Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Carbon Trading

Fielding the Hard Questions on Climate Change

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THE Australian Government has committed itself to an emissions trading scheme (known as ‘cap and trade’ in the US) in its fight against climate change.

The legislation passed the lower house last week but is expecting to be defeated in the Senate on June 15th.   The government, however, is likely to take the legislation back to the Senate in late September or October and has threatened a double dissolution if it doesn’t get its way.  This could mean an election with a focus on the issue of climate change. 

A few independents hold the balance of power in the Senate and the government has said it is keen to negotiate with them.  Just last week one independent Senator, Steve Fielding, indicated that there had so far been no debate on the science of climate change in Australia.   

In today’s ‘The Australian’ newspaper he has repeated this concern that there has been no debate on this important issue and says he is keen to talk with the Minister for Climate Change, Penny Wong, about the science. 

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US House of Reps Committee passes Climate Bill

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“The bill imposes cuts on greenhouse-gas emissions and creates a cap-and-trade system requiring power plants, manufacturers and other polluters to buy emissions allowances… “To convince skeptical Democrats to back the bill … agreed to lower emissions caps and renewable fuel standards… gives away nearly 85 percent of the emissions allowances for free to utilities, manufactures, oil refiners, and other industries.” Read more here.  “If fully utilized, the emissions ‘offset’ provisions would allow continued business as usual growth in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions until 2030, leading one to wonder: where’s the cap in the “cap” and trade?”  Read more here.