Stern report non-mesmerisation urged

The Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, has urged his MPs not to get “mesmerised” by the Stern Review report on the economics of climate change.

This leaves Australian political observers to speculate on just what attitude the PM will tell his MPs to take with regard to the Stern report. Widely tipped are

• a posture of stringent denial
• a flurry of confused agitation; or
• a lacuna of stunned silence.