Carbon Pollution Reduction Targets

In 2007, in the lead up to a Federal Election, the Garnaut Climate Change Review, led by Professor Ross Garnaut, was first commissioned by State and Territory Governments to conduct an independent study of the impacts of climate change on the Australian economy.

The Review's First Report was released on 30 September 2008. The Report recommended medium to long-term policies and some suggestions for Australia’s carbon pollution emissions reductions targets.

The review recommended that Australia should be ready to calibrate its emissions reductions proportionately to a global effort directed at less than the 2°C (or 450 parts per million concentrations of carbon dioxide equivalent) objective.

The key point in the First Garnaut Review Report  released in 2008, was that Australia should indicate its preparedness to play its full, proportionate part in an effective global agreement.

According the Garnaut Review, Australia’s full part for 2020 would be:

·                     a reduction of 25% in emissions entitlements from 2000 levels, or

·                     one-third from Kyoto compliance levels over 2008–12, or

·                     40% per capita from 2000 levels.

For 2050, reductions would be 90% from 2000 levels (95% per capita).

It was Professor Garnaut who suggested that if there was no comprehensive global agreement at Copenhagen in 2009, Australia should commit to reduce its emissions by 5% (25% per capita) from 2000 levels by 2020, or 13% from the Kyoto compliance 2008–12 period.

By 2011, both the Australian Government and the Opposition had each committed themselves to reducing Australia's emissions by 2020 by at least 5% (relative to 2000 levels), unconditionally, in the absence of any global agreement on emissions reductions.

The Garnaut Climate Change Review—Update 2011 released a series of papers in February and March 2011 addressing developments across a range of areas including: Update Paper 6: Carbon pricing and reducing Australia's emissions.

Garnaut indicated that Australia’s carbon pollution emissions reduction target will need to be revised upwards over time in line with international action.

The Climate Change Authority has commenced a review of targets for reducing Australia's carbon pollution by 2020 and beyond.

The Caps and Targets Review will recommend a target for reductions in emissions for Australia and a proposed pathway to that target.  As part of this Review, the Authority will also recommend annual emissions caps (or limits) for Australia’s carbon pricing mechanism for the period 2015-16 to 2019-20.

The Authority has released an Issues Paper on the Caps and Targets Review and invited public submissions.  Submissions should be lodged by 30 May 2013.

$24/t

Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire, is again celebrating World Environment Day at the Outlook. This year's event is on Saturday June 4 2011 from 9am to 3pm.

World Environment Day 5 June 2011

Environmental Management Seminar 16 June 2011

Safety Management Seminar TBA

CSG Technical Session 28 June 2011

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Climate Commission

The Climate Commission is an independent body set up to provide information on climate change & to help inform the debate.

Last week the Federal Government announced the release of the Climate Commission's report The Critical Decade Report. Climate science, risks and responses.

The premise of the report is that the longer Australians wait to act on climate change, the more it will cost. This is why the Climate Commission believes that this decade is critical for getting the global economy on a less carbon intensive pathway.

Some of the key impacts already being observed are highlighted in the report: There is no doubt the climate is changing. The evidence is overwhelming and clear. Australian Businesses are all ready seeing the social, economic and environmental impacts of a changing climate.

The commission asserts that human activities - the burning of fossil fuels & deforestation - are triggering the changes we are witnessing in the global climate.

The Climate Commission emphasises the need to start taking action now to promote new sources of renewable and cleaner energy. Delays now, will mean Australians will pay a much higher cost in the future. The report concludes that the decisions that Australians and the global community make from now to 2020 will determine the severity of climate change that the subsequent generations will experience.

$26/tonne

The Garnaut Review 2011: Australia in the Global Response to Climate Change, is the final report of the update delivered by Professor Ross Garnaut to the Federal Government.

This report follows seven months of research, analysis, studies & consultation, which have examined:

· major developments in the past three years in the climate science,

· global greenhouse gas emissions,

· international progress on climate change mitigation,

· Australia’s land and electricity sectors,

· innovation and technology,

· carbon pricing &

· Delivery of compensation to households through income tax cuts.

Eight detailed update papers were released between February & March 2011.

The Business Council of Australia (BCA) has gained a lot of publicity for its Submission to the Government on Carbon Pricing Policy. One may remember, the BCA leaked its submission to selected newspapers on the eve of last weekend’s climate committee negotiations, calling for a $10 carbon price and the exemption of any industry that could be considered to be trade exposed.

The BCA didn't explain how the bipartisan target of a 5 per cent cut in emissions could be reached in the absence of any price incentive, or where the reduction effort was supposed to take place.

The Australian Industry Group (AiG) has also been vocal in comments to the Government on its proposed carbon pricing model. The AiG argues that, if the Federal Government's proposed scheme goes ahead, it should:

· start with a moderate carbon price;

· move quickly to be fully internationally linked;

· contain strong & effective measures for trade exposed businesses;

· ensure the continuity of electricity supply;

· be accompanied by clear processes under which the plethora of existing emissions-related regulation will be reviewed and removed; &

· be supported by investments in research, development & deployment of low-emissions technologies.

ASBG has adopted a position similar to the Australian Industry Group calling for a low starting price. ASBG has expressed concerns over the massive pool of money which will be distributed by the Federal Government via the Department of Climate Change & Energy Efficiency (DCCEE).

However, to put things in context, Professor Ross Garnaut’s $11.5b annual starting position is around 3% on top of the $383.1b that the Federal Government expects to receive in revenue in the 2012-3 Financial year. The deficit will be $20.3b.

The Investor Group on Climate Change, the organisation that represents most of Australia's funds managers. They have a considerable vested interest of their own because of the scale of their investments.

CEO Nathan Fabian said: "If you have a zero carbon price for trade-exposed industries, then the cost is pushed to other sectors. If you start with really low price in early years, and it doesn't drive emission reductions, then you are leaving the work to the end of decade when the price will have to jump higher."

ASBG June Seminars

Don’t forget ASBG QLD’s Environmental Management Seminar on Thursday 16 June 08:00-12:30 see attached flyer and programme.

The Association for Sustainability in Business Inc., 2011 Conference*

* Not an ASBG Event

Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation 15-16 September 2011 Radisson Resort, Gold Coast, Australia

The conference organiser values your opinion & would like to ensure that this year’s conference covers topics & subjects that YOU are interested in. If there are any topics or subjects you feel would be of interest to you OR would like covered at the conference, please let Angela Stuart know.