The National Australia Bank says concern that voluntary action will be 'meaningless' is undermining support for climate change action. Origin floats a 'national voluntary carbon target' to help bridge the gap between science and politics. Plus the NSW Government on using voluntary efforts to steer agriculture into the CPRS.
The Department of Climate Change has released draft guidelines for businesses and others that want to voluntarily offset their emissions, either because they won't have emissions trading obligations or because they will have obligations but want to do more.
Five carbon offset providers offer an outstanding product, according to rankings released by Choice, the Total Environment Centre and the Institute for Sustainable Futures. Twelve others are rated good and three adequate.
The Rudd Government must avoid free-riding on the efforts of businesses and individuals who voluntarily invest in Australian carbon offsets, according to Climate Friendly CEO Freddy Sharpe.
Australia's largest carbon sink forest provider has told a Senate inquiry it "beggars belief" that recent tax break legislation will see carbon sinks used as a tax scam, while Senator Bill Heffernan used the inquiry to launch a vitriolic attack on NAFI's CEO Allan Hansard during his appearance as a witness.
