As the Australian Federal government approaches the launch date for its carbon price, conservative state governments in Australia are rolling back their climate change mitigation programs. While parts of this policy recalibration makes sense under a national cap-and-trade scheme, other changes are a missed opportunity to take advantage of the opportunities of a low carbon …
Australia’s transition from a fixed-price carbon scheme to a full emissions trading scheme in 2015 will also mark the introduction of international carbon permits into the Australian market. This will allow Australian companies to use certified emission reductions such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to meet their carbon liabilities. In an attempt to balance …
After an extremely bumpy ride, 2012 will finally see Australia implement a carbon price. The Clean Energy Future legislation, which passed in October 2011, will put a price of $23 AUD per tonne on emissions from July 1 and will apply to approximately 500 companies. It is hoped the initiative will cut emissions by 159 …
Australia’s cap and trade system, the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), is being reintroduced into Parliament this week, after two rejections in 2009 (see here and here). However, it is almost certain that it will fail again, following decreasing public support for the policy after the Copenhagen conference and Tony Abbott’s ascension to the opposition …
Following five weeks of intense negotiations between the Rudd government and the Opposition, the Australian Senate voted once more, by 41 to 33, against bills that would have established the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS). The Greens, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon, and Family First Senator Steve Fielding joined the Opposition (Liberals + Nationals) in voting …
The UK’s energy security prospects are once again making the headlines, as Ed Milliband this week announced the top 10 suitable sites for the next generation of nuclear power plants, describing nuclear power as a “proven, reliable source of low carbon energy”. The announcement comes amidst heightened concerns surrounding the peak oil debate, with the …
After the Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme’s defeat in Senate last August, the Australian Opposition, the Coalition (Liberals + Nationals), had until last Sunday to propose amendments before the reintroduction of the bill in November (for previous developments, see here). After a Party meeting lasting more than four hours yesterday, Mr. Turnbull, the Opposition leader, …
