Climate Change Limits Panned

• January 4th, 2009
• Posted by EUEditor

The Economics Professor charged with drawing up climate change options for the Australian government, Ross Garnaut (picture), has persisted in finding flaws in the policy announced by the government last month (See EUAustralia “5/20 ?!?”, 16.12.09).

The professor has questioned the level of concessions to be made to the electricity industry and others like coal or gas exposed to trade fluctuations, to reduce the costs of credits they will need for carbon trading.

He has suggested that the impost on public expenditure could be so heavy it will jeopardise the effectiveness of programs needed to restrict carbon outputs.

The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced (15.12.08) the targeting of 5-15% reductions in CO2 based on 2000 levels, in the coming twelve years.

The 15% limit would depend on other countries offering a similar performance, and stops short of stage-two recommendations from the Garnaut report on climate change, to take the cuts up to 25% later – indicating, again, any such moves would depend on how far the other countries would be prepared to go.

Environmentalist organisations have made a concerted attack on the policy saying it does not set high enough targets to be effective.

Reference:

Garnaut Climate Change review, Home. www.garnautreview.org.au, (4.1.09).

Lenore Taylor, “Garnaut attacks climate compensation as funding crisis looms”, The Australian, Sydney, 20.12.08. www.theaustralian.news.comn.au, (4.1.09).

The Australian, Sydney, Climate: Garnaut Report – Climate Change, Online “In Depth”. www.theaustralian.news.com.au, (4.1.09).