Emisssions trading stand-off presses election trigger
Emissions trading stand-off presses election trigger
May 27, 2009
THE Rudd Government’s emissions trading scheme is headed for defeat as a result of a Senate stand-off, handing Labor a trigger for an early, double dissolution election.
The scheme is set to be voted down by the Senate next month, despite the Opposition Leader, Malcolm Turnbull, announcing yesterday the Coalition wanted to delay a vote until early next year – after the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen.
The Coalition would then demand that the scheme be radically remodelled along the lines of the scheme proposed by the United States President, Barack Obama, which is now before Congress and is far more generous to heavy polluters.
Council climate change program axed for no good reason
Council climate change program axed for no good reason
Media release: 27 May 2009
The Rudd government has withdrawn funding from the Cities for Climate Protection program that helped councils reduce their carbon footprint. Greens NSW MP John Kaye is calling on the Rees government to step in and continue support for NSW local government work on climate change.
Commenting on a story on page 3 of today’s Sydney Morning Herald (‘Funding for climate change initiative axed’), Dr Kaye said: “Using a very crude measure of greenhouse reduction benefits, the federal government is sinking a crucial flagship program in renewable energy and efficiency measures.
CPRS’s imminent demise is opportunity for real climate action
CPRS’s imminent demise is opportunity for real climate action
Canberra, Tuesday 26 May 2009
The imminent demise of the failed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
provides the perfect opportunity for the Rudd Government to move
immediately on strong climate action and jobs creation, the Australian
Greens said today.
“With the Continue Polluting Regardless Scheme now set for rejection in
the Senate, it is more important than ever that the Government moves
rapidly on emissions reducing and jobs creating policies,” said Australian
Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne.
Nationals, Greens vow to block ETS
The Australian Greens want the federal government’s emission trading scheme legislation put to a vote as soon as possible – so they can defeat it.
The minor Senate party says Climate Change Minister Penny Wong has ‘browned down’ the government’s original carbon pollution reduction scheme to make it more palatable to the coalition and big business.
Labor wants parliament to approve its draft laws, which seek to have the scheme operating by July 2011, by the end of next month.
The Greens have vowed to oppose the scheme.
Greens move for action,not delay.on climate
Greens move for action, not delay, on climate
Canberra, Monday 25 May 2009
The Australian Greens will move in the Senate to drive domestic and global
climate action without the failed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
dragging it down.
“Since the Rudd Government refuses to work with the Greens to fix the
CPRS, we want to see this ‘agreement to fail’ rejected and get Australia
moving with real climate action,” said Australian Greens Deputy Leader,
Senator Christine Milne.
“The Greens will move a motion in the Senate to give the Rudd Government a
mandate to negotiate the strongest possible global agreement at
Copenhagen.
Renewable energy’s 26.000 new jobs
Renewable energy’s 26,000 new jobs
Lenore Taylor, National correspondent | May 25, 2009
RENEWABLE energy projects under construction or planned in response to the proposed emissions trading scheme will create 26,000 jobs, according to new research published as the federal Coalition seeks to defer the scheme on the basis that it could be a “jobs killer”.
Research commissioned by The Climate Institute shows $31 billion worth of clean energy projects already in the pipeline, many in regional areas, will generate 2500 permanent jobs, 15,000 construction jobs and 8600 associated positions. The research does not include jobs in domestic solar or insulation, or new projects funded through the $1.6 billion solar flagships program announced in the budget, and is based on surveying investors rather than making projections from modelling.
It comes after modelling commissioned by the Minerals Council of Australia found that even the most modest emissions-reduction target planned by the Rudd Government would leave the mining sector with 24,000 fewer jobs over the next decade than it could have expected without a price on carbon.