Discussing a Clean Energy Future

On 13th September 18 bills were tabled in Australian parliament covering the Clean Energy Future Package including financially penalising the major carbon polluters in the country. As experienced in the past it is not unusual for large companies to throw large sums at money to confuse an issue with propaganda. It makes sense for them to challenge the introduction of a carbon tax as for them it would have a financial impact, be another expense if they were to continue polluting the atmosphere as they currently do. However one of the aims of the carbon tax is to encourage these large polluting companies to be pro-active in finding ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Unfortunately not all companies are seeing this as a door of opportunity.

The time has got to come when companies, governments and decision makers realise that taking short sighted actions now to obtain economic security is not going be of long term long term if it is at the detriment of the environment and the climate. If the environment continues to deteriorate more finances will be needed in the future to deal with environmental issues, health care, resource acquirement and disaster relief further unbalancing the economy. As the famous American Indian proverbs states;

“Only when the last tree has been cut down; Only when the last river has been poisoned; Only when the last fish has been caught; Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.”

Australia is not the first country to implement a price on carbon. In Europe 31 countries have had a penalty applied to polluters since 2005. In the USA, 23 states have a price on pollution. China will run a pilot in five ‘low carbon’ provinces as part of its current five year plan, and India already has a coal tax that works similarly to a carbon price. Even Australia’s neighbor, New Zealand has already priced pollution.

One of the concerns is that the cost of living will increase for an average household. Australian Treasury believes the average household will see an increase of $9.90 a week. For low income earners and pensioners this may be significant but there are two measures that have been introduced as part of the Clean Energy Future Package to soften the impact of these price rises. Firstly, the tax-free threshold will be more than tripled from $6,000 to $18,200. Suddenly about one million people won’t need to pay income tax or file a tax return. People earning less than $80,000 per year will also receive a tax cutoff about $300 per year. Secondly, pensioners and self-funded retirees, as well as family payment recipients and other allowance recipients will see their payments increase. Some people may be better off.

Besides as per this chart, a majority of the price increase is from electricity and gas usage. This is a great opportunity for households to also be proactive about cutting their carbon foot print. This is an opportunity for greatness, not a punishment!

Trying to find legitimate arguments against the carbon tax is a challenge. The arguments seem to be focused on insulting PM Julia Gillard personally or pointing out corruption in other countries related to the running of pollution monitoring. Corruption is evident in many industries and is hardly an argument to support not working towards a better environment.

Now is the time for Australia to take action and head towards a greener future. WWF has a great video regarding the issue. Click here to view it (If you are a fan of a good looking firefighter, there is a pleasant addition for you). WWF invites you to discuss the issue with your colleagues, neighbors or friends by hosting a morning tea. Click here to get a poster to promote your morning tea, the video for you to play, a pamphlet to hand out and a Q&A for you (in case you get asked any questions that the video doesn’t answer). Best of all there are some yummy some cake and gingerbread recipes! Just remember when discussing both sides of the argument don’t just look at what each side is saying but ask the question, “Why would they want to say that?”

Another great video to check out:

Australia's Emissions Are Still Increasing

Despite the attention this issue has been given in our current times Australia has yet to succeed in reducing it's emmissions.

Below is a Media Release from Senator the Hon Penny Wong - Minister for Climate Change and Water.

1st June, 2009

GREENHOUSE ACCOUNTS SHOW EMISSIONS GROWTH

The latest National Greenhouse Accounts released today demonstrate the need to turn Australia’s emissions around, Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, said today. “The underlying trends show Australia’s carbon pollution is increasing – particularly in the energy sector,” Senator Wong said.

Over the four quarters to the December quarter of 2008, Australia’s national inventory1 was an estimated 553 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This is an increase of 1.1 per cent compared with the corresponding period for the previous year.

“These results demonstrate the challenge of reducing emissions in all sectors of the economy,” Senator Wong said. “For example, the emissions from the energy sector have increased by 42 per cent from 1990 to 2007, and by another 1.5 per cent in 2008.

“To start to reverse this growth in our emissions, we need to drive investment in renewable energy and clean technology with the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.”

Preliminary estimates show that Australia’s emissions were around 1 per cent below the Kyoto target for 2008 or, equivalently, 107 per cent of the 1990 base period.

“Without the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, Australia’s emissions are expected to reach 120 per cent of 2000 levels by 2020. “But if the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is introduced, Australia’s emissions will be reduced by up to 25 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020 if the world agrees to an ambitious global deal to stabilise levels of CO2 equivalent at 450 parts per million or lower.”

Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts comprise four annual reports. The National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, the State and Territory Greenhouse Gas Inventories and the National Inventory by Economic Sector report Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions using the accounting rules for the Kyoto Protocol emissions targets.

The National Inventory Report 2007 provides estimates of Australia’s net greenhouse gas emissions for the period 1990-2007 and is submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as part of Australia’s reporting obligations under that Convention.

The National Inventory Report is prepared for the UNFCCC using different accounting rules to the Kyoto Protocol. The National Inventory Report shows an increase of 82 per cent in Australia’s emissions from 1990 to 2007 as a result of a temporary jump in emissions from grasslands and croplands due to widespread drought conditions.

“While this does not affect Australia’s Kyoto obligations, these figures highlight the importance of improving treatment of the land sector so that only anthropogenic emissions and removals are included towards mitigation commitments in any future global agreement,” Senator Wong said.

“Australia will continue to advocate strongly for any future agreement to treat the land sector in a comprehensive and integrated way with provisions for the treatment of natural disturbance and inter-annual climate variability.”

For more information and copies of the reports – or to access the online database – Australia’s Greenhouse Emissions Information System – visit www.climatechange.gov.au/inventory

Click here to listen to Kelly Courts, WWF discuss this topic.

Find out the latest news from WWF at http://www.wwf.org/

The Wilderness Society Update - 25th and 28th May, 2009

The Wilderness Society is a community-based environmental protection organisation. They work to safeguard our sources of clean water and air, to tackle devastating climate change, to create a safe future for life on Earth, and to give a better world to our children. The majority of our work is in Australia, with a strong focus on natural environments and the role they play in keeping our world safe.

They were born in 1976, and our first major victory was Australia's most famous environmental campaign - saving the Franklin River. Since then, with the support of thousands of concerned people across the country, we've worked to protect millions of hectares of our greatest wild places.

Click here to listen to Adam Barralet hosting Heating Up and talking with Scott Alderson
Click here to listen to the final show of All Natural with Adam Barralet talking with with Amelia Young.

For more information on The Wilderness Society, please visit http://www.wilderness.org.au/

The Wilderness Society Update

Amelia Young from The Wilderness Society came into the JOY studios to give an update on happenings over the last two months.

The update includes:

• The success of the Warburton Rally


• How logging affects our Water Storage Areas


• The East Gippsland Forest Campaign


• Brown Mountain


• Successful Action on the steps of Parliament


• Long-footed potoroo – endangered species


• Old-growth forests are our richest and safest carbon banks – but only if we don’t log them


• International work – Their campaign delegation has just returned from Posnan, Poland, latest round of climate talks


• A chat with Gavan McFadzean, The Wilderness Society’s Victorian Campaigns Manager who has just returned from the climate negotiations in Posnan.


• TWS Christmas Gifts online
  

Click here to listen to the interview.

For more information, please visit http://www.wilderness.org.au/