Antinuclear

Gillard – same old delaying tactics on Climate Change

report after report has shown [that a carbon market]  is the most efficient and cheapest way to meet the targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

New policy, same old delay on carbon price scheme, The Age, LENORE TAYLOR, 23 July 2010, Julia Gillard has put the pretty wrapping paper of conviction and consensus around Kevin Rudd’s emissions trading backdown. But inside it’s the same poll-driven backdown.

She looks committed by promising to lead the national argument in favour of a carbon market, which report after report has shown is the most efficient and cheapest way to meet the targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – and which both main parties say they support……..Inside the new wrapping this policy is the same old delay – until 2012 – which means the earliest a re-elected Labor government would legislate an emissions trading scheme is 2013, another election year, which seems unlikely. A carbon price appears to be a third-term Labor ambition…..it delivers the same uncertainty. Business – including the electricity industry – will still have no idea whether or when it will face a carbon price, or what it will look like when it comes, no matter who wins this poll……

And since Abbott won’t have a carbon price either, the great irony is that – whatever the election outcome – electricity generators will continue to invest in more expensive stop-gap technology and Australians will still suffer the electricity price rises all the political dilly-dallying is designed to avoid.

Labor knows a carbon price is inevitable. So do many Liberals. They just aren’t quite ready to unwrap this policy in front of the electorate….. Lenore Taylor | Gillard | emissions trading scheme | carbon policy

July 23, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming | Australia, carbon, climate change, climate change - global warming