Abbott gets advice from Hartcher that would kill him and hurt Australia Peter Hartcher, the Sydney Morning Herald political editor, is losing touch with reality. Yesterday he claimed a former Fairfax colleague from Melbourne who'd vilified Australia in the Leftist Los Angeles Times was proof of a "towering international indignation" over Tony Abbott. Today he claims Abbott could and should strike a global warming deal with China: ...it's not only possible for Abbott and Xi to put together a deal on climate change, it's also desirable in the national interest and in the Abbott government's political interest... But didn't China already announce its plan last week in Xi's joint announcement with Barack Obama? China merely said its emissions would peak by 2030, earlier if possible. Another way of saying it is this: We reserve the right to keep increasing emissions for another 15 years. This is just China's holding position. It is still considering its final commitments for the post-2020 phase. This means that it's possible for Australia to be a part of a much bolder Chinese plan for post-2020 than anything announced to date. Abbott could trump Obama on this... Politically, a China-Australia climate deal works for Abbott because he could outmanoeuvre Labor. Instead of playing permanent defence, he could go on the offence... The hardest part for Abbott? He would need to abandon his two-track presentation on climate change... He needs to drop any impression of sympathising with climate change deniers. His far-right base will never abandon him to vote Labor or Greens. Now he must appeal to the centre of the electorate where elections are won and lost. Peter, please. At least you now concede Barack Obama's deal with China is a fraud that commits China to nothing for 16 (not 15) years. But consider: there is zero reason to believe Australia could persuade China, the world's biggest emitter, to make the cuts it wouldn't make for the US, the second-biggest emitter. there is zero reason to believe China will do anything to hamper the growth which it has promised its people; which President Xi yesterday nominated as his first priority; and which the Communist Party must deliver to survive. there is zero reason to believe that conservatives would not punish Abbott for betraying his principles and their support. Remember what happened to Malcolm Turnbull's leadership when he wanted to back emissions trading? there is zero reason to believe that Abbott isn't genuine in doubting man's emissions will cause catastrophic global warming. there is zero reason for believing that an about-face on this issue will see Abbott finally embraced by all who now hate him, rather than denounced as a hypocrite and opportunist without core convictions. Would Hatcher himself suddenly vote Liberal? there is much reason to believe that a Hartcher-style deal with China would be hated by voters, since it will inevitably involve the kind of trade-off Obama made - with Australia making all the sacrifices and China none. Meanwhile, in the real world: The German coalition government is planning to withdraw from its 2020 climate change goals. Notwithstanding public protest, Federal Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) has abandoned the requirement of cutting 40 percent of CO2 emissions compared to 1990 levels by 2020. "It's clear that the [2020 CO2] target is no longer viable," said the vice-chancellor according to information obtained by SPIEGEL, adding: "We cannot exit from coal power overnight." Experts have doubted for some time that German climate targets are being met â especially since Gabriel is defending vehemently coal-fired power generation. Thanks to reader Mervyn and others.