Antinuclear

The government released the paper on Wednesday with recommendations including the privatisation of remaining state-owned electricity assets and the rejection of a proposal for a domestic gas reserve, despite rising gas prices.
But it is the suggestion that future energy policy should be “technology neutral” that has raised concerns among the Greens and environment groups, which want policy that focuses on ceasing fossil fuel use.

Similar to last month’s intergenerational report, which devoted just three and a half pages to global warming, the energy white paper mentions climate change just once………

The Climate Institute described the energy white paper on Wednesday as a “fantasy of climate ignorance” but acknowledged the report did recognise the risk Australia’s fossil fuel industries posed in “an emissions constrained future”.

“But the white paper doesn’t think through the challenges and opportunities of a world seeking to remove carbon pollution,” chief executive John Connor said. “There’s no recognition that helping achieve the internationally agreed goal of keeping global warming to 2°C requires a plan for an energy sector with net zero pollution by mid-century,” chief executive John Connor said………

Greens leader Christine Milne said the paper should be “binned along with the Warburton review into the RET [renewable energy target]”.

“All we’re getting from this report is a commitment to business as usual for the big old polluters, and a promise to cut the renewable energy target, abolish the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and close down the revenue-raising Clean Energy Finance Corporation,” Senator Milne said. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/energy-white-paper-wilfully-deluded-on-climate-change-20150408-1mgrnu.html