Difficult paths for Tony Abbott in trying to repeal Australia’s carbon pricing

Repealing the carbon tax is not easy, ABC, CLAIRE MARIESABC Environment 9 SEP 2013“………can Mr Abbott repeal the carbon price? Even though the Coalition lists ‘axing the tax’ as their first order of business, it may be harder than thought.

To repeal the current laws and enact Direct Action the new government may go down a couple of different avenues – but they both have potential roadblocks.

One, Mr Abbott can try to convince the ALP or Greens to back his repeal bill in the senate. The Greens hold the balance of power until the new Senate is sworn in on 1 July 2014 – and both the Greens and the ALP have stated they will vigorously defend the carbon price – so this avenue would not appear to be easy street.

Two, Mr Abbott can wait until after 1 July 2014 and negotiate with the eclectic new senate, the make-up of which is looking decidedly unpredictable. But, importantly, the government is required by law to make a series of climate change decisions before 1 July 2014.

Chief among these is choosing the number between 5 and 25 per cent that will become Australia’s legally binding cap on carbon pollution for 2020.

The Clean Energy Act enacted by the previous government has set in train a process whereby the Climate Change Authority is undertaking a review to recommend a 2020 target for Australia, taking into account what is required to keep global warming below two degrees and Australia’s fair share of the international effort. The Authority must present these to the relevant Minister by 28 February 2014 and the Minister must then set the 2020 cap by 30 May 2014. If the Minister attempts to delay the decision, a default cap is built into the legislation that will result in a target of approximately 10 per cent by 2020.

The government cannot simply abolish the Climate Change Authority, preventing it from delivering recommendations – it is established by an Act of Parliament that would be subject to similar repeal conditions as the carbon price.

Then there are international obligations. The Coalition is committed to ratifying the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol, which includes our international commitment to limit warming to two degrees and cut pollution by 5 to 25 per cent by 2020.

Mr Abbott or his representatives would have to attend the international climate negotiations and tell other world leaders Australia will be the first country to expect others to take stronger action in our national interest, while we do less. Much less.

Meanwhile climate change marches on. During the election campaign the Bureau of Meteorology confirmed that the last 12-month period was Australia’s warmest on record.