Carbon debate not such a simple matter

I WRITE inreply to Peter Phillips’ letter (Star, 11 August).
Mr Phillips has stated some facts in his anti carbon tax letter but then has gone onto a set of illogical and incorrect conclusions. “CO2 is not a pollutant just a harmless gas.”
Anything is a pollutant when there is too much and it causes harm. The changes in our climate from too much CO2 will cause harm. In any case arguing about the word pollution is irrelevant.
There is only a small percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere. True but that does not mean that it has a small effect so that fact is not relevant.
China produces more greenhouse gas than Australia. Yes large groups of people produce more greenhouse gas than small groups. The only relevant measure is pollution per person for greenhouse gases. China’s rate is six ton per year per person, Australia 19.
The statement that until China cuts down (from its already low rate per person) any efforts on Australia’s part will achieve “nothing” is of course just false. While we need to be careful to prevent Australian industries moving overseas with their pollution by supplying suitable government assistance the fact is every single kilogram of CO2 prevented from entering the atmosphere will help with the greenhouse problem. To insist that the poor countries that produce a lot less CO2 per head should cut first is just not reasonable or fair.
The proposed system will only cost the average person a few uncompensated dollars per week and the poor nothing, with those who turn off a few lights in front.
Colin Jeffery,
Dandenong North.