BOOK REVIEWS undercut market competition, commercial school, a tradition Scorcher: The dirty politics profi tability and the rule of law. of thought accurately labelled of climate change In the next chapter, ‘The commercial humanism. Highly by Clive Hamilton Dilemma of Democracy’, the focus sceptical of the men of system, Black Inc Agenda falls upon the electoral politics of those of the commercial school Melbourne, 2007 democracy, the tyranny of the regard commercial order as $29.95, 266pp majority, and onto public choice integral to any society that aspires ISBN 9780977594900 and interest group politics which to the title of civilised.’ move inexorably to undercutting This is a fine study, replete he central theme of Scorcher the rule of law and towards an with facts and arguments relating is the impact that a special ever-expanding welfare state. to its subject matter that are not T interest group consisting of carbon In his concluding chapter, Gregg commonly to hand in a relatively intensive industries has had on refl ects upon the often unnoticed short book. It is lucid and easy to Australia’s climate change policies. but crucial role of cultural moeurs read, and rewarding for both the Dr Hamilton believes that a group in helping the emergence of a non-specialist reader as well as of people known as the greenhouse commercial society, and sustaining those familiar with topics often mafi a have successfully convinced it when established. Here again not dealt with as competently and the Australian Government not Gregg’s sensitivity to the moral revealingly as they are here. to take serious action to combat dimensions of civil society and global warming. As such, Scorcher its freedoms adds depth to the Reviewed by Barry Maley could be viewed as an attempt to analysis. provide a case study of private Gregg’s analysis reinforces the interest theories of regulation. point that commercial societies If convincing, such a case cannot be established by mere study would be a very valuable fiat or forms of law that are addition to both the public simply documents that remain policy and popular economics uninscribed in the hearts and literature. Furthermore, it minds of its citizens. It takes a would have reinforced the very long time, and a certain sort of powerful message about the history, to establish unconscious need to reduce greenhouse gas habits and unexamined customs emissions conveyed in Al Gore’s of liberty, free exchange, law- documentary and Professor abidingness, restraint and civility Nicholas Stern’s report. that are the essential strengths I am broadly sympathetic to behind the formal institutions of the idea that Australia should commercial society. take sensible steps to reduce Even if a commercial society its greenhouse gas emissions. is hit by disaster and demolished Indeed, I used to work for the by war or political upheaval, Australian Greenhouse Office the cultural memory of what is (AGO). During that time, I was required, if the people survive, involved in the production of may nourish its re-appearance. some of the discussion papers Gregg refers to the example of on emissions trading that the Estonia where an earlier tradition AGO released in 1999. However, of commercial activity was despite my sympathy for taking successfully revived after liberation action to reduce greenhouse gas from the Russian communists, emissions, I found many of the while in Russia itself the attempt arguments presented in Scorcher to to do so continues to struggle be unconvincing. Indeed, in some and falter. parts, it reads likes a conspiracy All of this, he concludes, theory. ‘suggests that we can speak of a 56 POLICY • Vol. 23 No. 3 • Spring 2007 BOOK REVIEWS Scorcher begins with three attempts and an assessment of their true for many countries. This chapters that are designed to success. Instead, Dr Hamilton situation is what underlies the provide context for the analysis attempts to convince the reader tragedy of the commons nature that is presented in the remainder that the fossil-fuel industry, the of global warming and makes of the book. The first of these Australian Government and at it a difficult problem to solve. preliminary chapters identifies least some public servants are Dr Hamilton clearly recognises the villains of piece, the so- involved in a vast conspiracy to this point. Indeed, he criticises called ‘Greenhouse Mafia’. prevent Australia from taking the Australian government for Unsurprisingly, these largely any serious action to reduce its noting that Australia makes a consist of people who represent greenhouse gas emissions. very small contribution to total the major players in the fossil- I fi nd these aspects of Scorcher world greenhouse gas emissions. fuel industries. The second of somewhat unconvincing. I can’t However, rather than discuss the preliminary chapters outlines help but wonder how much of the the problems this creates for the historical importance of fossil inside information on the activities designing policies to combat fuels to developed countries, the of the so-called Greenhouse