Emission trading decisions and divisions
Apparently even Labour Senators have recommended senior ministers redraw climate policy because of concerns that grassroots efforts to cut greenhouse emissions need to be recognised. I think they need to be encouraged but at least recognised is progress.
There is concern that the public is turning away from the Government on climate change because of the growing recognition that the (scheme) negates actions taken by individual households to reduce emissions and the Labour senators’ have recognised the problem..
Three minority reports — by Opposition senators, the Greens and independent senator Nick Xenophon — criticised the Government’s approach.
- The Opposition says a cheaper scheme that concentrates on local emission cuts — such as a carbon tax — might be more appropriate.
- The Greens say the proposed model is intended to maintain the profitability of fossil-fuel industries.
- And the former government climate adviser Ross Garnaut said the scheme was so flawed it was “line-ball” whether it would be better for the scheme to be passed in its current form or abandoned.
Giving evidence before a separate Senate inquiry, Professor Garnaut called for three changes: lifting the Government’s maximum emissions cut by 2020 to 25 per cent; a massive funding boost for clean technology and conditional compensation for trade-exposed polluting industries.
Mr Rudd underlined the importance of clean coal technology, warning coal-fired electricity consumption would rise for decades.
Technorati Tags: Carbon tax, Climate change, Climate policy, Clean coal technology, coal-fired electricity, Greenhouse emissions, Ross Garnaut
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