the garnaut redemption
February 21st 2008 05:37
Garnaut's official interim report is out and he seems to have redeemed himself after the rogue reports that surfaced last month.
Key Points
1) In essence he has said Australia has to act quickly and cut our emissions above and beyond our long term target of 60% by 2050 given our sensitivty to clmate change.
2) He has also said we need a 2020 target but has not specified the exact target as yet, good news and a far cry from the soundbite the press ran with in Jan.
3) He has emphasised that Australia has an important international leadership role to play - I think Penny wong and Kevin Rudd are up for that!! -
4) He says Australia needs to put effective policies in place to ensure we achieve our goals - already in progress with the emissions registry legislation in draft as we speak - with the Emissions Trading Scheme being the centrepiece AND the trading scheme should have international linkage.
5) Changes need to be long term in focus as well as dealing with immediate issues, sounds like we need to make climate change bi-partisan too!!!!
All in all no real surprises, except the hooha last month made us think there would be some controversy in there. Well ok, there is of course the comments on our Uranium supplies being an advantage, I am not sure if the Labor party or this blogger would be too happy if he green flags Nuclear power!!!!!!
The sooner we implement it, the better
Here is a good summary from the ABC website and a link to the Garnauts interim report, which as you can imagine has a mountain of information and is not for the faint hearted.CLICK HERE FOR THE GARNAUT REPORT ITSELF CLICK HERE or see below for ABC story
Key Points
1) In essence he has said Australia has to act quickly and cut our emissions above and beyond our long term target of 60% by 2050 given our sensitivty to clmate change.
2) He has also said we need a 2020 target but has not specified the exact target as yet, good news and a far cry from the soundbite the press ran with in Jan.
3) He has emphasised that Australia has an important international leadership role to play - I think Penny wong and Kevin Rudd are up for that!! -
4) He says Australia needs to put effective policies in place to ensure we achieve our goals - already in progress with the emissions registry legislation in draft as we speak - with the Emissions Trading Scheme being the centrepiece AND the trading scheme should have international linkage.
5) Changes need to be long term in focus as well as dealing with immediate issues, sounds like we need to make climate change bi-partisan too!!!!
All in all no real surprises, except the hooha last month made us think there would be some controversy in there. Well ok, there is of course the comments on our Uranium supplies being an advantage, I am not sure if the Labor party or this blogger would be too happy if he green flags Nuclear power!!!!!!
The sooner we implement it, the better
Here is a good summary from the ABC website and a link to the Garnauts interim report, which as you can imagine has a mountain of information and is not for the faint hearted.CLICK HERE FOR THE GARNAUT REPORT ITSELF CLICK HERE or see below for ABC story
Aust 'most vulnerable' to climate change: Garnaut
Posted 45 minutes ago
Updated 34 minutes ago
Professor Garnaut says Australia is relatively well-placed to convert strong action on climate change into economic opportunity. (File photo) (ABC News: Giulio Saggin)
Related Link: Garnaut interim report A report by economist Ross Garnaut warns Australia could be among the worst-hit countries if the world does not act to slow the rate of climate change.
Professor Garnaut has handed down his interim report on carbon emissions targets and the creation of an emissions trading scheme today.
The report was commissioned by the federal, state and territory governments to help develop major policies on climate change.
Professor Garnaut says Australia's large agricultural sector and a reliance on trade with developing nations in Asia, that are also put at risk by rising temperatures, makes it one of the most vulnerable countries in the developed world.
He says Australia needs to play a lead role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by going beyond its stated target of a 60 per cent cut by 2050.
But Professor Garnaut says Australia is relatively well-placed to convert strong action on climate change into economic opportunity.
The report also sets out an initial guide to the design of an emissions trading scheme.
State and federal leaders have been briefed on the details of the interim report in Adelaide.
South Australian Premier Mike Rann says it paints a very sobering picture for the global community.
"Essentially what I'm sure that you will find out is that in the last five years and certainly since the modelling done by Sir Nicholas Stern, things are much worse for the world in terms of global warming than previously believed," he said.
Western Australian Premier Alan Carpenter says the report has a blunt warning.
"What Ross Garnaut has done is basically tell us, 'less time than you thought, more action than you thought, maybe in a shorter space of time'," Mr Carpenter said.
"There needs to be a sense of urgency. This isn't a matter just for governments, it's a matter for the ordinary people of the states."
Policy
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has told Parliament it is vital the Government gets its climate change policies right.
"It's critical for the economy, critical for families, critical for the environment, critical for national security," he said.
"After 12 years of inaction on the whole question of climate change it's time that Australia led the international community on this question, it's time we had a government that led the national debate on this question.
"That's what needs to be done now, that's what this Government is now engaged in."
The final report will be released in September.
Posted 45 minutes ago
Updated 34 minutes ago
Professor Garnaut says Australia is relatively well-placed to convert strong action on climate change into economic opportunity. (File photo) (ABC News: Giulio Saggin)
Related Link: Garnaut interim report A report by economist Ross Garnaut warns Australia could be among the worst-hit countries if the world does not act to slow the rate of climate change.
Professor Garnaut has handed down his interim report on carbon emissions targets and the creation of an emissions trading scheme today.
The report was commissioned by the federal, state and territory governments to help develop major policies on climate change.
Professor Garnaut says Australia's large agricultural sector and a reliance on trade with developing nations in Asia, that are also put at risk by rising temperatures, makes it one of the most vulnerable countries in the developed world.
He says Australia needs to play a lead role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by going beyond its stated target of a 60 per cent cut by 2050.
But Professor Garnaut says Australia is relatively well-placed to convert strong action on climate change into economic opportunity.
The report also sets out an initial guide to the design of an emissions trading scheme.
State and federal leaders have been briefed on the details of the interim report in Adelaide.
South Australian Premier Mike Rann says it paints a very sobering picture for the global community.
"Essentially what I'm sure that you will find out is that in the last five years and certainly since the modelling done by Sir Nicholas Stern, things are much worse for the world in terms of global warming than previously believed," he said.
Western Australian Premier Alan Carpenter says the report has a blunt warning.
"What Ross Garnaut has done is basically tell us, 'less time than you thought, more action than you thought, maybe in a shorter space of time'," Mr Carpenter said.
"There needs to be a sense of urgency. This isn't a matter just for governments, it's a matter for the ordinary people of the states."
Policy
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has told Parliament it is vital the Government gets its climate change policies right.
"It's critical for the economy, critical for families, critical for the environment, critical for national security," he said.
"After 12 years of inaction on the whole question of climate change it's time that Australia led the international community on this question, it's time we had a government that led the national debate on this question.
"That's what needs to be done now, that's what this Government is now engaged in."
The final report will be released in September.
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