Mafi a global warming that countries will scientific consensus on global is simply bluster on the part of choose to implement, he criticises warming and the ethical principles lobbyists. Certainly, the fact that the Australian government for that Dr Hamilton believes the fossil fuel industries were making a perfectly valid point. should apply to any analysis of seeking to influence Australian Ideally, most, if not all, countries climate change policy. The third climate change policies was not should probably reduce their preliminary chapter provides a secret. greenhouse gas emissions. As some descriptive statistics on the The Australian Industry usual, there may be trade-offs sources and size of Australia’s Greenhouse Network, an umbrella between effi ciency and equity. An greenhouse gas emissions. group that claims to present equitable solution would probably The remaining chapters in industry views on climate change involve developed countries, Scorcher essentially provide an policies, includes many of the including Australia, bearing a historical account of the evolution industries that are either major larger than average share of the of Australia’s climate change producers or major burden compared to policies from Dr Hamilton’s point users of fossil fuels. less developed countries. of view. This account begins This group has certainly However, this is premised in the early 1980s and proceeds participated in policy on the potential for through to early 2007. However, discussions, but that is a sufficient reduction the bulk of the book is devoted to hardly unusual. Indeed, in global emissions to the period from 1997 onwards. I wonder whether most take place so that that Thus Scorcher focuses on the years of the influence that future global warming is in which the Howard Government the fossil fuel industries signifi cantly reduced. If has been in power. have had on Australian this is unlikely to occur, The central premise of Scorcher climate change policy then it would not make is that the Howard government has occurred through overt sense for Australia to reduce its has been captured by the fossil- lobbying activities rather than emissions. This is especially the fuel lobby and this has led to covert manipulation of politicians case if there are no penalties, Australia choosing policies that do and maybe some public servants. such as trade restrictions, for not not promote the interests of most Despite the fact that Dr ratifying Kyoto or not reducing Australians. There is no doubt Hamilton is an economist, he Australia’s emissions. that people representing the major does not pay suffi cient attention It is also worth noting that players in the fossil fuel industries in Scorcher to the economic ratifying the Kyoto protocol by have attempted to influence nature of the global warming itself is essentially meaningless, Australian climate change policies. problem. If Australia was to except perhaps for the signal that it Nor is there any doubt that their unilaterally reduce its greenhouse sends. Are all of the countries that efforts have been at least partially gas emissions, it would have very ratifi ed the Kyoto protocol going successful. Unfortunately, Scorcher little impact on future global to meet their target? Are they all is not simply an account of these warming. Indeed, this is probably going to come close to meeting POLICY • Vol. 23 No. 3 • Spring 2007 57 BOOK REVIEWS their targets? Will Australia meet ignored. It is unlikely that Scorcher Arndt’s Story: The life of an its Kyoto target? Will it come will convince people of the need Australian economist close to meeting its target? Clearly, to take action to reduce our by Peter Coleman, Selwyn the fairness of Australia’s Kyoto greenhouse gas emissions unless Cornish and Peter Drake target can be debated. they were already predisposed with Bettina Arndt Dr Hamilton is of the view that to this position. As a result, Dr Asia Pacific Press Australia’s emission cap under the Hamilton fails where Mr Gore Canberra, 2007 Kyoto protocol is too generous. and Professor Stern succeeded. $45, 338pp Nonetheless, when analysing the impact of Australia’s decision Reviewed by Damien ISBN 9780731538102 not to ratify the Kyoto protocol, S Eldridge. Damien einz Arndt was a fortunate it seems reasonable to compare has worked for two man. He escaped the fate of actual Australian emissions with organisations mentioned H most of those of Jewish extraction the target emissions for Australia in Scorcher, the Australian born in the Germany of 1915 by in the fi rst commitment period. Greenhouse Office and If Australia is closer to meeting being able to move to Oxford in Charles River Associates 1933 for his university education. its target than some countries International. that did ratify the protocol, why Australia was a fortunate country would the fact that Australia because in 1946 Arndt, just married didn’t ratify the protocol be and embarking on a career as an particularly significant? Maybe economist, accepted a lectureship it sent a particularly bad signal at Sydney University.