Coalition climate policy not a serious response to climate challenge
Coalition's climate policy will undermine clean energy
National – Friday 05 February 2010
The Coalition’s proposed climate change policy, released Tuesday, demonstrates a lack of understanding of the seriousness of climate change for Australia, says the Alternative Technology Association (ATA).
The Coalition’s five per cent emission reductions target ignores the reality of the science underpinning climate change, says Damien Moyse, Energy Policy Manager, for ATA.
“We need reductions to be in the order of 25 – 40 per cent to bring about a safe climate.”
Mr Moyse says by not placing a cap on emissions, or putting a price on carbon, the Coalition’s policy fails to provide certainty to businesses and consumers that the five per cent target will even be met.
“The Coalition’s policy lacks a long-term plan for achieving a low-carbon economy after 2020”.
The proposal undermines an existing climate change policy mechanism, the Renewable Energy Target (RET), by further reducing financial support for large-scale renewable energy projects, says Mr Moyse.
The RET was brought in as a way to increase the amount of electricity generated from clean energy sources in Australia up to 20 per cent by 2020.
“Flaws in the design of the RET have already limited the financial support available to large-scale renewable energy projects, and the Coalition’s policy will mean there is even less money available to wind farms and large-scale solar.”
“Anything less than a price and cap on carbon, a Renewable Energy Target that drives commercially viable renewable energy installations and an exponential increase in energy efficiency, is not a serious policy response to climate change,” says Mr Moyse.
