Guest essay by Eric Worrall
Michael Mann and other greens are horrified the new OECD head might be former Aussie minister Mathias Cormann, whom they describe as a “climate inactivist”.
Mathias Cormann defends climate change record as backlash to OECD job bid grows
5:54am, Mar 6, 2021
Cait KellyMathias Cormann has defended his bid for the top job at the OECD as backlash from leading climate change experts and environmental groups grows.
Mr Cormann’s defence comes as renowned United States climatologist Michael E. Mann urged the OECD and Joe Biden’s administration to reject Mr Cormann’s bid to be its next secretary-general.
In extensive comments to The New Daily, Mr Cormann pushed back against the criticism and pledged to address climate change if selected.
He argued that as OECD boss he would “progress ambitious and effective action on climate change”.
“Action on climate change, to be effective, requires an ambitious, globally co-ordinated approach,” he said.
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Read more: https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2021/03/06/mathias-cormann-oecd-climate/
From The Guardian;
UK warned not to back Mathias Cormann as new OECD head
Support for Australian ex-minister with poor record on climate crisis would send ‘terrible message’
Patrick Wintour
Diplomatic editor
Tue 9 Mar 2021 06.03 AEDTThe UK has been warned not to send a dreadful message to the rest of the world by backing a controversial Australian former minister with a much-criticised climate change record to run the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The race to be the next secretary-general of the OECD – the Paris-based economic thinktank that advises governments across the world – has narrowed to Mathias Cormann, the former Australian finance minister, and Cecilia Malmström, the former EU trade commissioner and Swedish centrist politician. The result is due by 15 March.
Malmström said she had the backing of many EU and non-EU countries in the 39-strong OECD, but admitted she did not know how the US, viewed as the key to the outcome, was planning to vote. Canada, also seen as critical, is likely to follow the US’ lead.
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Poland, one of the countries most hostile to the EU’s green policies, has been in talks with the Australians about the posting.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/08/uk-warned-not-to-back-mathias-cormann-as-new-oecd-head
Mathias Cormann holds the record for Australia’s longest serving finance minister. As a free market advocate and fiscal conservative, he is widely credited in Australia for helping to steer Australia’s economy through some difficult economic times. His economic track record is impeccable.
Regarding his views on the environment, I wasn’t actually aware he had any. I have never thought of Cormann as a climate skeptic, but I have also never received the impression Cormann thinks of climate action as a priority.
Germany could be the decider. On one hand I’m sure Germany loves Cormann’s fiscal conservatism. So Cormann must have a lot of influential supporters in German finance, people who are horrified at the hyper-inflationary risk associated with the government spending spree advocated by climate hardliners like President Biden. On the other hand, German Chancellor Merkel answers to a strong green constituency. Which way Germany will jump is anyone’s guess.
I suspect Man et al’s problem with Cormann is, as a fiscal conservative, he would probably argue for fiscal sanity in the face of green demands for trillions of dollars to fund their renewable energy revolution, and make uncomfortable demands that green energy schemes live up to their claims of being able to function without government support.
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