News that the Federal Government will delay the introduction of their carbon emissions trading scheme by 12 months appeared like a breath of fresh air in a news cycle dominated by swine flu and the global financial crisis. Global warming? Oh yes, we had forgotten about that.
With the economy in survival mode, business is in no mood to spend money on tricky new policy initiatives. Jobs are being lost at a rapid rate, capital markets have dried up and we are banking our $900 stimulus money rather than spending it.
The heaviest polluters also rely substantially on the health of export markets, which are in the doldrums. It would have been imprudent of the Federal Government to press industry too hard on the issue of climate change at this time.
Politics is about compromise and the art of the possible. While the decision will not appease hard-liners on both sides of the climate change debate, it does neatly step through competing interests by recognising current economic realities. One hopes that even the Greens can concede this point.
Yet climate change is important. As Christians, concern for our neighbour should drive us to respond with measures to reduce pollution and energy output, even if we think the jury is still out on some of the science.

But at present, a more important concern for our governing authorities should be maintaining jobs and managing the social upheaval that follows unemployment and financial hardship.