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Grendel
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A Green Carbon Initiative - Good for the Environment, Good for Jobs
Monday, 26 January 2009
Source: Speech to Young Liberal Convention 24 January Today, I am going to talk about a climate change strategy that is founded on optimism and confidence, ingenuity and enterprise. It is a plan that will create new jobs and new enterprises – without exporting our industries and emissions overseas. It is a plan to invest in the health of our landscape, enhance the productivity of our agriculture, and increase our food and energy security. It is a plan providing real leadership for effective global action. Our Green Carbon Initiative will ensure Australia is able to achieve greater reductions in carbon dioxide than those proposed by Mr Rudd, at relatively low cost[1] and with enormous additional benefits to our own country’s environment and productivity. We will aim to achieve, by 2020, additional annual reductions of at least 150 million tonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) Our plan captures three gigantic opportunities for CO2 abatement that the Rudd Government has ignored: · A Green Carbon Initiative - a comprehensive biocarbon strategy ofinvesting in the health of our landscape, restoring soil carbon by reversing over-grazing and excessive tillage, embedding CO2 in biochar (charcoal fertiliser), tree planting, and revegetation; · Dramatically increasing energy efficiency, especially in buildings; · Constructing at least two industrial scale carbon capture and storage power stations deploying industrial scale solar energy and geothermal energy and harnessing the energy of the oceans through tidal and wave power. This policy is different to the Rudd Government’s ineffectual and bureaucratic response which has failed to take advantage of Australia’s unique characteristics and neglected Australia’s vital national interests in climate policy. But, first, let me say to you straight up that the question of whether or to what extent human activities are causing global warming is not a matter of ideology, or “belief”. This issue is simply one of risk management. It is moreover not a question of Left versus Right – indeed it was Margaret Thatcher, nearly twenty years ago, who called for immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Her words on our response to climate change are as wise and as relevant today as they were in 1990: “Many of the precautionary actions that we need to take would be sensible in any event.” It is sensible to improve energy efficiency and use energy prudently; it’s sensible to develop alternative and sustainable energy sources; it’s sensible to replant the forests which we consume……. I understand that the latest vogue is to call them “no regrets” policies. Certainly we should have none in putting them into effect.”[2] And let us not forget it was Margaret Thatcher who in 1990 committed the United Kingdom to reduce Britain’s emissions by 2005 to a level no greater than those of 1990, and who, as part of her commitment to practical action on climate change, committed £100 million to promote sustainable tropical forestry. In her footsteps, other conservative leaders including Governor Schwarzenegger of California, Senator John McCain, Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper, New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key and British Conservative Leader David Cameron are supporting policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions - just as the Coalition did in Australia in Government. As David Cameron reminded us only a week ago: “Our starting point in thinking about the low carbon economy is hope, not despair. We are talking about a technological transformation that will enable us to fulfil the aspirations of our people for a rich, varied and prosperous life with vastly reduced dependence on hydrocarbons.... (this) will pay dividends even if the gloomier predictions about global warming are not fulfilled – dividends in the form of more stable energy costs, improved economic competitiveness and increased energy security.”[3] Mr Rudd has always tried to frame the climate debate as a theological and political one – focussed on symbols rather than substance. He is endeavouring to frame his emissions trading scheme (“ETS”) as another litmus test of “belief” in climate change. And yet, an ETS is not an end in itself. It is only part of the solution, one tool in the climate policy tool box, and, in fact, no solution at all without new energy sources and new low emission technologies.[4] Whether the ETS is effective will depend on its timing and its design, it will depend on the availability of low-emission technologies and cost effective carbon sinks. In other words, an ETS is no more than a piece of economic plumbing to be assessed objectively and pragmatically for its effectiveness in reducing emissions without destroying Australian jobs.
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