Antinuclear

Since Australia’s carbon price came into effect 14 months ago, emissions from electricity have fallen by about seven per cent, coal use for electricity is down by about 17 per cent and renewable energy generation is up by 25 per cent. We’re not going it alone on pricing carbon. More than 30 other countries have carbon pricing schemes (this figure does not include state schemes like those in California and some Chinese provinces) and 74 countries have some policy measure designed to limit greenhouse pollution.

With the carbon price, the 20 per cent Renewable Energy Target and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Australia has the main tools required to stay competitive in the 21st century, where limits on carbon pollution are expected and renewable energy investment already outstrips new investment in fossil fuels.

Abolishing the carbon price and moving to a Direct Action grant scheme will change this. Not only will we lose the momentum of a functioning market, but we will move to a scheme most economists agree won’t work. There are two tests for any Australian plan to tackle climate change: will it cut pollution by at least 25 per cent by 2020 and can it deliver our fair share of global action to limit warming to two degrees Celsius?

The Coalition publicly supports limiting warming to two degrees (there is bipartisan support for Australia’s 2020 emissions reduction target to be somewhere between 5 and 25 per cent below 2000 levels), but Direct Action can not deliver it.

Mr Abbott has made it clear he will not spend more than $3.2 billion over four years to cut emissions, even if his climate plans do not achieve the target five per cent cut. While the current laws put a legal cap on polluting our clean air and life support systems, the new government’s proposed cap is on spending, not on emissions.

The Coalition’s plan takes taxpayers’ money and gives it to polluters to cut their emissions (if the companies feel like it; the scheme is voluntary) but there is no actual limit on pollution.

Under the Coalition’s plan, emissions are likely to increase to nine per cent higher than 2000 levels, rather than fall to at least 25 per cent lower.

Exit polling after Saturday’s election showed more support for the Coalition honouring its promised emission reduction targets than repealing carbon pricing.

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  ……….   http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2013/09/09/3844360.htm