With Labor's backing, Greens Leader Christine Milne has secured Senate support for a motion urging the Government to use this month's Montreal Protocol talks to seek a global 'phase-down' of hydrofluorocarbons – which are far more potent greenhouse gases than CO2.
The Government has reworked its approach to setting and changing limits on the use of international carbon units, with the twin aims of improving business certainty and leaving itself with flexibility on how it links to other schemes.
Australia's carbon price will in less than three years reflect prices in the world's largest carbon market, with Climate Change Minister Greg Combet today announcing Australia and the EU will link their schemes from mid-2015.
If companies want to buy cheap international carbon units, and offsetters want to sell credits globally, they need the Government to take on another binding Kyoto Protocol commitment, according to the Climate Institute.
At the behest of the Coalition, the Government today indicated it might support a WTO challenge to the EU's decision to make international airlines accountable under its emissions trading scheme, even though Qantas says it has only a minimal impact on fares.
The Coalition has told environment group WWF it supports 'in-principle' Australia signing on for second-round commitments under the Kyoto Protocol – and WWF now wants the Government to declare its hand at this month's UN climate talks.