Browsing: Carbon law, policy/NGER

Professor Ross Garnaut today described the proposals set out in his final report as a "necessary and sufficient set of policies" to transform Australia to a low-emissions economy by mid-2050. Garnaut said the costs Australians were being asked to bear were tiny by comparison to those borne by the nation during the two world wars (plus link to audio of Garnaut media conference).

Professor Ross Garnaut's final report 'confirms the imprudence and great risk' of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's haste to start emissions trading in 2010, according to Coalition emissions trading spokesman Andrew Robb.

Professor Ross Garnaut this morning handed to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd an all-embracing set of policy proposals to combat climate change. Garnaut warned that a failure by this generation to deal with climate change 'would haunt humanity until the end of time'.

• Ministers abused EPBC Act processes, environment group claims
  
• Shift the focus for federal agencies, Defence tells EPBC Act inquiry
  
• Department of Climate Change signs trading registry contract
  
• We don't favour 'white certificates', says Lend Lease
  
• Include a trade-exposure test in scheme design, urges Shell

Liable parties under the NSW greenhouse gas abatement scheme are now far more reliant on energy efficiency certificates to meet their obligations, the scheme's latest annual report reveals.



And three major companies – Orica, Boral and Hydro Aluminium Kurri Kurri – were able to substantially meet their obligations without having to buy certificates, due to in-house abatement efforts.

The Minerals Council's green paper submission calls the Rudd Government's green paper plan 'a risky experiment', but says 'one simple change' could make the proposal a whole lot better.

Coalition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has raised the profile of environment and climate change issues in his just-announced shadow Cabinet, indicating he will take a hands-on role in shaping the Coalition's response to Labor's trading scheme design.

A soft start to trading will lead to higher-than-necessary carbon prices down the track, says a study for the Climate Institute. The study says Australia can almost halve the costs of slashing electricity sector emissions if it lifts its game to match the OECD average long-term rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

• Scheme should recognise different levels of trade-exposure, pulp industry tells Wong
  
• Government to tighten air-conditioner energy standards
  
• Don't give big emitters more than 10% of revenue, ACF says
  
• Google and GE team up on energy

Doling out large quantities of free permits to big emitters regardless of their production plans would be a policy mistake that could cost $6 billion a year at a carbon price of $40, according to research commissioned by the Climate Institute and released today.