NB There seems to be a lack of communication within the NSW state govt.
Minister unaware of emissions target axing
The New South Wales Environment Minister has been caught by surprise by his government’s decision to axe the emissions reduction target for 2025.
The target has been cut in a revised version of the State Plan that was published on the internet this week ahead of today’s leaders’ debate.
Greens MP John Kaye says the Government had to make the change after approving two new power stations.
“The Keneally Government was clearly hoping that nobody would notice that they had dropped the 2025 target of getting back to year 2000 levels,” he said.
“The Government has given planning approval to two power stations – between them, by their own documents, they’ll produce 22 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
“That’s a 15 per cent blowout in the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. It’s absolute death to the idea that you could get back to year 2000 levels of emissions by 2025.”
The Environment Minister Frank Sartor has told the ABC that he was not aware of the decision because it was made last year before he returned to cabinet.
He admits another target to cut emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 will be a “hard stretch”.