Isramart : Business calls for carbon plan rethink to cut greenhouse emissions

Isramart news:
BUSINESS groups have called for a rethink of the Rudd government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, after the Copenhagen climate change talks failed to set targets or timetables to cut greenhouse gases.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Peter Anderson yesterday called for a cost-benefit analysis of the CPRS, compared with Tony Abbott's direct action approach to cutting emissions.

"Copenhagen tells us that finding workable responses that are fair to our economic as well as environmental goals is what is necessary," Mr Anderson said, amplifying calls he made for a rethink of the CPRS after it was defeated in the Senate last month.

"We now have the green light from the global community to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of what Australian industry is already doing, of the government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme versus the direct action ideas the Abbott-led Coalition might come up with, and versus other options or policy mixes comparable nations might develop."
Australian Coal Association chief executive Ralph Hillman said that the coal industry's treatment in the CPRS should be rethought as Copenhagen had left the issue of burden sharing of emissions cuts among countries "ambiguous".

Mr Hillman said any ambitions for Australia to lift its emissions reduction towards 15 per cent from its current unconditional 5 per cent should be "put on the backburner" pending the signing of binding agreements.

While the CPRS retains support from other key business groups and the powerful Australian Workers Union -- the AI Group and AWU boss Paul Howes both yesterday continued to back the amended CPRS deal -- the failure of Copenhagen has emboldened its opponents and compounds the Rudd government's problems in winning parliamentary support for its twice-rejected emissions trading scheme.

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong accused Mr Abbott of "willing the talks to fail".

Kevin Rudd maintained his commitment to reintroducing into parliament in February the CPRS negotiated with the Malcolm Turnbull-led Coalition, before his axing as leader.

But the Opposition Leader claimed the Copenhagen result was vindication for blocking the legislation after he seized the Liberal leadership from Mr Turnbull in an internal partyroom revolt on the issue.

"Kevin Rudd was very unwise to try to rush Australia into prematurely adopting a commitment in the absence of similar commitments from the rest of the world," Mr Abbott said.

He described the final outcome of the talks as an "unmitigated disaster" for the Prime Minister.

He said that the final deal had failed Mr Rudd's own test of setting real targets for emissions reductions against real timelines.

Mr Abbott seized on the outcome as vindication for the opposition's stance against the ETS, achieved after a bitter split in Liberal ranks which cost former opposition leader Mr Turnbull his job.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said Mr Abbott did not have a climate change position -- he only had an "opposition" and could not claim vindication.

Mr Turnbull again contradicted Mr Abbott, saying the fact that there was not yet a legally binding global agreement to cut emissions was "not a bar" to introducing the ETS in the form that had been agreed between the government and the opposition before Mr Turnbull was ousted as leader.