from Annabel Crabb

Never, in the field of Liberal warfare, was so much energy expended to achieve so little.

As the dust settled yesterday, and the ack-ack faded from the surrounds of the Opposition party room, the veterans of the Allied Climate Resistance straggled from the ruined ramparts and reviewed their campaign.

And found that nothing had changed.

After two days of fierce open fighting, itself coming on the heels of a months-long underground guerilla campaign, the Resistance has fallen short.

Their adversary, General Turnbull, grins maddeningly in victory.

Despite all the harrumphing within the ranks of the Resistance about his callow lack of political judgment or experience on the battle field, he seems to have stitched them up pretty nicely this time.

He remains in power; the party he leads remains set on a path to vote for an emissions trading scheme, and there's nothing much the Resistance can do about it.

see toon at top...

From the ABC

With supporters such as Christopher Pyne and Steve Ciobo in attendance at the media conference, Mr Turnbull said his decision to stick to his guns was about risk management.

"I am the leader of the Liberal Party and I was confirmed as such 24 hours ago in this room," he said.

He added: "We have to give the planet the benefit of the doubt.

"The fact is we have to take a prudent approach to this."

Mr Turnbull said despite the frontbench revolt he would not be changing his position.

"Some of my colleagues have found it necessary to resign from their ministerial position - that is their right and I respect it," he said.

"But I believe we must maintain this course of action. It is the responsible thing to do and the honourable thing to do."

The Senate is tonight debating the legislation and is due to sit until Monday.

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We know the ETS are not good enough, but they are better than nothing... Obama is already pledging reductions of 17 % by 2020 for the US... see toon above and climate change on this site... Read the comment "go play with a  barbie doll..."  What irkes me is that Ms Devine has quite a large media forum to spread her lies, like I spread butter and jam on my toasts — thick — while here on this site, we're providing the best and clearest analysis of global warming, but we are seen by a much smaller amount of people. Rats.

China has unveiled its first firm target for limiting greenhouse gas emissions, two weeks before a global summit on climate change in Copenhagen.

Beijing said it would aim to reduce its "carbon intensity" by 40-45% by the year 2020, compared with 2005 levels.

Carbon intensity, China's preferred measurement, is the amount of carbon dioxide emitted for each unit of GDP.

But our correspondent says it does not mean China's overall levels of carbon dioxide will start falling.

Its economy is still growing and is mostly fuelled by polluting coal, says the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Beijing.

It will be at least a couple of decades before China's emissions peak, so it is likely to remain the largest polluter for some time to come, he adds.

Mr Abbott was late for his meeting and press conference with the Dalai Lama, but His Holiness forgave the apologetic Opposition Leader with a friendly pat on the knee.

The Tibetan spiritual leader told reporters he was very happy to meet Mr Abbott.

"I hope, Your Holiness, all who meet me will be equally happy," Mr Abbott replied laughing.

Wearing his trademark burgundy and yellow robe and a pair of orange thongs, the Dalai Lama thanked Australia for accepting Tibetan refugees seeking asylum from Chinese rule.

"I suggested to His Holiness ... I'd discourage him from sending them on leaky boats," Mr Abbott said.

When asked if he was concerned about the Liberal Party's scepticism on climate change, the Dalai Lama said he welcomed freedom of expression in democracies.

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Meaning: "yes our freedom is to stuff up the planet if we choose to do so..."

Gus: Very Buddhist: stuff things up as long as you're aware of stuffing things up... Climate change denial is not about freedom of speech but about freedom to stuff things up...

I know Your Holiness lives in the upper echelons of enlightenment, but I live in a low monkey-order on this little planet that I don't want to see be crapped in by idiots...

see toon at top...