a straight-forward carbon tax. Still, a new tax would be the intelligent skeptic’s way to deal with minimising emissions because it would be much easier than a property right to reduce or to abolish should the justification for it change.” (2009)

“If you want to put a price on carbon why not just do it with a simple tax? Why not ask motorists to pay more? Why not ask electricity consumers to pay more?” (2009)

20. We don’t need a carbon tax OR an ETS

“I’ve never been in favour of a carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme.” (2011)

21. Carbon taxes don’t work (on account of weather)

“Just think of how much hotter it might have been the other day but for the carbon tax!” (2013)

“It’s very hot today so the carbon tax isn’t working very well” (2012)

22. We don’t need a carbon tax or an ETS, we need direct action

“What we need is environmental direct action — action which is actually going to make a difference. What we don’t need is a whopping new tax masquerading as an environmental measure.” (2010)

“We wouldn’t be putting two-and-a-half billion dollars on the table to fund direct action measures against climate change if we weren’t serious about it” (2014)

23. International abatement targets are real commitments

“The difference between Australia and a lot of other countries quite frankly, is when we make commitments to reduce emissions we keep them. Other countries make all these airy-fairy promises that in the end never come to anything.” (2015)

24. International abatement targets aren’t real commitments

“[The Paris Accord is] aspirational only, it is not binding, it is not mandatory”. (2017)

25. The renewable energy target — a good thing

“We originated a renewable energy target. That was one of the policies of the Howard government and yes we remain committed to a renewable energy target … the Coalition, we have a position, we support renewable energy targets.” (2011)

“We passed legislation last night — the Parliament passed legislation last night — to reform the renewable energy target, and that will put downward pressure on electricity prices while also providing certainty for the industry.” (2015)

26. The renewable energy target — a bad thing

“Our first big fight this year must be to stop any further mandatory use of renewable power.” (2017)

So just what does Tony Abbott actually believe about climate change? Let us know by writing to letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.