Since they have the world's highest per capita rate of pollution??
2006-11-12 18:44:23 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Australia ➔ Other - Australia
Australia has a very high per capita emission of carbon dioxide. This is because virtually all our electricity is generated by burning coal. Most of the large power stations have been built in the past 25 years and are as efficient as any in the world.
The continent is flat and dry so there is virtually no more scope for hydro-electric power. There is almost no oil in the ground because it mostly seeped to the surface geological ages ago. (Oil fired power stations produce less CO2 than coal per megawatt.) There are no nuclear power stations because of long term political opposition.
There is some scope for gas fired power, however the largest supply of gas is off the NW coast of the continent which is arid and unpopulated and several hundreds of miles from the nearest population centre (Perth-Fremantle) and thousands of miles from the main centres of population between Melbourne and Brisbane. Electricity cannot be transmitted more than a few hundred miles without major losses.
There are small solar and wind energy power stations but these are poor providers of power to the grid for the very simple but compelling reason that they do not work all the time.
Another factor is that Australia is a major supplier of aluminium and some other non-ferrous metals. These are refined electrolytically which takes a lot of current. If they were not refined here thay would be refined elsewhere and the overall production of CO2 would probably be about the same.
Another factor is CO2 created by transportation. On a per capita basis this is probably lower than in the USA. However Australia has a small population scattered over a large area. This increases transport use per head of population. Over the past few decades there has been a move away from energy-efficent railways to the faster but far more energy inefficient truck on a highway system.
2006-11-12 21:09:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Would you boycott travelling to the Beijing Olympics because the pollution is so bad that on some days you can not see the ground from the 8th floor? Should Australians boycott visiting the USA because the USA won't release David Hicks from Guantanamo Bay? The point is - you can and will find at least ONE reason to boycott visiting any country. If that is a way you decide if you will visit a country or not then I guess you will never go anywhere. Australia is a beautiful place -most of it unspoilt and wild. It's your lost if you don't come and see.
2006-11-13 14:50:45 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Maybe the rate is so high "per capita" because the population here is so small - compared to the size of the land mass.
Look at the USA. Its about the same size as Australia, but more than 10 times the number of people. Numbers on paper are not a true indication of what is actually going on.
If you are not going to visit because of that, then its probably better for us. Less people to crowd our cities and beaches.
2006-11-13 12:18:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anna K 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
NO! Cummon mate, there is NO NEED whatsoever to boycot Australia.
Yeah Sydney and Melbourne are chock cities but come to Brisbane or the Gold Coast and just go to the beach. Whatever you have in America, we have it 3 time better, not necercerly BIGGER but better.
God man, I just came from Tokyo and thants 5 times worse than all Aussie capitals pollution put together. Your fact may be right but mabye ill boycott America because u have an Aussie in Guantanimo Bay!
2006-11-13 08:17:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
If you are using the measure used by the Kyoto Treaty, CO2 is attributed to the country in which the fossil fuel is mined. Because we are a developed country that actually exports fuel (unlike many others such as Japan and Europe) we get the blame for the CO2 while other countries (such as Japan, who import our coal) get the economic benefit derived from the production of the pollutants.
If our dumbass Prime Minister used that excuse for not signing Kyoto, instead of hysterical finger pointing at China and India, he would have had a lot more support (including me)
2006-11-13 14:14:41 · answer #5 · answered by iansand 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lol - you don't seem to know much about Australia's population in contrast with our land mass - read up on that first and it kind of deflates your boycott
2006-11-14 10:00:54 · answer #6 · answered by LadyRebecca 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No.. Im a New Zealander and love visiting Australia for its beautiful unspoiled scenery. Give it a shot!
2006-11-12 18:47:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Every country has its downfalls, untill you see for yourself the richness of the country then I wouldnt be sugguesting boycotting, you may just be missing out on a once in a life time experience...
2006-11-12 23:00:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anastasia 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Nah. But you should protest the government and education Australians about the problems of pollution.
Visiting Australia will help the situation, not hurt it.
2006-11-12 19:36:59 · answer #9 · answered by Adam 7 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Each and everyone of us is in some form or another directly responsible for the destruction of our home...earth.
2006-11-13 20:57:24 · answer #10 · answered by Darlin 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