Abbott govt’s Direct Action policy to give privileges to heavy-polluting electricity industry
Greens Leader Christine Milne said the policy would not raise revenue because the baselines were 
being set so high that no company would breach them.
“It’s just a joke of a policy which will do nothing to reduce emissions and nothing to drive energy efficiency or more innovative practices,” she said.
Power sector to get special treatment under Direct Action, The Age March 27, 2015 Peter Hannam and Lisa Cox The Abbott government has proposed a major concession to the heavy-polluting electricity industry in its direct action climate change policy by exempting individual companies from caps on emissions.
The government is beginning public consultation for the so-called safeguards mechanism for its $2.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund, which will pay major polluters to reduce their pollution.
With the first auctions for the fund only three weeks away, companies are yet to see what penalties they would face if they increased emissions……
the Greens and climate groups said that the measures proposed would not ensure Australia cut greenhouse gases and met emissions reduction targets for 2020 and beyond.
“It’s a climate policy you have when you don’t want to reduce emissions,” Climate Institute deputy chief executive Erwin Jackson said.
“In theory, it starts to create absolute limits on emissions for polluting facilities…but they’re creating a whole bunch of wriggle room.”
The consultation paper released on Thursday suggests the government plans to be lenient towards the 140 largest polluters in the economy expected to exceed 100,000 tonnes a year of carbon emissions, said Grant Anderson, an emissions policy specialist with law firm, Allens.
“This mechanism isn’t going to do much to control Australia’s emissions,” Mr Anderson said……
For one thing, baselines for pollution will be set at the highest point over the previous five years, covering the period between 2009-2010 and 2013-14. The government also indicates that it expects to generate no revenue from the scheme, offering firms that exceed historical emission levels various paths to make good on excess pollution.
But the most favourable treatment appears to be reserved for the electricity sector, the largest single emitting industry in Australia, accounting for about one third of emissions.
Unlike other sectors, the government said it was considering treating the industry as a whole, giving it a special status because of its “vital role” in the economy and the fact that low-cost electricity was important for the competitiveness of other industries, the consultation paper said…..
Greens Leader Christine Milne said the policy would not raise revenue because the baselines were being set so high that no company would breach them.
“It’s just a joke of a policy which will do nothing to reduce emissions and nothing to drive energy efficiency or more innovative practices,” she said.
“It’s just a business as usual document.” http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/power-sector-to-get-special-treatment-under-direct-action-20150326-1m8n4h.html
No comments yet.
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 
Leave a comment