Category: Archive

Ziggy backs Labor’s emission targets

admin /4 June, 2007

The chair of the Federal Government’s inquiry into nuclear energy, Dr Ziggy Switkowski, says the Opposition’s target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions is appropriate providing it is also met by the rest of the developed world.

Labor has committed to a 60 per cent reduction from 1990 emission levels by the year 2050.

The Government says it will commit to a target but not until after the election and it has criticised Labor’s approach for threatening the economy.

Dr Switkowski has told Lateline Labor’s target is backed by science but it is no use unless the rest of the world joins in.

"If Australia doesn’t achieve aggressive reductions, our climate will remain unchanged," he said.

"If Australia moves very quickly, indeed goes green overnight, our climate will be no different.

Global scheme only solution – Garner

admin /4 June, 2007

Ross Garnaut, a professor at the Australian National University, said that the cheapest solution to climate change would be a global “cap and trade” regime in which a decision was made on total global emissions, and quotas were allocated between countries and then traded internationally, reported The Australian Financial Review (1/5/2007, p.8)).

Australia potentially the biggest rich loser: Garnaut, a former adviser to prime minister Bob Hawke, argued that Australia, as potentially the biggest loser among the rich economies from global warming, has a very strong interest in galvanising international support for a global effort to control greenhouse emissions.

Climate report avoids targets and timelines

admin /3 June, 2007

The Australian Conservation Foundation has urged the Government and Opposition to set science-based 2050 and 2020 targets for reducing greenhouse emissions and implement emissions trading by 2010, following the release of the emissions trading task group report.

“We welcome the task group’s recommendation that Australia implement an emissions trading scheme without waiting for the rest of the world,” said ACF executive Director Don Henry.

“The absence of science based targets for reducing emissions is a glaring omission from the task group’s plan.

“CSIRO advised the taskforce that Australia should reduce emissions by 60–90 per cent by 2050.

“The science is in, the economics is in – there is no excuse for Australia not to set 2050 and 2020 targets to substantially cut our greenhouse emissions by 2010.

“This report is too cautious on the question of setting targets,” Mr Henry said.

Howard ‘foolish indeed’ – Greens

admin /3 June, 2007

In a speech stunningly devoid of any description of the impact of climate change on Australia’s environment, cities, agriculture or economic wellbeing, Prime Minister Howard today put off real action for at least another five years.   “John Howard simply doesn’t understand climate change,” Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.   “His comment that it Continue Reading →

Turnbull entraps Tyalgum pensioners

admin /3 June, 2007

Malcolm Turnbull’s announcement of plans to dam the Oxley River to solve South East Queensland’s water problems have trapped Tyalgum pensioners in homes they cannot maintain, or sell. “Who is going to buy a house that could be 30 metres underwater in a few years,” said president of the Caldera Rivers group, Peter Bennett.

The plan is being considered under a Senate Committee formed to “all reasonable options for additional water supplies for South East Queensland.” The committee was formed to consider the controversial Traveston Crossing Dam crossing on the Mary River in the Noosa hinterland.

In January this year, Turnbull’s national Water Commission dropped a report on the viability of diverting water from North Eastern NSW into the mix, as part of the $10billion dollar water management plan. The report considers five options, identifying the damming of the Tweed and its tributaries as the cheapest and quickest to build.

Howard fudges Climate Change report

admin /1 June, 2007

Prime Minister John Howard says his carbon emissions report will silence critics who claim the Government has not acted on climate change. The report, by the Commonwealth’s carbon emissions task group, says a trading scheme could be up and running by 2012. But it does not set a price on carbon or name a specific Continue Reading →